Chapter 32 A Quiet Forever
A Quiet Forever
Claire
The rich, warm scent of cinnamon and rosemary filled the main cabin’s kitchen.
I stirred my coffee slowly, watching the steam curl and vanish in the slant of morning light through the window.
Maggie, upon hearing the news last night, had declared a family breakfast, her treat, and judging by the pans cooling on the stove, she’d been up since dawn.
Across the rustic wooden table, Maeve and Brooke were still admiring the ring on my left hand.
“It’s so you, Claire,” Brooke said, turning my hand gently to see the diamond from another angle. “Simple, elegant, and just a little unexpected.”
I smiled and turned my hand slightly, and a shard of morning light hit the diamond, throwing a tiny, brilliant rainbow onto the wooden table. “He designed it himself.” My constant.
Brooke leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So. Have you thought about the wedding yet?”
I blinked. “The wedding?”
“Well, yeah,” she said, her grin widening. “You’re engaged now. That’s usually the next step. Time to start planning.”
I hesitated, my smile faltering. The comforting weight of the ring suddenly felt like a spotlight. A big wedding meant cameras, press, fans speculating on every detail. My brother was his coach. Liam was… Liam. Famous. Beloved. A goalie with a cult following. The world would expect a spectacle.
But all I could see was the herb garden in the twilight, the string lights, and the way he’d looked at me like I was the only person on the planet.
“I don’t want a circus,” I murmured, more to my coffee cup than to them. “I’d love to have it someplace like this. Quiet. Just us.” I looked up, the reality of it hitting me. “I just hate the idea of waiting a whole year for some fancy venue.”
A beat of silence passed, filled only by the hum of the refrigerator. My sister-in-law’s eyes lit up.
Oh no, what is she cooking up?
“I brought that white dress,” she said. “The flowy one you loved from the boutique. I thought you might wear it last night.” She waved a hand.
“But then, with all the… well, the chaos…” Everyone around the table laughed, remembering Sophie's interruption. “I completely forgot to give it to you.” She took a quick breath. “Actually, I brought dresses for the three of us. And I packed a suit and tie for Nolan.” She shrugged, a little sheepish. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just so excited for you two.”
Maggie, who’d been quietly refilling coffee cups but clearly listening to every word, set the carafe down with a soft thud. “I know someone,” she said. “A friend down the road. She’s licensed to officiate. If you want… I could make a call.”
My breath caught in my throat. “You’re serious?”
“Only if you are,” Maggie said, her smile gentle.
Maeve and Brooke looked at each other, both trying to hide their smiles and failing completely.
“Why don’t you,” Maeve said, drawing out the words, “go talk to my brother… I mean, your fiancé…” I couldn’t miss the way Maeve leaned on the word fiancé, her voice warm with teasing.
The wink she shot Brooke was so quick I might have imagined it, but the shared smile that followed was unmistakable. “…and see what he thinks.”
I found him outside, sitting in a deep Adirondack chair, sipping coffee and reading a cookbook. Of course. I sat in the chair beside him, my heart thudding against my ribs like a trapped bird.
“I have a question,” I said softly.
He looked up from the page, his expression instantly alert, the easy morning calm replaced by concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers with his. “I just… I know we haven’t talked about the wedding yet. And I know people will expect something big. But I don’t want big. I want this. You. Here. Now.”
He blinked, processing. “You mean—”
“I mean…” I took a steadying breath, the words feeling both impossible and perfectly right. “Would you marry me today?”
He stared at me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine. Then he set his ceramic mug down on the wide arm of the chair with deliberate care.
“Wait.” He leaned forward, his voice earnest. “Do you want the dress? The flowers? The music? Because if you do, I’ll make it happen. I’ll fly in a string quartet. I’ll—”
I laughed and shook my head. Before he could list another extravagant idea, I closed the small distance between us and kissed him, swallowing the rest of his sentence.
“I want you,” I said against his lips.
He grinned, his eyes shining with a joy so bright it almost hurt to look at. In one fluid motion, he stood up, then dropped to one knee in the soft grass, grabbing my left hand in both of his.
“Claire,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t marry you soon enough. Will you marry me… today?”
The sun dipped low behind the trees, casting long, golden shadows across the clearing. The air was warm and still, and the twinkle lights strung above us began to glow against the darkening blue of the sky.
I stood at the edge of the stone patio, my arm linked through my brother’s.
Nolan patted my hand where it rested on his sleeve.
My two nieces started down the path ahead of us.
Sophie, beaming, flung handfuls of rose petals and lavender stems into the air; they rained down around her in a colorful, fragrant cloud.
Behind her, Emma walked with solemn care, her little chin lifted high.
My throat tightened. Emma’s small hands were wrapped tightly around a shallow wooden bowl, its edges worn smooth from years of use. Inside, on a bed of rosemary sprigs Liam had clipped himself, rested the two rings. Those weren’t just rings.
The thin platinum band had once belonged to Liam’s mother. Liam had it resized to fit me.
The other, wider band was my father’s. The one I hadn’t seen since the day we packed his things away. I had always loved twisting that ring on his finger when I was a kid. Nolan had given it to Liam when Liam let him know he was planning to propose.
Two families, two histories, carried down the aisle in two small hands. Waiting to be placed on ours.
At the end of the path, under a simple arch woven with more greens, stood our small party.
Brooke, my maid of honor, was already dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, a wobbly smile on her face.
Next to her stood Maeve, Liam’s best woman.
A fondness for her warmed my chest, a feeling that had grown from quiet respect into something sisterly.
And then, Liam. His hands were clasped in front of him, but his gaze was fixed on me. The look on his face, a mixture of awe, love, and sheer, unguarded joy, made my breath catch. The entire world narrowed to just him.
Nolan leaned his head toward mine, his voice a soft rumble. “Claire, it’s time.”
I looked down at my bouquet, a fragrant, loosely tied bundle of wildflowers, basil, thyme, and lavender. It smelled like his kitchen. It smelled like him. I lifted my head, my eyes finding Liam’s again, and gave my brother a small, sure nod.
We began to walk. I was only vaguely aware of the soft music. All I saw was him. The way his smile widened as I got closer, the way his eyes grew suspiciously bright.
As I reached him, he didn’t wait. He reached out, took my hand, and pulled me gently closer to him. His thumb brushed my knuckles. He bent his head, and his whisper was for me alone.
“Thank you for letting me spend the rest of my life with you.”