39. Fiona
Chapter Thirty-Nine
FIONA
The sun streams through the kitchen windows as I sit around the breakfast table with Cormac and Scout. After the chaos of the past few weeks, it’s a little surreal how peaceful life feels, and I think it’s going to take a while for all of us to be able to relax.
“Scout, you need to eat some eggs,” I say as he reaches for yet another pancake.
“But—” he immediately looks to Cormac for backup.
“You heard Fiona, bud. If you want muscles like me, you need to eat your eggs.”
I try to fight a smile as I take a sip of my coffee. “You have muscles? I didn’t notice…”
I almost spill it when Cormac’s hand finds my knee beneath the table and squeezes it hard.
“Maybe I haven’t been eating enough,” Cormac says in a low voice as he slides his hand along the inside of my thigh.
“Maybe you haven’t,” I say, a little breathlessly as a familiar ache starts to build between my thighs.
“Mmm… I’ll have to bear that in mind.” He gives me a look that tells me if it weren’t for Scout, he would be laying me down on the table and devouring me for breakfast instead.
I wonder if Ciara fancies babysitting for a few hours…
“They’re not as big as mine!” Scout quickly announces, holding up his arms and attempting to flex.
Cormac continues to stroke my inner thigh in a way that has me practically squirming in my seat. “If you want them to be bigger, you need to eat the eggs.”
I scowl, but he pretends not to notice, though the corner of his mouth twitches, which tells me all I need to know.
Apparently, Cormac is in a tormenting mood. Not only does he refuse to remove his hand from my thigh for the entirety of breakfast, but the moment I set down my knife and fork, he and Scout share a smile that can only be described as mischievous.
“What? Is there something on my face?” I wipe my mouth.
Scout clamps a hand over his mouth to try and muffle his giggles, which only makes me more nervous.
“Seriously, Cormac, is there something on my face?”
“I think it’s time we all went and got dressed,” Cormac suggests, ignoring my question.
Scout practically bounces up and down in his seat. “Yes! We should get dressed!”
Something is clearly going on.
I point at Scout. “Spill.”
He only shakes his head. “Nope!”
“I’ll let you eat cookies for lunch.”
Scout gapes as he looks at Cormac, but quickly schools his expression at the look on his dad’s face.
“Go and get dressed,” Cormac orders.
Scout jumps up from his chair, almost knocking it over, and bolts out of the kitchen.
I push back my plate and narrow my eyes at Cormac.
“Why can’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“What makes you think something is going on?”
“Don’t feign innocence. You’re planning something.”
“Am I?”
“You know, right now you’re being more irritating than Brennan, and that’s saying something.”
Cormac throws his head back and laughs, and for a second, I forget to pretend to be mad because I truly love it when he laughs.
The way his eyes crinkle at the edges makes me turn into a Fiona-shaped puddle.
He chuckles. “I love you, you know that?”
I pout. “If you loved me, you would tell me what’s going on.”
“Nice try. Now go and get dressed. We leave in fifteen minutes.”
“So, we’re going somewhere?”
“Are we?”
“You just said so!”
“Did I?”
For a second, I consider throwing my empty plate at him, but my conscience gets the better of me.
“Well…can you at least tell me if I need to dress fancy?”
“Wear comfortable shoes. Oh, and bring your bathing suit. That’s it.”
Comfortable shoes and a bathing suit? Well, that rules out fine dining, shopping, or really anything civilized.
My mind is already racing as I head upstairs to change.
Could he be taking me into the mountains? Or to a secluded lake?
My detective brain starts ticking as I go rifling through my dresser in search of my bathing suit, the very one I wore that night in the hot tub at the ski resort.
Could he be planning something similar?
A huge grin spreads across my face.
Whatever it is, I know it will be amazing because I get to spend the day with Cormac and Scout, my two favorite people.
An hour later, my suspicions are confirmed as Cormac drives us down a forest track covered by a canopy of trees, though the mid-morning sun is peeking through the gaps.
It’s going to be a beautiful day, and I’m excited to spend some time outdoors.
Cormac parks at the beginning of a narrow, rocky path, and Scout launches himself out of the car, practically vibrating with excitement.
“No running off, Scout,” Cormac warns. “Stay where I can see you.”
Scout rolls his eyes, and I stifle a laugh.
“Are you sure he’s not secretly a teenager?”
Scoffing, Cormac opens up the trunk and pulls out a couple of bags of supplies as well as a cooler that I am also not allowed to know the contents of. “He’s not allowed to become a teenager."
“Pretty sure that’s not how it works.”
Cormac grins as he shuts the trunk before sliding his fingers between mine.
“Ready for an adventure?”
“You bet.”
Cormac and I walk hand in hand along the trail, watching Scout point out every bug he manages to find along the way.
I make sure to stop every once in a while and hold my face up to the sun and breathe deeply.
At one point, Cormac moves closer, but I don’t dare open my eyes.
When his lips land on my neck, I let out a sigh.
“So beautiful,” he murmurs.
I turn my head and kiss him softly.
Scout comes barreling into our legs and forces us apart. “Hurry up!” he yells, grabbing hold of my hand. “We’re almost there!”
“Almost where?”
It doesn’t take long for me to realize what Scout is referring to as the moment the path clears, the most breathtaking waterfall comes into view. It cascades down a cliff, surrounded by untouched rock and moss, and the sunlight makes the water sparkle like liquid diamonds.
“Oh, my God,” I breathe.
Cormac has his eyes focused on me. “Do you like it?”
“It’s…perfect.”
“Let’s go for a swim!” Scout exclaims.
I turn to Cormac. “He’s not serious, is he? It’s going to be freezing!”
“Don’t tell me you’re scared?” Cormac teases, setting down our supplies and stripping out of his jacket.
“Of hypothermia? Yeah.”
He pulls off his shirt to reveal his muscled abdomen. “You’re welcome to stay on the bank. Or you could come in the water with me.”
Well, crap.
I scowl at Cormac as I take off my jacket, which has him chuckling.
When I’m down to my bathing suit and shivering in place, he lifts me into his arms, and I eagerly wrap my legs around his waist.
He dips his head to kiss the swell of my breast. “Better?”
“Much better,” I sigh as I run my fingers through his hair.
We spend the morning exploring the small pools at the base of the waterfall, dipping our toes into the icy water, and eventually wading deeper, though Scout shrieks every time the water splashes him.
I cling to Cormac for warmth, and he eagerly wraps me up in his arms, holding me against him as he skips rocks across the water for Scout.
By lunchtime, we’re all suitably freezing, so we quickly towel off and get dressed before settling on a picnic blanket on the edge of the bank with a view of the waterfall.
“Hmm… I wonder who was in charge of the picnic,” I laugh as I pull out an entire bag of chocolate chips from the cooler.
“When did you sneak those in there?” Cormac asks, but Scout only grins. “There’s meant to be actual food.”
“There is food.” Scout rummages around inside the hamper and pulls out a Tupperware of Ciara’s famous chocolate chip cookies.
Cormac shakes his head, smiling, and I swear I could watch him for hours like this.
There’s a kind of magic in seeing him so relaxed.
I laugh as I break into the cookies. “This is my idea of heaven.”
“I swear, it’s like I have two children,” Cormac grumbles as he pulls out a sad-looking bag of carrots.
After Scout and I have devoured most of the picnic, the three of us move to sit on the edge of the bank with our feet dangling over the edge and our toes brushing the mist that drifts off the falls.
Scout has chocolate smeared across his cheek, and I lean over to wipe it, catching the sparkle of his excitement in his eyes.
He’s more fidgety than usual, but that might also have something to do with the enormous amount of sugar he’s just consumed.
“Is it time yet?” Scout suddenly asks.
I frown. “Time for what?”
“You know… Time!”
“For what?”
I look to Cormac for answers, only to find him chuckling, clearly amused by Scout’s impatience.
“Yes, Scout. It’s time.”
My heart lurches.
I swear if someone doesn’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to lose my mind.
“You haven’t brought me out here to murder me, have you?” I ask, a little panicked as Cormac gets to his feet.
He laughs. “Seriously? That’s where your mind goes?”
“It is when you have a best friend who is obsessed with true crime documentaries.”
“Well, it’s a little too late to go back now, Fiona Callahan.”
He holds out his hand for me to take.
I let him pull me to my feet, wondering if he’s about to lead us to another secret spot within the forest, when Scout starts bouncing up and down.
Scout tugs on Cormac’s sleeve. “You go first, Daddy!”
“Go first? Go first for what? Cormac, what’s going o—”
My breath gets stuck in my throat as Cormac all of a sudden, drops to one knee and pulls a ring box out of his pocket.
I stare at him, completely stunned.
That is, until Scout drops down beside him and pulls out another jewelry box from his pocket.
Is he doing what I think he’s doing?
“Go on, Dad. Do it!”
Cormac winks at Scout before opening the ring box to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring I’ve ever seen.
It’s simple and elegant, with a gold band and a singular oval stone in the center. It’s beyond anything I ever could have dreamed I would own, but it’s nothing in comparison to the man holding it.
“Fiona,” Cormac’s eyes are fixed on mine.
Oh, my god.
Cormac Sullivan is about to propose.
To me.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, and he hasn’t even said anything yet.
“You’re the love of my life.”
And here come the waterworks.
“You are my world, and I can’t imagine a future without you.”
My vision completely blurs as the tears start streaming down my cheeks.
“Will you do me the absolute honor of marrying me?”
I can’t speak. I can’t even breathe properly.
My hands fly to my mouth as I choke on a sob.
“Say yes!” Scout cries, and I let out a watery laugh.
“Yes!” I finally manage, wiping at my cheeks. “Yes, of course I will marry you!”
I go to hug Cormac, but he holds up a hand to stop me.
“There’s more.” He grins as Scout opens his box to reveal a matching diamond necklace set on a thin gold chain.
I hold a hand to my neck as I try to hold in a sob. “Oh, Scout. It’s beautiful!”
“I…I never knew my ma.” He glances nervously at Cormac, who gives him a nod of encouragement. “But I know she would love for you to be my other momma, and so would I.”
I can’t even give him an answer straight away because I’m crying so hard. Instead, I drop down in front of them and throw my arms around both of their necks, hugging them as tightly as possible.
“I would love nothing more,” I finally manage.
I only let go long enough for Cormac to slide the ring on my finger and to help Scout put the necklace on me before hugging them both again.
I sob. “I love you both, so much.”
“We love you too,” Cormac murmurs, taking my face in his hands and kissing me.