Epilogue
EPILOGUE
IAN
I lay on my side on Thanksgiving morning, watching Maddie sleep, her features soft and peaceful in the morning light that filtered through the curtains. Her hair spilled across the pillow in messy waves, and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm that matched the calm I felt just being near her.
And I couldn’t help but smile.
The fact that she and Grant were here, living with me now, still felt surreal. They’d moved in just after Grant’s birthday in October and it had been amazing. There were no more nightly goodbyes at the door, no waiting until the next day at work to see Maddie again.
Now, I just got to say goodnight and wake up to this—the woman of my dreams, right here beside me.
It was everything I could have hoped for.
She stirred, her hand twitching slightly before she shifted on the bed, her eyes fluttering open. A soft, sleepy smile curved her lips when her gaze landed on me. And man, I’d never get tired of seeing her smile at me like that first thing in the morning.
“Morning,” I said warmly, my voice low.
“Morning,” she murmured back, her voice still thick with sleep.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Pretty good.” She yawned and stretched slightly. “How about you?”
“I slept okay,” I said, though honestly, I’d barely slept a wink. I’d been too amped up, buzzing with anticipation over my plans for today.
“Just okay?” she asked.
“I think I was just a little too excited for my brain to settle down.” I shrugged, a small smile tugging at my lips. “It’s a big day today.”
She blinked, briefly confused, before realization dawned. “Oh, right. Thanksgiving. My family will be here soon, won’t they?”
“Yes. Though we’ve still got a few hours,” I said, knowing how much she had planned to do before they arrived.
When Maddie first said she wanted to host Thanksgiving this year, I’d offered to have it catered and let my staff handle all the setup so she wouldn’t have to stress.
But Maddie being Maddie apparently looked forward to the chaos of cooking a big meal and crafting centerpieces. So she’d politely declined all the help, insisting she wanted to do most of it herself.
Granted, we were still having the turkey and several pies delivered—there was only so much she could take on—but Maddie’s homemade sweet potatoes and hot apple cider were sure to steal the show.
“I should probably get started on decorating the table,” she said, sitting up and readying to climb out of bed.
But before she could slip away, I reached for her hand. “Wait,” I said, my heart thudding in my chest. “Just…hold on a sec.”
She paused, her brow arching. “What’s up?”
“I, uh…” My voice faltered as I shifted under her gaze. “I just wondered if you noticed something…different.”
“Different?” She searched my face, clearly puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“It’s something small,” I said, trying—and failing—to keep the nerves out of my voice.
She let out a sigh, her eyes darting around the room as if expecting to spot some new decoration or trinket. “What am I supposed to be looking for?” She turned her attention back to me, her lips curving into a faintly amused smile. “You’re being weird.”
“I know,” I admitted, blowing out a low breath.
Apparently, the nerves bubbling in my chest weren’t doing me any favors.
She leaned in slightly, her impatience growing. “Can you at least give me a hint?”
I glanced down at her left hand, trying to keep my smile from turning into a full-blown grin.
Maddie caught the movement, frowning slightly as she looked from me to her hand, clearly trying to figure out why I was looking at it. Then realization finally hit her and she froze.
Her eyes went wide, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she lifted her hand closer to her face. The light glinted off the ring, delicate yet sparkling.
“Ian,” she breathed, holding her hand up. “Did you put this here while I was asleep?”
“I did,” I said, unable to stop smiling now.
“Why?” Her mouth fell open slightly. “Is this because my dad’s coming and I never told him we called off our fake engagement? Because I promise I’ll get around to it.”
“No.” I chuckled and shook my head. “I put it there because I thought you should have it. It’s been sitting in my closet, all lonely, and I just thought…it could use a friend.”
She laughed, the sound soft and full of disbelief. “So you thought I should wear a huge engagement ring around because it was lonely?”
“Well, I mean, it only makes sense,” I said, my tone playful.
She shook her head, still laughing. “Ian, if I wear this, people are going to start asking questions. And since everyone at work is just now getting used to the fact that we’re dating and not actually engaged, I think this would only add to the confusion.”
“Hmm…” I pretended to think it over, rubbing my jaw with my thumb. “Yeah, I guess that could be a problem.”
“You think?” Her eyebrows shot up.
“Well, I guess that means I should probably ask you a question, then,” I said, unable to hold back a grin as I climbed off the bed and walked over to her side of the bed.
Her eyes widened as I lowered myself down on one knee, and I watched a kaleidoscope of emotions flit across her face—excitement, anticipation, and a flicker of hope that made my chest swell.
I reached for her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. Her skin was warm beneath mine, the ring on her finger grounding me as my heart thundered in my chest.
“Maddie Elizabeth Stevens,” I began, trying to infuse every syllable with the depth of my emotions. “I love you. More than words could ever fully express. I want to spend every single day proving to you just how much. You’ve shown me what it means to love and to be loved, and I never want to let that go.” I paused, drawing in a shaky breath, the weight of the moment pressing against my chest. “So, Maddie…will you marry me? Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
Her hands flew to her mouth, and a choked sob escaped her as the first tears filled her eyes, trailing down her cheeks. She nodded frantically, unable to speak at first.
When she finally found her voice, it was soft and trembling. “Yes,” she whispered, her words breaking with emotion. “Yes, of course, Ian. A million times, yes.”
Relief and joy surged through me as she climbed off the bed and launched herself into my arms, her tears dampening my shirt as I held her close.
“I love you,” she murmured before kissing me, her fingers curling into my shirt as if anchoring herself to the moment.
“I love you, too,” I replied, my forehead resting against hers. The warmth of her acceptance settled deep in my chest, filling every corner of me with happiness.
But there was something else I needed to do.
“There’s just one more thing,” I said, pulling back slightly, my tone lighter now but no less serious.
“What do you mean?”
I reached for her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before meeting her gaze again. “I need to ask someone else a question.”
She blinked, momentarily confused, before she seemed to understand. Her lips curved into a smile as I stepped toward the door and called, “Grant? Can you come in here for a minute, buddy?”
“Okay,” he called from the living room.
A moment later, Grant bounded into the room, his curious gaze darting between us. He climbed onto the bed, flopping down beside Maddie who smoothed a hand over his hair.
“What’s up?” he asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.
“I need to ask you something important,” I began, sitting down on the bed so I was facing him. “What do you think about me joining your family? Do you think it’d be okay if I married your mom?”
“Hmmm,” Grant said, scrunching his face into an exaggerated expression of deep thought. “Let me think about it…”
He tapped a finger to his chin, dragging out the moment like a pro, clearly savoring the attention.
Finally, after peeking at both Maddie and me to make sure he had us on the edge of our seats, he broke into a mischievous grin. “I guess you could marry her…but only if you promise to get her a real Lambo someday.”
A surprised laugh burst out of Maddie, and the infectious grin spreading across Grant’s face had me chuckling, too.
“A real Lambo?” I teased, ruffling his hair. “You drive a hard bargain, kid.”
“I think the original ‘Lambo’ is just fine.” Maddie shook her head, laughing as she wiped her eyes. “Don’t let him swindle you, Ian.”
“Okay, okay, how about this—” Grant put his hands out, his face utterly serious. “Maybe you can get me a Lambo when I’m older.”
“I’ll have to talk to your mom about that one before I make any promises,” I said, loving this kid and his antics so much.
“Aw, man!” Grant groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. “I already know she’s gonna say no!”
We all burst into laughter and then Maddie pulled both of us into her arms for a family hug. I wrapped my arms around the two people I loved most, letting the sweetness of this moment sink in.
It was perfect—they were perfect.
And they were mine.