Epilogue
“Mommy!” Addy called from the backyard. “You can come out now.”
Kate’s lips twitched. How many times had she heard those words this summer? The long, balmy days were drawing to an end – school was back in session next week – and she felt a little pang in her heart.
Despite starting out as the worst summer ever, it had quickly morphed into the best. After their heartfelt talk, she and Marley had agreed to start their relationship again. The following week, with James at home, they’d told Addy and Ethan that they were dating.
Not that Ethan and Addy had blinked an eyelid. As far as they were both concerned, Marley was their best friend as well as Kate’s new suitor. And the three of them – or four once James was back – were thick as thieves, plotting ways to ‘woo’ Kate.
She was now the proud owner of a fountain creatively made from old metal tire rims that Marley had found and painstakingly shaped into flowers with Addy, while Ethan and James concentrated on the plumbing. There was also a ‘remembering tree’, as Addy called it. This one was made from rusted metal struts, and as big as a real tree, with fronds that cascaded down like a weeping willow. It was where the kids could go when they were sad about Paul. Not that she’d seen any of them under there recently.
More and more there were smiles on their faces when they talked about their dad, or when Marley regaled them with a story about him.
But this last project was a secret. Whatever it was, they’d been carrying it in and out of the garage each night so she couldn’t sneak a peek.
They didn’t trust her, and she got that. Because she totally would have snuck out to see what they were doing if given the chance.
“Okay, I’m coming,” she called out.
“She’s coming,” Addy shouted.
“Yeah, we heard her.” James’ low voice sounded amused.
He’d had a fantastic time at junior firefighter camp. When she’d picked him up with Addy and Ethan – Marley had stayed behind because they were short on volunteers that weekend thanks to a bug that was sweeping through the station – he’d looked like he’d grown up. Like a man.
She’d never felt more proud.
Another bonus of camp? He’d decided he definitely wanted to go to college before becoming a firefighter. “A lot of the instructors said a college education is a good thing,” he told her breathlessly, like she hadn’t been saying the same thing to him. “They think I should go.”
Next year she and Marley would take him to tour some colleges. Then during his senior year he’d apply. He was growing fast, her first son. And she was so happy to see him bloom.
She opened the door to see all three of her children waiting for her. Addy was jumping up and down with excitement. James just smiled at her as Ethan took Kate’s hand. “Mom, we all made this,” he said solemnly. “But you get to decide if you want it.”
She turned to see the structure built at the center of the grassy lawn. This time it was a pergola, formed from whatever iron Marley had managed to find, welded together in a circle then painted white. There were pink flowers twisted around the iron from the base to the circular roof, making it look like it belonged at a wedding venue, not in their backyard.
And then she saw him. Marley. Wearing his dress uniform, on one knee in the center of the pergola, a ring in his hands.
“We planned this,” Addy said, her voice an octave higher than usual. “We kept it a secret, didn’t we, Marley?”
“Yeah, we did.” He winked at her.
“He’s going to ask you a question, Mommy,” Addy said breathlessly.
“Add, let him speak,” James said, scooping his sister up in his arms. “Remember what we planned?”
“I remember. I just want it to happen now. Please.” She was jumping with excitement.
Ethan was still holding Kate’s hand. His arm was healing well, thank goodness. The doctor was pleased with his progress. He had to keep it covered until it was completely healed, and once it was, he’d have to wear sunscreen all year round.
But he was playing ball, going swimming, doing all the things he loved doing. And last week he and Marley had gone to choose a new grill. They’d talked about whether to get one at all after what had happened. But it was Marley who suggested they let Ethan choose. The two of them had gone out for the day, and come back with a small but perfectly formed gas grill.
And last night they’d cooked smores on it and Shana had come over, cuddling Ethan and telling him how proud she was of him. And even though he’d squirmed as she kissed his cheek, he’d looked secretly happy.
Now her youngest son was leading her over to the pergola, like he was a proud father walking her down the aisle. Then he took her hand and gave it to Marley, before stepping back to join James and Addy.
“Go on then,” Addy shouted.
Marley’s eyes caught hers and they both smiled. Damn, she loved this man so much. “Kate, James, Ethan, and Addy,” Marley said, looking at each of them in turn before bringing his eyes back to Kate’s face. “This summer with you has been the happiest few months of my life. I love every single one of you more each day. I smile when I wake up because you’re part of my life, and I pretty much sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow because you all wear me out so much.”
Kate laughed, because this was so true. He was constantly running around the yard with them. Sure, he went home each night – or at least he’d pretend to.
Half of those same nights he’d climb in through her window like the teenage delinquent wannabe he was.
“And I want you. Every one of you. To be mine.” His voice cracked. “To be my family. And that doesn’t take away from your dad, because you’ll still be his, too.”
He looked at Kate. “Kate, will you do me the absolute honor of my life by agreeing to be my wife?”
A tear rolled down her cheek. “Yes, please.”
“Do you agree?” he asked the children. “Do you agree to be partially mine, too?”
“Yes!” Addy squealed. “Yes!”
“I do,” Ethan said solemnly.
James just smiled. And that was enough to tell her what she needed. Marley would be more of a friend than a father figure. But that’s what her oldest needed right now.
He’d come along at the right time, this man they hadn’t realized they needed. He was the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle of their lives. He completed them.
Marley stood and slid the ring onto her finger. It was so simple yet so perfect. An emerald, cut square, in a white gold setting. She lifted her hand to look at it before Marley pulled her into his arms. His mouth was warm and soft as he kissed her. “Jesus Christ, I’m gonna sleep for a hundred years after this one,” he told her.
“I’ll run you a bath,” she said. “And you can consider me officially and completely wooed.”
“Oh no,” Addy said, running in a circle around them. “We’re still doing Operation Woo, right?”
Marley laughed against her mouth before breaking the kiss, his hand still on her waist, like he couldn’t bear to let her go. “Of course we are,” he agreed. “Operation Woo is a lifelong thing.”
She looked at the yard. At the planter and the water feature and the tree and the pergola. “Isn’t the yard getting a little full?” she murmured.
He lifted a brow. “We’re gonna need a bigger yard.”
Yeah, they did. But they’d bring those woo tokens with them. The way you always brought the past and made it prettier with the present.
“I like the idea of that,” she murmured, as he pulled her against him, his lips soft as they kissed her brow.
“Me too.” He slid his hand down her side. “I love you so damn much.”
She lifted her face to look at him, her smile full of the kind of radiance you can only have when you truly feel happy.
“And I love you right back.”
“Mommy!” Addy shouted, pulling at Kate’s hand. “I’ll get to be a bridesmaid. I’ll get to wear a dress.”
“Yes, you will.” Kate grinned at her daughter’s excitement.
“You want me to go do the next thing?” James asked, his eyes meeting Marley’s.
“Yeah, you’d better.” Marley smiled at him.
“There’s another thing?” Kate asked. What on earth else could there be? She had a ring, she had a pergola, she had more metal yard décor than she could ever know what to do with.
But then James was walking around the corner of the house. “Okay, you all,” he was shouting. “You can come back now.”
And then a crowd of people started to file into their backyard. Shana was first, running over to Kate and demanding to see the ring. Followed by some of her friends from the library, and Marley’s family – his mom hugging her tight and telling her how happy she was for the two of them.
Before she knew it their yard was full of everybody she loved. Even her mom and Carlton had made the trip to celebrate. According to her mom, James had called them last week. They were staying with Marley’s parents, and she was loving staying the night with a rock star.
Everybody had brought food and drinks, and Addy was telling them where to put things, while James, and Marley, along with his brothers and cousins were carrying out chairs and tables for the makeshift party.
And every time he walked past her, he had to touch her, just the way she’d pictured it would be. The way she needed it to be.
“You two are disgustingly romantic,” Shana said, smiling approvingly. “Is it really a surprise? Didn’t you suspect a thing?”
“Nope.” Kate shook her head. It was a shock, truth be told, that they could all lie to her so convincingly. Addy and Ethan were definitely going to cause trouble when they hit the teenage years.
Before she could say anymore, the Stitch and Snitch brigade filed in, carrying homemade cakes and a quilt they’d embroidered for Kate and Marley. “To hide the honeymoon stains, dear,” Mary told her with a wink. “On the mattress.”
“Thank you,” Kate said solemnly. “I’ll treasure it always.”
It was another hour of congratulations and talking to friends and family before she found herself alone with Marley. He slid his arm around her waist as Pres started playing his guitar and Cassie started singing. Couples slowly started to dance around the pergola he’d made for her.
“You want to dance?” Marley asked her.
“In a minute,” she said. “But for now I just want to stand here with you. And marvel at how perfect a night can be.”
“You think it’s perfect?” A smile played at his lips. The man got so happy by making her happy.
“Yes I do.” She nodded. “I have one question for you, though.”
“What’s that?”
“What would you have done with them all if I’d said no?”
Marley grinned and took her hand, lifting it so he could kiss the sensitive skin at the back of her wrist. Then he kissed the finger with his ring on it, as though he still couldn’t believe his luck.
“I tried not to think about that,” he told her. “I prefer hoping for the best instead of fearing for the worst. But I guess if you’d said no, I would’ve sent Shana around to comfort you, then I would’ve taken everybody else to the Moonlight Bar and paid for us all to get steaming drunk.”
“I like the hope better,” she whispered.
“So do I.” He pressed his lips to hers. “And by the way, my parents and your parents are taking the kids tonight. So I hope you’re ready for some loving.”
Her body tightened at the thought. “We have a free night?”
“All night.” He nodded slowly, his gaze full of intent.
Her lips split into a grin. “Then bring it on.”
Thank you for reading!