Chapter Twenty-Seven
Alara listened to Zia and Charles through the open window of the camper.
She'd towed it over here to the house yesterday, so she could finally unpack her and Zia's things from it.
She still couldn't believe the house was hers.
She understood why Charles had done it, and she'd be forever grateful.
But in her mind, it was her and Reaves's house. Their home. She finally had one.
She moved to the window to watch her daughter showing Charles around.
He'd offered to come and help this morning, because Reaves had had to go out on an errand.
She hadn't known what she could ask him to do—but she should have known better.
He and Zia were keeping each other entertained, and that was a win-win for everyone.
"See the big daisies by the front door, Grandpa Grape? Aren't they pretty?"
Alara's breath caught when Charles said, "They're the most beautiful flowers in the world."
Zia must have caught something in his tone. She tilted her head back and blinked up at him. "Really?"
"Really," he said, with a sad smile. "And you know—these ones here, the big ones like this? They have a special name. They're not just daisies."
Zia stepped closer to him and took hold of his hand. "What are they called?"
"They're called marguerites."
Zia looked at the flowers, then back up at Charles. "That was Grandma Grape's name, wasn't it?"
Alara's hand came up to cover her mouth. She'd never heard Zia mention Reaves's mom before. And from his reaction, she guessed Charles hadn't either.
"That's right," he said eventually. "And you know—once upon a time, Grandma Grape and I lived here, in this house. Like you and your mom and Reaves do now."
Zia looked all around. "That's why it's so special, then, isn't it? I wondered what it was. This house feels good."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Sunflowers," Zia said suddenly. "I want to plant some of those here. We'll come to the castle and see you all the time still. But it'd be nice to have sunflowers here too. Will you help me plant some?"
He ran his hand over her hair. "I will. But I'm afraid we'll have to wait until the spring. If we try to plant them now, they won't grow."
Zia's little face fell. "Oh. Okay."
"I'll tell you what. We'll gather you some seeds. From the ones up at the castle. Okay?"
Zia brightened. "Oh, yes, please. All those seeds need a place to grow."
"That's right," said Charles. "They always do."
They wandered off down the side of the house, and Alara sat back down, looking around the small living space she and Zia had called home for years—if she wanted to look at it that way. The two of them had been like seeds blown on the wind. And now they'd finally found their place. Here they were.
She smiled, wondering if that was where the logo had come from. Rooted in stillness.
She didn't get to sit still long enough to ponder it, though. Reaves's Cruiser pulled in a few minutes later, and Zia came running, Charles following. Alara hurried to the camper door. She couldn't wait to see this.
~ ~ ~
"It's okay, old fella," Reaves said soothingly, when he heard Homer whine from his crate in the back. "You're going to be okay now. You're home."
He jumped out, and his dad winked at him.
"Prince Daddy! Prince Daddy, where have you been?" Zia came running.
He grinned at her. "I had a very important errand to run this morning."
"You did?" Her eyes widened. "What did you get?"
He chuckled. "What makes you think I got anything?"
Her little eyebrows drew together. "Because you did. I know you did."
Alara appeared in the door of the camper and gave him a nod. He went to open the tailgate, and Zia followed him. He reached in and lifted down the crate—and Zia froze, eyes wide, staring and silent for a moment. Then she let out a squeal that made Charles wince.
"Homer!" she cried. "Homer, Homer, Homer—you're home!"
"He is," said Reaves. "Do you think we should let him out of there?"
"Oh, yes, Prince Daddy, let him out. He wants to come and sit down and enjoy some peace. Don't you, Homer?"
The dog stood up and shook himself, and when Reaves opened the crate, he stepped out and looked around at them all before walking placidly straight to Zia. He sat down beside her and leaned against her leg. Zia dropped to the ground beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I love you, Homer. You're home now. It's all going to be okay."
Alara came to join them, and as Reaves wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Zia shot her mother a worried look.
"I asked Prince Daddy," she said quickly.
"It's okay, Z. He talked to me about it. And now that we have our own home, he can live here with us." Reaves shot his dad a grateful smile.
"Do you think we should show him the backyard?" his dad asked Zia.
"Yes." Zia got to her feet. "Come on, Homer. You're going to like it out here. You can lie in the grass and watch the clouds."
Reaves chuckled as he and Alara watched Zia take his dad's hand, the two of them walking away with Homer following along—as if he'd always been part of the family.
When they'd gone, he slid his arm around Alara's waist and pressed a kiss to her lips. "How are you feeling?"
She nodded. "I'm doing so well, Reaves. You've seen for yourself—every day I'm a little bit stronger." She dropped her gaze. "And I'm putting weight on."
He couldn't help sliding his hand down over her backside. "And it suits you," was all he said.
She laid her palm on his cheek. "In case I haven't told you yet today—I love you."
"And I love you." His hand went to his pocket, automatically checking that the other thing he'd collected this morning was still safe there, in its box. "Let's go around back and see how they're getting on. There's something I want to ask you."
She gave him a puzzled look, but took his hand and let him lead her to the backyard.
His dad was sitting on one of the new chairs out there.
The house was still a mishmash of the old furniture and the new that had started arriving—but it didn't bother Reaves in the least. It was like his dad said: you made a house a home by living in it, not by decorating it.
Homer and Zia were settled peacefully at Charles's feet.
His dad raised his eyebrows, and Alara laughed when she caught it. "What are the two of you up to?"
Reaves chuckled. "You caught me. Nothing that I want to hide from you for too long. But like I said—there's something I want to ask you."
Zia looked up at him. "What are you going to ask, Prince Daddy?"
"You'll see in a minute, Z. And then there's something I want to ask you too."
"Okay."
He turned to Alara, and realized he wasn't even nervous. This just felt so right. That was the thing about her and Zia—they'd both felt right to him from the moment he first met them.
He took the small velvet box from his pocket. He hadn't intended to get down on one knee, but his dad was nodding approvingly and Zia was watching wide-eyed, so he did. He caught hold of Alara's hand.
"This is what I want to ask you. I've already told you I want to spend my life with you.
But I don't think I've told you why." He tightened his hand around hers.
"You came here with nothing, and you gave all of us everything.
You brought my dad back to life. You made a home out of a camper, and then you did the same with a castle, because making places beautiful for the people you love is just what you do.
I don't want to take care of you because you need it, Alara.
I want you because you're the best thing that ever walked into my life.
You and Zia both." He glanced at the little girl watching wide-eyed.
"She told me at Jacob and Becca’s wedding that I'd be the King of all the Daddies one day.
She was right. She usually is." He looked back at Alara.
"So let's make it official. Marry me. Let me be yours, and Zia's, for the rest of my life. "
She gripped his hand tight and nodded slowly, two fat tears rolling down her cheeks. "Yes, Reaves. Yes, please. I want to marry you. To spend the rest of our lives building a wonderful life." She glanced over at Zia and his dad. "A wonderful family. Yes."
He got to his feet and slid the ring onto her finger.
"Oh, Reaves. It's beautiful. Thank you."
He nodded. It had taken him a long time to find the right ring—but as soon as he'd seen it, he'd known it was the one. The diamond was set in little swirls of gold that made it look as though it sat at the center of a flower.
He closed his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her, not caring for once that his dad and Zia were right there watching. When he finally lifted his head, Zia came running and threw her arms around their legs.
"Now you get to be king and queen," she declared.
Alara laughed, and Reaves looked down at Zia. "Is that how it works?"
She nodded solemnly. "It is. Now you're not Prince Daddy anymore. You're King Daddy. I always knew you'd be King Daddy one day—and now you are."
He scooped her up and sat her on his hip. "I'll try my best to be a very good king."
"That's okay. You don't need to try. You already are good." She looked over. "Isn't he, Grandpa Grape?"
Reaves turned to his dad, who'd gotten to his feet. Charles hugged Alara, who clung to him tightly for a moment before stepping back.
"He's a very, very good man. I'm proud to call him son." He held Alara's gaze. "And I'm proud—as well as thrilled—to make it official that the two of you are family."
"We're already family," said Zia. She grinned at Reaves. "Aren't we, King Daddy? I like your new name."
Reaves reached for Alara's hand, and she came closer and nodded. They'd already discussed this.
"I like my new name too, Z. And I think I've finally figured out what your name is."
She blinked. "You have?" she asked, looking shocked.
"Yeah. I have. If you want it."
She pursed her lips and considered it a moment. "If you give it to me, I think I do. What is it?"
He held her a little closer. "If you want me to—I'd like to call you daughter."
She stared at him for a long few moments. Then she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his neck.
"Yes, please."
~ ~ ~
Later that night, Alara and Reaves sat out on the new wicker sofa on the back patio. Zia was fast asleep upstairs. Charles had left a little while ago to go home to the castle. And Homer lay at their feet, sighing occasionally, but otherwise seemingly content.
Reaves wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Are you happy?" he asked.
"I've never been this happy in my life, Reaves. And it's all thanks to you."
"From where I'm sitting, it's all thanks to you."
She chuckled. "You know—if you think about it, it's really all thanks to Zia. She chose you."
"She did. And I'll be forever grateful. But even if I hadn't met her the way I did, I'd like to believe I'd have found you anyway. I think we were meant to be. You and me."
"Oh. That's a nice way to see it."
"It is." He chuckled, and she had to laugh with him when he added, "It's like we were written in a book somewhere. Some kind of fairytale."
"So does that mean we get to live happily ever after?"
"I'd love to be able to guarantee that. But I think the best we can do is promise each other that we'll work at it."
"I promise you I will."
He turned and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I promise you the same."
He leaned back, and she curled into his side. And they sat quietly, watching the sky go dark and the stars come out;
I hope you enjoyed Reaves and Alara’s story.