The Library Garden – Ella Braeme #6
Claire squeezed his hand as they entered the restaurant, the scent of basil and wood-fired dough making their mouths water. They settled into Zara's "special spot" by the window where she could watch the street musicians who often played outside.
After their pizza arrived (with pineapple), Marcus caught Claire's eye and nodded slightly. Her heart began to race.
"Zazy," he said, using his special nickname for her, "there's something Claire and I would like to talk to you about."
Zara immediately sat up straighter, her legs swinging faster under the table as she looked between them with barely contained excitement. Her pizza sat forgotten, a string of cheese still connecting her plate to her last bite.
"Is it about the cat?" she asked, practically vibrating in her seat.
Claire blinked. "What cat?"
"The one we're going to get. I heard you and Daddy talking about changes and new things, and Jose got a dog when his mom's friend became his new dad, but I'm allergic to dogs, so I figured?—"
"Sweetheart," Marcus interrupted gently, "Claire and I wanted to tell you that we've been... seeing each other. Dating. For a while now."
"Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Yes," Claire said softly. "We wanted to make sure it was serious before we told you, because you're so important to both of us."
Zara launched herself from her chair so fast she nearly knocked over her milk, squeezing between them to wrap her arms around them both.
"Finally!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled against Claire's shoulder.
"Now we can bake muffins every weekend, and you can help me with my reading fort, and maybe you can teach me how to make my hair pretty like yours and?—"
"You know," Claire said, her voice thick with emotion as she hugged Zara back, "I would love to do all of those things."
"You don’t really seem to be surprised, sweet pea," Marcus said.
"I’m not." Zara took another bite of her pizza, pulling long strings of cheese. "I knew," she mumbled with her mouth full.
"You... knew?" Marcus asked.
"Daddy, you smile differently when she's around.
And Miss Claire always has a special voice for you, like when she reads the princess parts in stories.
" Zara's excitement dimmed slightly, her fingers twisting in her napkin.
"I was talking to Mommy on the video call last week about having two mommies.
She said that's okay, that love grows bigger, not smaller.
" She looked up at Claire, suddenly shy.
"I don't know what to call you though. Would.
.. would it be okay if I kept calling you Miss Claire for now? Until we figure it out?"
Claire's heart melted at the careful way Zara was trying to navigate this change. "Of course, sweetheart. We can figure it out together, no rush."
Reassured, Zara's brightness returned as she reached into her purple handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "That's why I drew this."
Claire felt tears prick her eyes as Zara smoothed out the drawing. There they were, rendered in various shades of purple crayon: Marcus in a tuxedo, Claire in a flowing dress, and between them, Zara in what appeared to be a combination of both. A small purple cat sat at their feet.
"See?" Zara pointed to the cat. "I'm not picky about the color, the cat might be white, too. But Jose says pets help make a family, and since I can't have a dog..."
Marcus made a choked sound that might have been a laugh or a sob. "Come here, sweet pea." He pulled Zara into a tight hug, then held out his arm for Claire to join them.
As Claire melted into their embrace, she thought about all the careful plans that had led them here—Marcus's safety calculations, her whimsical designs, their shared vision of creating something beautiful for their community.
But the most magical thing of all had been completely unplanned: this little family, coming together in their own perfectly imperfect way.
"So," Zara said when they finally separated, her glasses slightly steamed up from being squeezed between them, "when's the wedding? Can my dress be purple? And can we put the cat in a bowtie?"
Claire laughed, wiping her eyes. "One step at a time, sweetie." She looked at Marcus, who was watching them both with such tenderness it made her heart ache. "But I think purple is definitely in our future."
"And don't forget the wish rocks," Zara added seriously. "We need to make more for the garden. One that says, 'And They Lived Happily Ever After.'"
Marcus squeezed Claire's hand under the table. "I think we can engineer that," he said softly.
And in that moment, surrounded by the scent of pizza and the sound of Zara's excited planning, Claire caught Marcus's eye and smiled.
He'd finally learned what she'd known all along—that the best dreams weren't built from careful calculations and precise plans, but from love and trust and a little bit of chaos.
Their story had unfolded exactly as it should have, one purple crayon, one garden stone, and one family dinner at a time.
Ella Braeme writes steamy contemporary romance featuring strong women and the men who can't help falling for them.
Known for delivering emotional depth and sizzling chemistry in quick, satisfying reads, she crafts stories that offer the perfect escape from everyday life.
When not creating happily-ever-afters, Ella can be found in her garden with her four-legged supervisor who believes digging holes is essential to the growing process.