Holy shit, I had no idea the drama that having an eight-year-old girl in my life would entail. The kids go from best friends to enemies and then back to best friends in a matter of an afternoon, and Lily and I get the full rundown from Chloe every day. Sometimes when Chloe is relaying it to us over dinner, I look across the table at Lily and I have to hide my smile with my hand because some of it is truly the most ridiculous stuff I've ever heard.
It's also the best. For the past year, this cabin (where we stay on weekends, except during winters when we can't get up the mountain) has been filled with noise and laughter and total chaos. It's the exact opposite of the quiet life I thought I'd have when I came back to West Bend, determined to hide out here by myself.
Instead, my life is a whirlwind of nonstop soccer practice and swim lessons and camp and "I don't want to go school today!" and "She said she hates me!" and science projects and pointing out constellations in the sky and building our own rocket and laughter. A lot of laughter. And kid's movies so many kid's movies that I can't remember the last time I watched a movie that didn't involve a plucky girl and her pet horse. Or a plucky girl and her pet deer. Or a plucky girl solving mysteries.
Now my life involves sitting out on the back deck of the cabin after Chloe is asleep with Lily on my lap while she drinks a glass of wine and talks about plans for the store. It involves carrying Lily into her bedroom in our house in town – without the ten thousand fluffy pillows on the bed anymore, because they were so damn annoying – and throwing her down on the bed and burying my face between her legs. It involves waking up beside her and hearing her breathe deeply – okay, it's more like a little snore, but I keep that part to myself – while she snuggles up next to me and hits the snooze button on the alarm for the sixth time.
Lily has been mine since the moment I spilled coffee on her shirt in the general store. Tonight, I'm going to make that official.
Lily
"Killian! Let me get it! Let me get it!" Chloe pushes her chair back from the table on the cabin deck and stands up, racing to the door and into the house.
"She's excited," I note.
"She's not the only one." Killian grins at me.
"What are you up to?" I ask. "You're really trying to get in my pants tonight, aren't you?" Killian has gone above and beyond already, recreating our first date for my birthday dinner – the exact meal he cooked me then, and the deck all lit up with lights just like he did before.
"God, I hope I get in your pants." Killian grins.
Chloe bursts back through the open door with a pan of cupcakes. "Happy birthday!" she screams, setting them down on the table.
"Did you make these?" I ask.
"No way, mom. I know how to do frosting right. Killian did!"
"You're going to really sell me out like that when I took you fishing this morning?" Killian asks.
"I can't lie!" Chloe squeals, clasping her hands together. "Take a cupcake! Wait, no. I'll do it. I can do it, right, Killian?"
"Sure."
Chloe puts a cupcake on my plate and looks at me expectantly. "Eat it."
I look back and forth between the two of them. "What did you guys do to this? Is this a jalape?o cupcake or something?"
"No, but you know, that's a good cupcake flavor idea," Killian points out.
I narrow my eyes at them as I bring the cupcake to my mouth.
"No, WAIT!" Chloe yells loudly, and I nearly have a heart attack, dropping the cupcake on the plate.
"What?"
"I just don't want you to choke on the ring!"
"What?"
Killian groans. "Chloe!"
"If she bites it, she's going to swallow the ring!"
"There's a ring?" I ask, laughing. "What are you guys talking about?"
Chloe sticks her finger in the middle of the cupcake before I register what she's doing and pulls out a glob of red velvet cake with something shiny glinting in it. "Here, Killian!" she squeals, handing it to him. "Do it, do it!"
"You guys are insane," I note as Killian takes the cupcake-covered ring in his hand and puts it in his mouth, cleaning off the cupcake before pulling it back out. He gets down on his knee and turns my chair to the side to face him as my heart beats a million times a minute.
"Well, get on over here and help me, Chloe," Killian orders. "You can't leave me in the lurch now."
Chloe whoops and climbs down from her chair, squealing as she kneels down beside Killian. "Can I say it, Killian?"
Killian grins as he looks up at me. "Do it, kid."
"Marry him, mom! Marry him!" Chloe turns to Killian.
I'm giddy and excited and I can't stop laughing. "Using my child to propose is a clever move."
"This way, I'm guaranteed that you'll say yes." Killian holds up the ring between his fingers. "You're going to say yes, right? I mean, look at the expression on her little face. You can't disappoint her."
"Stop, stop," I say, laughing until tears roll down my cheeks. I don't know if I'm laughing or crying as Killian slides the engagement ring on my finger.
"Lily Marie Grant, I love you. And I love Chloe. And I want both of you in my life forever. Will you do me the honor of making me iced coffee for the rest of my life?"
"Fine," I say as he brings his lips to mine. "But only because you bought me a bakery."
Epilogue
KILLIAN
Eight years later