Duncan: Later.
Finn
Shannon fit in perfectly, just like I knew she would. Noreen was already half in love with her and would probably try to convince her to move to West Virginia before the night was over. I wasn’t opposed to that idea, but she had a life in Texas.
“Thank you for the party, big brother.” Shannon lifted her glass of water in the air.
“Are you having a good time?”
“The best. Everyone’s been very welcoming.”
“I’m glad.”
“So…are you ready?” Her face split into an ear-to-ear grin.
“Ready for what?” Waverly curled her arm around mine.
“For this. Can I have everyone’s attention please?” I called out.
“Finn. What the hell?”
I stepped back and dropped to one knee. There was a collective gasp when I pulled her ring from my back pocket.
“Waverly, I knew when I caught you staring at me on that beach in Curaçao that you were going to be mine.”
“I wasn’t staring.”
“You were staring, baby.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, even as her lips tipped up at the corners.
“I love your smile and the way it lights up the room. I love your dedication to your job and your friends. But mostly I just love you. You’re the best person I know and you’re the only person I want to call my wife. Will you marry me?”
She didn’t make me wait. Dropping to her knees, she whispered, “Feck yes.” Then she kissed me. I tilted her head, taking the kiss deeper while cheers from our familyand friends went on around us. When we finally broke apart, I slid the two-carat, princess cut solitaire on her finger.
“You did good, Finn.” Sloane beamed as she watched Waverly try to teach the twins how to play cornhole. Rogan gave up on aiming for the hole after a few minutes, choosing instead to throw the bean bag at his sister. “She’ll make a great mom one day.”
“We haven’t really discussed it. Neither one of us had the best examples of how a parent should act. But if it’s something she wants, we’ll try. Otherwise, I’m good being the cool uncle.”
“Trying is the fun part.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Feck, Sloane.” I made a face. “That’s not something I need to hear about. You’re still a virgin in my eyes.”
She laughed. “Then how do you explain the twins?”
“Immaculate conception.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
We stood and watched for a few minutes until Rogan and Reagan took off for the house.
Waverly jogged to our side, scooting under my arm. “I told the kiddos they could go watch a movie if they wanted. Hope that’s okay.”
“More than. It means I can have another drink.” Sloane turned for the house, leaving us alone.
“Hey, future wife.”
“Hey, future husband. Thank you for tonight”
