“Slade?” I look up at him in surprise.
“Yeah. When she was walking toward the aisle. She says she thought it was me.”
“Do you think it could have been? I mean, does she see people who’ve passed on?”
“No. She’s not psychic. She didn’t see a ghost, Tate. I think it was the emotions of the day. She knew it was hard for my father coming here, but that he wanted their wedding here anyway. She saw what she hoped to see. Because if by some miracle Slade was alive, then it would make my father happy. It would make the whole family happy. But he isn’t. I saw them both taken in front of me that day. They’re gone. Dead people don’t come back.”
The finality in his voice makes my throat burn.
We stand in silence, soaking in the sounds of the waves lapping the shore. There’s a couple in the distance, further along the beach. They’re walking together with a little boy, who looks a similar age to Molly. He scouts the sand, stopping every few steps to inspect something. The man is tall with dark hair, and I narrow my eyes, trying to imagine what it would have been like for Halliday to see someone she thought looked so much like Sullivan that it made her question who it could be.
They move further away until they’re out of focus.
“You okay?” I ask Sullivan, tilting my face up to him.
“I’m okay.” He kisses my forehead. “Just thinking about how my family changed that day. And now it’s changing again. Growing this time.”
I give him a soft smile. “I’m honored to be joining it. Beauforts stick together. And that’s what I want. To be here for you and Molly.”
“They do. And we’ll do the same for you, Tate. You’ll always have us. I love you so much… The most beautiful song ever played,” he murmurs.
“The most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“That makes me both angry and happy at the same time.”
I laugh at the deep crease that’s appeared between his brows. “Now isn’t the time to dream about murdering my exes.”
“No, it’s not.” His face softens. “It’s the time to tell my fiancée that not only is she the most beautiful song, but that she’s mine to sing.”
“I’m fine with that.” I grin.
He studies me for a moment.
“There’s one more thing I want to ask you. It’s something for me… and for Molly.”
“Whatever it is, my answer’s yes. Anything you need from me that’ll make you and Molly happy I’ll do it. If you’re both happy, I’ll be happy.”
I smile up at him. His eyes are on mine and it’s a little scary just how intense they’ve suddenly turned.
“So it’s a yes?”
“Y-yes,” I say, sounding unsure as his gaze penetrates me until my bones heat.
He blinks, knocking his laser-focus down a notch, and brushes a strand of hair back from my forehead with painstaking gentleness.
“I want you to adopt Molly.”
“You do?”
“I meant it when I said she deserves a mother like you. You love her. More than you love me. And all it does is make me love you even more. I want my girls together, Tate.”
I blink back happy tears.
“I love you just as much as Molly.”
“You don’t have to tell me that to make me happy.”
“Don’t I?” I bite my lip, my eyes misting.
