“I’m a good talker,” Mae told Hailey before taking a big bite.
“You sure are,” Hailey said.
“More good news,” Ransom announced, heading back to the kitchen. “I’ve come home from the military.”
“How many cupcakes can we eat?” Hailey wondered out loud.
“Don’t worry,” Travis told her. “This one is different.”
She heard the ding of the microwave in the kitchen and a moment later Ransom came back in with a plate of homemade English muffin pizzas.
“Pizza party,” he announced.
“That’s what we had with Grandma when Daddy came home,” Mae said.
The homemade mini pizzas were delicious and the company was even better.
“Ohno,” Ransom said suddenly when his mini pizza was gone. “We havebadnews now.”
“Bad news?” Hailey echoed.
But he was already gone.
He came back a moment later with a pint of ice cream and a giant spoon.
“Your character was killed off onRidley Hospital,” he said sadly. “And there’s nothing to do but eat ice cream right out of the container while we feel sad about it.”
He handed her the ice cream while the kids laughed, and she took a big bite. It really would have been great to eat ice cream with Ransom and the kids while trying to process her bad news.
The ice cream melted on her tongue and she smiled at the wistful sweetness as everyone else took a bite too.
“I’m sorry about your show, Hailey,” Travis said, patting her hand.
Mae reached over to pat her hand too.
“It was sad,” she agreed. “But I’m so glad it happened so I could come home to Trinity Falls.”
“Me too,” Mae said.
“Ahousewarming,” Ransom announced, running back to the kitchen and coming back out with the tray of cider again.
He poured out their glasses himself this time.
“It’s always special to buy a home of your own,” he said. “But it’s even more special when your home will also help you make your new dreams come true. And it’s special for us too, because it keeps the family farm in friendly hands, and it makes you our neighbor.”
The kids cheered and they all clinked glasses again and drank down their delicious cider.
“Now we only have one more thing to celebrate,” Ransom said, suddenly looking a little nervous.
“This is the best one,” Mae whispered to Hailey.
She looked to Ransom, but instead of running back to the kitchen, he was kneeling before her, holding up something small and shimmering.
“This is the day when I propose to you,” he told her, his voice so deep with emotion. “And the three of us ask you if you’ll share your life with us forever. In some ways this might seem sudden. But to me it feels long, long overdue. What do you say, Hailey? Will you celebrate and commiserate all the rest of our biggest days with us?”
She was afraid that if she answered out loud she might start crying and she didn’t want to scare the kids, so she just nodded and smiled with her lips pressed together hard so she wouldn’t sob, and watched himpassionately press his lips to her hand before sliding the ring onto her finger.
The next thing she knew, the kids were both hugging her and Ransom was wrapping his big arms around them all.
