“Say yes,” Maya’s little voice squeaked from over on the steps.
Allie turned and Maya ran to her, wrapping her arms around Allie’s waist and hugging her hard.
“What are you doing here?” Allie asked Maya with a smile, hugging her back.
“It’s a surprise,” Mayawhispered.
“Oh,” Allie said, looking down into the park, where her family waited, sheepish smiles on all those familiar faces looking up at her.
“Surprise,”Tripp yelled, shrugging his shoulders.
The rest of the family echoed him, some of them laughing nervously.
“Ash,” she breathed, turning back to him. “This is…”
“If you’re not ready, please don’t let this pressure you,” Ash said, instantly feeling awful. “Your brother thought you would like to involve the family, and?—”
But she was falling to her knees to kiss him before he could even finish.
Maya giggled and joined their embrace and Ash wrapped his arms around them both, his heart aching with happiness as he held his little family close.
“You get your pretty ring back, Miss Lawrence,” Maya whispered.
“Not yet,” Ash said. “She’s still thinking, and that’s okay.”
“No,” Allie said quickly. “I’m not still thinking. I’m saying yes.”
“Yes,” Maya chirped.
“Are you sure?” Ash asked gently.
“Yes,” Allie said, smiling with such joy that he knew it was true. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“We’ll get you a different one later,” he said, sliding the ring back onto her finger. “Something with a bigger stone, and you can pick it out.”
“No,” Allie said, holding her left hand to her chest as if to protect it from him. “I love this one. It’s part of our story now.”
“And this is the happily ever after part,” Maya said firmly. “Right, Miss Lawrence.”
“Right,” Allie said, laughing and pulling Maya in for another hug.
Allie’s family began to applaud and call out their congratulations and the next thing Ash knew, they were being joined on the pavilion.
Daniel lifted Maya up and spun her around, while Maggie pulled Allie into a big hug.
“You know you still have to share her with us, right?” Tripp asked Ash, thrusting out his hand.
“Definitely,” Ash laughed, taking it and shaking before the other man pulled him in to slap him on the back. “Allie’s family is a package deal, just like Maya and me. We were meant for each other.”
“Right you are,” Tripp said, nodding as his eyes found Allie and Maya.
If Ash hadn’t known better he would have thought the big farmer had tears in his eyes.
“Who wants to come back to the farm for cake and ice cream?” Maggie asked in a clear, bright voice.
All the Lawrences voiced their delight, and no one joined in louder than a very happy and excited Maya.
“We’ll meet you there,” Allie told her mom. “Maya and I are going to race around the park one time before we head over.”
