Kellan
I stood on my parents’ back deck, cold beer in hand, watching the party unfold beneath the glow of new string lights. Mom had gone all out, turning the yard into something from a magazine spread with fresh hydrangeas and perfectly arranged container gardens. I’d come by my green thumb honestly. The new patio furniture gleamed, already covered with plates of food and drinks from our guests.
Sandra Chen’s advance copy of the new article lay folded on the table beside me. She’d really done us a solid, spinning our messy situation into a heartwarming piece about how a shared passion for creating beautiful spaces had brought Tate and me together. The “matchmaking power of plants,” she’d called it. She was already planning a series featuring gardens like Mrs. Fairchild’s, which meant more positive exposure for Mountain Laurel.
My lips curled with amusement as I watched Tate across the yard, very seriously demonstrating proper pruning technique to my cousin’s kid. She caught my eye and smiled—that real, unguarded smile I’d fallen in love with years ago. The party might have started as an engagement celebration, but morphing it into a general “welcome home” gathering felt right. No pressure, just joy.
“You look pleased with yourself,” Dad said, joining me at the railing.
I took another pull from my beer. “Things worked out better than I could’ve hoped.”
“Sometimes the best plans are the ones that go sideways.” He clinked his bottle against mine. “Your mother’s already planning the real engagement party, you know.”
I laughed. “One step at a time, Dad. One step at a time.”
From my vantage point, I had a perfect view of our friends scattered across the yard. Gabe and Felicity had claimed one of the new conversation sets, her head tipped back in laughter at something he’d said. The whole “accidental roommates” thing had worked out better than his grandmother could’ve planned. Not that I believed for a second it hadn’t been deliberate on the old matchmaker’s part.
Clint and Austen occupied the porch swing, heads bent close as they shared what looked like a plate of Mom’s famous deviled eggs. The fake date to her cousin’s wedding had sparked something real between them. About damn time.
My gaze shifted to Rhett, who’d been watching Pepper for the past twenty minutes while pretending not to. She stood by the food table, adding red pepper flakes to what looked like perfectly seasoned barbecue. Some things never changed. He’d straightened up three times like he meant to go talk to her, only to sink back in his chair. I knew that look—he was working up the nerve to try again with her.
The sight of all of us together, paired off or heading that way, settled something in my chest. These people were my family as much as my parents and cousins milling around the yard. We’d grown up together, supported each other through everything life threw at us. Now we were building something new, taking chances on happiness.
Dad squeezed my shoulder. “Good to be home, son?”
I nodded, watching Tate demonstrate another precise cut with the pruning shears. “The best.”
A few minutes later, Tate appeared at my side, her fingers wrapping around mine as she tugged me toward the house. The determined set of her jaw sparked curiosity as she led me through the house toward my old bedroom.
“If you wanted to make out, all you had to do was ask,” I teased, catching her around the waist as she closed the door.
Her answering grin lit up her whole face. “Yes, to that, but put a pin in it for a minute. I need to ask you something.”
My pulse kicked up at her serious tone. She took a deep breath, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
“Move in with me. For real this time. You and Cornbread.” The words tumbled out in a rush. “You’re there most nights anyway, and it just… it makes sense. With where we’re going.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. Where we were going. The casual way she said it, like our future together was inevitable, made everything in me go still and quiet.
“You’re sure?” I brushed a strand of honey blonde hair from her face. “Because once I’m officially moved in, you’re never getting rid of me.”
“That’s kind of the point.” She stepped closer, sliding her arms around my waist. “I want you there. Both of you.”
I caught her mouth with mine, pouring everything I couldn’t say yet into the kiss. She wanted me. She wanted us. Not because of some magazine article or misunderstanding, but because this thing between us was real.
When we broke apart, she was smiling that smile again—the one that had been making my heart skip beats since high school. “Is that a yes?”
“That’s a hell yes.”
“Good, because there’s more.” Tate’s fingers twisted in my shirt.
“More?”
She stepped back, but kept hold of my shirt, like she needed the anchor. “I appreciate that you gave me all the time in the world to get used to this new us. That you didn’t push when I freaked out about everything.”
My chest tightened. “I’d wait forever for you.”
“That’s just it. I’ve stopped panicking and fighting it.” Her blue eyes locked with mine. “I don’t need the time. I want that future. I want more.”
