“Do you want to get married in the future – I mean, is it something you’ve thought about? I’m not asking you to get down on one knee now, or anything - ” She was starting to panic.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her, which she didn’t like, a cushion slammed over my head.
“Be serious, Caleb.”
“Sorry.” I laughed again. “I haven’t thought about getting married, but I’m not averse to it. Can we have a couple of years first just being together?”
She nodded. “I wasn’t saying now or to run away to Gretna Green or fly to Vegas, just – it is something I’ve thought about.”
“With me?”
She gave a small nod. “You’re not going to let me forget this, are you?”
“Not at all. I wonder how many Bridezilla GIFs I can find?”
The cushion met my head again.
“I might change my mind and buy a house in London again if you’re not careful.”
I pulled the cushion away from her hands. “You’d miss the kittens too much and you’ve promised to help Fleur with the kids in January.” Fleur had a big contract to do the interior design of a new hotel in Edinburgh, so she was having to stay there during the week. Zoey had offered to help with the children, although Thane was more than capable, he had a big deadline for a fleet of boats the same month. It also gave her something to do while I was away, although neither of us had actually said that.
“True. There’s one other thing.” She looked more serious now.
I didn’t wait for her to tell me. “Babies.”
She nodded, still hesitant. “Babies. I do want to be a mum. If I can.”
“And if I can. I like kids. But maybe not for a couple of years.”
“We can practice.”
“Making them or looking after them, because looking after the twins is like the Hunger Games.”
“You didn’t tell me that when I agreed to help out with them.” She slipped off my knee and stood up, arms folded.
I shrugged, non-plussed. “You’ve known them for years. You know what they’re like.”
“Well, yeah, but they usually just want to pretend to be pop stars or learn a dance. They’re cute.”
“Until they’ve had sugar. Good luck in January. I’ll be thinking about you.”
We headed to the Puffin Inn, my phone, when I recovered it from the car, loaded with messages from everyone from Roe to my dad and Gully. There was no point responding to them because with something like this that’d been hanging over us for months now, everyone would make their way to the central point in our small town, the gathering space that Amelie had created when she’d moved here for her fresh start away from London.
The faces had changed over the years. Some of the older residents had passed away, some of the kids who’d grown up here had moved back to start their own families in a place they loved, and there were the kids who were growing up now, the twins, the Hollands’ offspring, Cassian and Romy’s clan, Clover and Grayson’s three. Some of them would stay here, some of them would move away and maybe return and the town would continue to evolve and thrive.
As would the inn. I’d promised Amelie years ago that when she decided to retire, I’d take it on, and that still stood. I probably needed to let Zoey know that at some point, but not today. Today was about new beginnings without the overhang of danger, for a while at least.
Roe was the first person I saw when we entered the pub, shadowed by some of the team who’d been looking after Zoey and me the last couple of months. Security would continue, it had to – she’d been too famous a figure for too long, but taking a step back meant she would be less likely to be focused on, hopefully.
“Thank you!” Zoey threw herself at Roe, almost knocking the pint out of his hand which would’ve been disastrous for Roe at least.
“Part of the job. He’s not going to bother you anymore.” He disengaged himself from Zoey and shook my hand.
“Whatever part you played in his arrest, thank you.” I knew there would be a lot we’d never find out.
Roe shrugged. “One less dickhead to worry about. Plenty more to still sort out.” He looked behind him where his wife, Freya, was standing with Ruby and Iris, three sisters-in-law as they were all married to a Holland brother. “They’re hoping for champagne, by the way.”
“Any excuse.” Zoey shot them a grin and headed their way. I heard a cork pop, followed by a cheer, and more familiar voices.
