Outside the courthouse, the crowd spills onto the steps, half the town still buzzing from the drama. Haddie’s surrounded like she’s giving a press conference.
“Ms. Carmichael!” someone calls. “Where’d you get the screenshots?”
“Public domain, darling!” she calls back, striking a pose. “I run a tight ship!”
Brynn hugs Kate, crying all over again. “I told you it would be okay.”
Kate laughs through her tears. “I think you under sold it.” She thinks for a moment. “I was just surprised to hear Haddie’s name called. My attorney didn’t tell me about it.”
Brynn tries to hide a smile, “I might have had something to do with that.”
Kate eyes her with suspicion, “So you and Haddie are best buddies now, huh?”
Brynn shrugs, “Let’s just say we’ve found some common ground.”
Kinsey wipes her eyes and sniffs. “That woman deserves a medal. Or a reality show.”
Knox smirks. “Please don’t give her ideas.”
I stand back for a second, watching them—this group of people who showed up without being asked, who carried us through every step of this mess.
When Kate turns toward me, her eyes are bright, still wet, but she’s smiling. “It’s over,” she whispers.
“Yeah,” I say, stepping closer, cupping her cheek. “It’s over.”
She rises onto her toes, kissing me right there on the courthouse steps. It’s soft, full of gratitude and exhaustion, and when we pull apart, the crowd starts clapping.
Haddie fans herself dramatically. “Well, that’s going on the Happenings page before lunch.”
Kate laughs, “Haddie, thank you—for everything in there.”
She taps her arm. “No need to thank me! The posts with your updates gained me at least a hundred new followers. I’m sure they’re going to just eat up the wedding!”
She turns back to the circle of admirers and as the town keeps cheering, as Brynn dabs at her eyes and Kinsey threatens to adopt Haddie as her life coach, all I can think is that we’re the luckiest family in the world.
Chapter fifty-eight
Kate
After a ton of paperwork and a short discussion with my lawyer, we finally pull into my mom’s driveway. The relief has finally settled deep in my chest. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d been holding myself together until now—until it was over.
Walking up the steps with Cam’s hand in mine, I can already hear Evie’s laughter inside. Mom opens the door before we can even knock, a smile lighting her face.
“Well,” she says, holding up her phone. “I saw Haddie Carmichael’s post—front-page breaking news, apparently.”
Cam groans beside me, running a hand through his hair. “Of course.”
Mom grins. “There’s even a photo of you two on the courthouse steps. I think Haddie might have called it, and I quote: ‘Justice served with a side of romance.’”
I laugh, half in disbelief. “She’s so dramatic.”
Then Evie comes barreling into the entryway, curls bouncing, eyes wide and bright. “Mommy! You’re back!”
I barely have time to set down my purse before she crashes into my legs. I drop to my knees, wrapping her up and breathing her in—sunshine and strawberry shampoo. My eyes sting.
“Hey, baby,” I whisper against her hair. “Oh, I missed you.”
She giggles, pulling back to look at me. “I was only gone since breakfast.”
