“Greyson!”
“Hallie.” He looks up at me, a tear forming in his eye. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I gasp out. Tears fill my eyes.
“And I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of our days together, raising Mia, snuggling by the fire in the rain, building a life with each other. I wanted to ask you here, in our favorite breakfast place.” He squeezes my hand gently, rubbing his thumb over the top. “You stole my heart in Munich. And I thought I lost you. But you came back to me. And you’ve become more than I ever imagined you would. You’re my best friend, my safe place to land, and the woman I want to spend every waking minute with. Will you marry me?”
“Say yes, Mommy!” Mia shouts, bouncing on her feet and clapping.
“Yes!” I shout. “Of course it’s a yes!”
Greyson chuckles softly. Then he holds out a ring andslips it on my finger. He stands and draws me into his arms, placing a soft kiss on my lips.
“Ewwww! Gross!” Mia shouts, but then she’s wrapping her arms around us and shouting, “Group hug!”
Avery steps up next to us. “Group hug!” she shouts, joining in.
Then Dustin shouts, “Group hug, guys! You heard them.” And he joins the four of us, wrapping his arms around us. My mom, Jonathan, Mrs. Kinkaid, Patrick, Cody, Emberleigh, Carli, and Daisy all join in.
Then Mo says, “Aw, might as well.” And he joins the circle.
Mia squirms out of the huddle. “It’s getting hot in there!”
We all break apart, laughing. Mom and Avery lift my hand, admiring the ring. Greyson stands next to me, holding my other hand, giving it a private squeeze. My eyes lift and meet his.
Mia looks up at Greyson. “Now can I call you Dad?”
Greyson’s eyes meet mine. My throat tightens and I nod, smiling through fresh tears.
Greyson looks back down at Mia and says, “I'd like that if that's what you want.”
Mia wraps her arms around Greyson’s middle and says, “Finally. I've been waiting for-ev-er!”
The room bursts into laughter.
Avery stands next to me and says, “Man, I almost thought we weren’t going to get you here.”
I laugh. “I had no idea what you were up to.”
Mo says, “Can I have everyone’s attention?”
We all stop talking and look over at him.
“As much as I want to have you all eat my food, we’ve got an actual celebration to get to at the Pizza Den. But you can come back here anytime. Not that I’m giving discounts. I just cook the best grits in town.”
“Facts,” Greyson says.
I lean into him and he wraps an arm around me, whispering into my hair, “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” I tell him.
“Want a ride to the Pizza Den?” he asks.
“Me too?” Mia asks.
“Of course, you too.”
The three of us drive together, Mia in back of the Jeep and me in the passenger seat. Greyson holds my hand on the console. I glance into the rearview and then over at him.
