“I’ll let you guys eat,” Axel told us after we pulled up to one of our favorite lunch spots. “Just grab me something to go, all right, baby?” he asked, looking tenderly at Sophie.
“You sure? You can join us, honey,” she protested.
“Got a few calls to make. I’ll be right out front,” he replied, stroking the top of her head.
“I think last time we ate here was when we had that run-in with the Riders,” I recalled after we’d been seated on the outdoor patio.
The rival club had threatened us and ultimately caused the serious car accident where I’d broken my arm.
“Glad all that’s over with,” Sophie agreed. “Let’s order you a glass of wine,” she suggested, looking over the menu.
My brow rose. “Are we celebrating something I’m not aware of?”
She looked up at me. “We can celebrate the fact we have a few hours of girl time that involved a foot rub and—if you’ll go with it—alcohol.”
I laughed. “All right, sounds good.”
By the time we walked out to Axel and Sophie’s SUV, I was full and relaxed. “The wine was a good idea, thank you.” I grinned at Sophie as Axel pulled us away from the curb.
“Wine is always a good idea,” she agreed.
It was late afternoon by the time we pulled up in front of the house. “Do you guys want to come in?” I offered, though I figured they needed to get back to Maddox.
“Nah, we’ll catch up with you later,” Sophie answered vaguely.
“Okay, thanks for lunch. And Ax, thanks for chauffeuring us around.” I waved in parting after I’d gotten out of the SUV.
“Love you, Jilly,” Soph replied with a wave as they pulled away.
I took a moment to regard the house, so peaceful-looking from the outside. I could only imagine what type of chaos might greet me inside. But the truth was, after only a few hours away, I’d missed the kids and Cal.
I loved my life. Muddy footprints through the house, constant requests for food, the fighting, the loving, a frequently crowded bed—all of it.
“Hello?” I called when I walked in, surprised to be greeted with silence. Then I saw the sign posted on the wall. Walk This Way, it directed with an arrow.
I quirked a brow, putting my purse down and following the arrow dutifully out to the patio.
I stepped through the double doors and gasped. The backyard had been completely transformed and was full of what appeared to be the entire club. The pool had been covered and over it a large white tent had been erected, with lights strung diagonally from all four sides.
My eyes swung from a grinning Scarlet to Sophie, who walked up to stand alongside her, delivering a wink in my direction. She’d just dropped me off. Had she sprinted back here? Flashes of her water breaking momentarily distracted me from my awe.
What was happening?
My eyes found Cal, standing in the center of the tent, holding Mason with Emmie and Max at his side.
I walked to them as though in a trance, my heart pounding as realization dawned.
“What are you up to?” I asked, breathless, looking up at Cal in question.
“I thought of a million ways to do this,” he replied, his eyes bright as they looked down at me. “Ever since I first laid eyes on you.”
My eyes filled with tears and I swallowed my emotions back, not wanting to miss a moment of what was rapidly becoming one of the most significant events of my life.
“Didn’t feel right to do this without the kids,” he continued. My gaze swung from Mason down to a grinning Emmie and Max. Emmie was practically jumping up and down with excitement. “We couldn’t wait another day to ask you to be with us forever.”
I sucked in a ragged breath, my hands flying over my mouth.
He set Mason on his feet and got down on one knee. Whoops and whistles enveloped us as the people we loved most looked on.
