Almost as if my mom can tell we’re talking about her, she looks in our direction and gestures for us to come over.
“Uh oh,” Alec teases. “You’d better get over there.”
“We’ll catch up more later,” I say. “Maybe play some extreme cornhole.”
Mal frowns in confusion. “Extreme cornhole?”
Angel laughs. “They make up all these strange rules so it’s harder. You’ll see.” Then she slips her hand inside mine and says, “Come on. Let’s see what your mom wants.”
Now that thesun is beginning to set, the mood of the party has shifted.
It’s still celebratory. People are still eating and playing games and enjoying themselves. Most of the guests are still here, except for a few, like Nora and Jackson, who wanted to leave in time to get back home tonight.
But everything seems more subdued. Voices are lower. The solar lights give the space a softer, more intimate feel. The music has shifted from rock to jazz. The buffet table is covered by an array of desserts instead of the appetizers and entrees from earlier.
I’ve gotten to talk to everyone here—old Army buddies; friends from Blade and Arrow Security and BrotherhoodProtectors; locals, like Frank and Wendy and Max and Sage; my parents—and now I’m just enjoying some down time by the fire pit with Angel. Haley’s with Maddie over at one of the tables near the buffet, and judging from the lineup of desserts in front of them, I’m guessing that Haley is introducing Maddie to the concept of taste testing.
Now there’s only one thing left to do tonight. And though I’ve gone over the plan countless times, I’m still nervous.
Strike that. I’m not nervous. I’m scared.
There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s what I want. And I don’tthinkAngel will say no. We’ve talked about it after all—marriage, Haley taking my name, filing for adoption so Haley would be officially mine—but there’s still a tiny part of me that worries that I could be wrong about all of it and end up with nothing.
I know it’s not rational. And I’ve come much too far to let fear control my life anymore.
Still, I’m scared.
As we’ve been sitting here, the box in my pocket growing exponentially heavier by the minute, I’ve even thought about putting it off. Waiting until next weekend. Or the weekend after that. Doing it someplace more private, so if the worst happens and Angel does say no, there won’t be dozens of people to see it.
But this is our family.
Because family isn’t just blood. It’s the people you choose to have in your life. Like my teammates. Like Winter and Lark and Rory and Hazel. Like Frank and Wendy.
And Angel and Haley. The most important family of all.
That’s why I want to do this here.
I want my family here when I ask the most important question of my life.
“This has been a great party, hasn’t it?” Angel asks. She looks away from the fire and meets my gaze. She’s so damn beautiful,with the flames reflecting on her hair and setting off sparks of gold in her eyes. When she smiles at me, her whole face lights up with it.
My heart tugs.
It speaks to me.
This is right,it says.There’s nothing to be scared of. This is exciting. It’s the start to a life you deserve.
I decide to believe it.
Which is why I say, “It is, cupcake. But I’ve actually got something for you. Can you just wait right here?”
Puzzled lines form between her brows. But she nods and says, “Sure. I’ll be right here.”
Before I can chicken out, I get up from my chair and go over to Haley. She’s in the middle of explaining to Maddie the importance of a palate cleanser between tastings. But as soon as she sees me alone, her eyes go wide. “Is it time?”
I nod. We’ve talked about this. “It’s time.”
Haley leaps up. “This is important,” she tells Maddie. “We can finish the taste-testing later. Or you could show Michael. Since you know how it works now.”
