Page 76 of In All My Dreams

He spent the last couple years in and out of the hospital while also soaking up every moment he could, being such an amazing grandpa to Auden.

Ian’s father stepped up as well. It’s almost as if he’s trying to be the best grandfather, and grandmother, to Auden. He bakes with her nonstop, and I can’t count the amount of times Ian and I have woken up to a full breakfast-in-bed spread made by them.

Ian and his father started going to therapy together, and their relationship is stronger than ever now.

Before my father met his end, he asked us for one favor: for us to get married while he could still walk me down the aisle.

I don’t think it was the way Ian wanted to propose, but it made it even more special.

We got married under the willow tree just a few weeks ago. We both agreed that we wanted a small, intimate ceremony, and Auden suggested that we get married at the willow tree so that both of her grandmothers and the aunt she looks so much like could watch from Heaven.

I glance back at Auden and smile, the first real smile I’ve managed to muster up all day.

“Hey,” I say. She looks over at me, tears brimming in her eyes. “I love you.”

Her lower lip wobbles as she says, “Me too.”

Ian looks over at me as he parks the car in front of Crane Manor. “I love both of you, too. In case you forgot about that when you were reminding each other,” he tells us, a sly smile tugging on his lips.

“Oh, Dad,” Auden groans as she unbuckles her seat belt. She wraps her arms around the headrest behind him and gives him an awkward hug. “I love you, too,” she coos. “Just in case you forgot.”

“Eight years old and still so sassy.” Ian laughs. “Just like that mother of yours.”

“Hey! Leave me out of this!” I joke, a face-splitting grin sneaking across my lips as I watch the two of them. Who knew I could love two people this much.

“What would Papa want us to do?” Auden suddenly asks.

Ian and I raise our eyebrows at each other in confusion.

“Papa would want us to have an ice cream party while we watch baseball and scary movies,” she says. “Then he would totally want us to have a family sleepover.”

Ian laughs loudly, startling both Auden and myself. “That sounds like something Link would absolutely approve of on a day like today.”

Later that night, Ian and I are in the kitchen cleaning up after our ice cream and pizza party while Auden is sound asleep on the couch in the living room.

“That daughter of yours sure knows how to throw down her pizza,” Ian says as he opens both empty pizza boxes.

“You meanyourdaughter,” I joke back. “She eats more than both you and Irene used to eat when we had sleepovers. I was always forced to sneak down in the middle of the night to snag a bowl of cereal for myself because I was always left hungry after you two fell into a food coma.”

Ian wraps his arms around me as I’m at the sink cleaning the last of the plates. “I guess I should have known Auden was mine when she devoured her whole plate of eggs and bacon that first morning after you came back. Especially when she asked for seconds.”

His husky laugh vibrates through my entire body, making me melt against him. He starts nipping playfully at my ear.

“You keep doing that, and we won’t make it to this family-friendly sleepover,” I whisper, shutting the sink off as I turn in his arms so I can face him.

“Is it time to go to bed yet?” Auden yells from the living room, forcing Ian and I to jump apart. We both look at each other and smile sheepishly.

“Raincheck for tomorrow?” he asks as he steps back into my arms and kisses me softly on my lips. Those eyes of his make me feel weak in my knees as I shake my head yes.

“Definitely yes,” I say between kisses.

His lips smile against mine. “Maybe we can discuss giving Auden a sibling?”

My eyes fly open. I stare into his eyes, those galaxies threatening to undo me every time I remember he’s mine.

That this is really my life.

“Are you sure?” I ask hesitantly. “It’s not something we’ve talked about before.”

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