Page 149 of Until I Find You

I can picture it too. Alanna toddling in the sand once she is able to walk, my mom and dad burning to a crisp under the Hawaiian sun, all our friends surrounding a bonfire as the stars shine overhead.

“I never thought I’d have that,” he goes on. His voice catches. “I could never picture it, it was…fuzzy. And then I met you, and you gave me so much. Not just our baby but you made me feel likeI belonged. Like I was understood. That’s why it was so easy to love you, Camilla.”

Jack draws away and slides his hand into his pocket. Then, he lowers himself to his knee.

“Are you for real right now?” I notice all of our family has gathered on the deck too. “Oh, my god, this is real.”

“I’ve wanted to do this a long time,” he says. “I know you thought I forgot.”

I laugh. A tear slides down my cheek.

“Things have worked out for us. Almost like a storybook. But I know even if things go haywire, I want you at the beginning and the end of the day and if I ever lost you, I would be losing not just half my heart, but all of it.”

He pauses to take me in. “I don’t want to belong to anyone else.” Then, Jack opens the box to reveal a diamond ring flanked by two light green gemstones. “Will you marry me?”

“You didn’t even have to ask,” I say through my tears. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”

Jack slides the ring on my left hand. “God, I’m shaking, I’m afraid I’m going to drop it.”

I laugh and pull him to his feet to engulf him in my arms. My lips find his in a deep kiss, as solidifying as any marriage certificate would be.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you more, and I’ll fight.”

Our family surrounds us with hugs, kisses, and congratulations.

I take Alanna from my mother. She’s still milk drunk and sleepy but buries herself tight into my chest.

The love in my heart burns even brighter, knowing that the man who gave me the most important gift in my life is going to be my husband.

We all go inside the house Jack had built for me, a fact I still can’t get over, and enjoy a long dinner.

The smile doesn’t fade from my face for even a second.

Jack keeps my hand in his all night, and Alanna alternates between which of us she wants.

It all goes by in a blur, but once everyone has left for the night or disappeared into their guest room, Jack and I lie in bed together with Alanna between us as she sleeps. We watch our beautiful creation with rapt attention. We’ve had six months of her and can’t seem to get enough.

“Your ring…” Jack says, taking my left hand in his. He points his thumb at the green stones. “This is Alanna’s birthstone. And if there are more, we’ll add to the ring.”

“Oh, there will definitely be more,” I say with a smile. All my unease from earlier has dissipated. I want our family to grow and grow and grow now. “We’ve just gotten started.”

Jack pulls my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles, his eyes locked in mine.

I’ll always be his baby girl.

“I love you, Daddy.”

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