Page 102 of Accidental Fiancé

She tilted her head up to look at me, her eyes searching mine for a moment before she took a breath and let it out slowly. Her lips curved into that beautiful, easy smile that always made my heart skip a beat. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” I said, feeling the weight of the words settle into my chest. It felt like a foundational truth, something undeniable. “We're just getting started, Maggie. There's so much more ahead for us.”

Her eyes went bright with happiness, and she leaned up to kiss me, an unspoken promise behind it. I kissed her back, savoring the moment, the lingering frosting on her lips, the way her lips fit so perfectly against mine.

“Eww, gross,” Piper exclaimed, covering her eyes with her hands as she giggled. “No kissing! Boys have cooties!”

Maggie pulled away, laughing as she looked over at Pip. “Sorry, sweetheart, no more kissing.”

“Thank you,” my daughter said deliberately in two hard syllables as though she had pronounced a new decree. She giggled as she grabbed another cupcake and took a big bite, clearly more interested in the dessert than our little display of affection.

I couldn't help but laugh, too, shaking my head as I looked at Maggie. “Guess we'll have to save that for later.”

She winked at me, her smile mischievous. “I'll hold you to that.”

We stayed in the meadow for a while longer, watching as Piper chased butterflies, listening to the soft rustle of the wind through the grass. The day was perfect, a snapshot of happiness that I knew I'd hold onto for the rest of my life.

As I sat there with Maggie by my side and Piper’s laughter filling the air, I realized that this quiet, simple, beautiful life was all I had ever wanted.

And it was only the beginning.

THE END

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