"Definitely."
"Want to give them a show?"
Before I can respond, he dips me into another kiss, ignoring the cheers and whistles from our audience.
Because that's the thing about love—sometimes it needs witnesses.
Sometimes it needs family.
Sometimes, it needs a grand gesture and a homemade video and every ounce of courage you possess.
But mostly?
Mostly, it just needs two people brave enough to try.
Chapter 27
Evan
My family is still watching from the kitchen. Bunch of nosy jackals...
"I’m guessing each of you immensely enjoyed watching me get emotionally manipulated by a home video? One that each of you had a hand in."
"Technically, it was a multimedia presentation," Sophie interjects.
"Oh, well in that case..."
"With color-coded images."
"Of course."
"And a very professional soundtrack."
"Sophie."
"What?" She grins. "Just being thorough. You know, like when I used to document your saves with different colored pens…"
I kiss her again, mostly to shut her up. Mostly.
"Get a room!" Ryland calls from the kitchen.
"This was a room until you all started spying," I call back.
"It's my house," Julia points out. "I can spy if I want to. And I absolutely want to."
"Besides," Natalia pipes up, "we helped make the video!"
Sophie laughs against my chest. "They have a point."
"They usually do." I look down at her. "You really did all this? For me?"
"No." She meets my eyes steadily. "For us."
The word hits differently now. Not scary, just...
Real.
"Dad?" Natalia appears at my elbow. "Does this mean Sophie's coming back? For real?"