Page 86 of The Double Play

My heart skips.

“Soon. Tomorrow would be perfect.” I shake my head. “Wait, we need to invite our friends and your parents. Maybe a few days from now would be good.”

His answering chuckle warms my whole body. “We’ll start planning tonight. But there’s one more surprise waiting for you.”

My eyebrows draw together. “Another surprise?”

He helps me get to my feet. “I’ll be right back.”

His lips brush against my forehead before he crosses the yard to the back door. I take the opportunity to look down at my ring. It’s perfect. There’s a large circle diamond in the center, with smaller ones around it in a shape that makes it resemble a flower. I tilt my hand, mesmerized by the way it sparkles.

The door clicks, drawing my attention up again. June runs out into the yard wearing her Rapunzel dress. Emmett follows behind her, his expression soft and open.

“Hey sweet pea, I didn’t know you’d be up,” I say as she wraps herself around me in a hug.

“Daddy said you said yes!” she says, looking up at me with a big grin.

I tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “I did. We’re going to have a wedding just like in your princess movies,” I say with a smile.

“Since you said yes, it’s my turn!”

I tilt my head to the side, sending Emmett a questioning look. My curiosity at her meaning is quickly answered as she opens up a jewelry box containing a necklace that perfectly matches my ring.

“Miss Hazel, will you be my mommy?” June asks as though she’s been practicing the question.

My hand goes to my mouth. Emotion makes my throat tight. I blink away more tears.

“I would love to be your mommy,” I say through tears.

June’s eyes shine with tears of her own. I drop to my knees and pull her in for a hug. Emmett joins us, wrapping us up in his strong arms.

“Can I join too?”

I look up to see my sister standing on the back porch. I open up an arm and beckon her. She joins our group hug. June, Raven, and I all shed plenty of tears together. Emmett stays strong, but I catch him swiping beneath his eyes when we finally pull back.

“This is the happiest I’ve ever been,” I say in the midst of my favorite people.

“Then it’s a good start to my mission of making you as happy as possible for all our days,” Emmett says, pressing a kiss to my temple.

“No kissing when we’re this close in proximity to one another, please,” Raven says with a grimace, making me laugh.

“So I shouldn’t do this?” I tease and kiss Emmett on the cheek, right above his beard.

Raven groans and June giggles. Emmett just looks at me with a mixture of amusement and affection in his gaze. I bask in the glow of love emanating off all of us.

For years, all I wanted was a family to call my own. This isn’t how I pictured that family coming about, but now that it’s happened, I can’t imagine it being any other way.

I meet Emmett’s warm gaze.Home. I’m finally home.

Epilogue

Emmett Foster - a week later

“Areyounervous?”Jasonleans forward and asks me in a hushed tone. He’s on the front row of chairs with Willow to his left and Shaw and Sutton to his right. Behind him are Miles and Ellie and Brock.

“No,” I reply, shifting on my feet.

“You look nervous. Doesn’t he look nervous?” Jason turns his head to the right, asking the other guys for their opinion.

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