Page 112 of Always Be Mine
Which was exactly why they were going to get ice cream to celebrate. They’d made it the whole six months. Even if it was a little touch and go for a moment, they’d made it. And that was worth celebrating.
Because now that they’d fulfilled Craig’s obligations to the family, Lucy could officially bejustCraig Carlson’s girlfriend and not the nanny. And that was going to feel really good.
Really,reallygood.
“Do you already know what flavor you’re getting, Meri?”
“Of course I do!”
Next to her, Meri nodded and jumped up and down so much that Lucy stopped under the gazebo in the plaza and laughed. “You’re crazy.”
The little girl stuck out her tongue and waggled her hands next to her head, ramping up the level of goofiness that just made Lucy laugh harder.
The last few months, living—mostly—as a happy family had been some of the best times of her life. Lucy never could have imagined how much love she had to give and how much she could receive if she opened her heart and let it in.
She bent and gave Meri a big hug. “I love you, crazy girl.”
“I love you, too, Lucy.”
She squeezed her tight before Meri wiggled free.
“Come on. We need to go!”
Lucy took her hand and let Meri lead her through the busy plaza toward the Sugar Shack. “Ice cream isn’t going anywhere, kiddo. What’s the rush?”
Meri broke away from Lucy’s hand and ran toward the bright-blue door that led to the rental apartment that had been her very first stop in Trickle Creek all those months ago. Lucy took a moment to take that in and remember just how far she’d come since she’d arrived in town. She smiled at herself, and it turned into a laugh when she looked to see Meri crouching to the ground next to her. “Meri, what on earth are you?—”
“Lucy! Watch out!”
Meri pointed behind her, and Lucy spun around just in time to see a giant, orange fluff ball running at a speed that Garfield didn’t normally move at. She bent and grabbed the cat before he could crash into her. “What are you doing out here?”
“Good job, Garfield.” Meri scratched the cat’s head and held out a treat that he quickly gobbled up.
“What do you mean, good job?” She looked at the little girl, who had a smug smile on her face. “Meri, he shouldn’t be out here and—what’s this?”
Garfield was wearing a collar that he never wore because he wassupposedto be an inside cat. Attached to the collar was a little velvet bag. Lucy looked at Meri and raised an eyebrow in question, but the little girl wasn’t helpful.
“Open it.”
Somehow, Lucy managed to detach the bag from the collar while juggling the large, wiggling cat. The moment she pulled the drawstring open to see what was inside, she froze.
Garfield was lifted from her arms with a mewl of protest, but Lucy didn’t spare a glance to see who it was who’d taken him, because she only had eyes for the ring that the black velvet bag contained.
“Lucy Willis?”
She looked up to see Craig walking toward her with a bouquet of out-of-season tulips. Her favorite flower. Behind him, a small crowd of people gathered. She vaguely recognized the faces of friends and family, but she only had eyes for the man she loved.
“What is…” She shook her head. “What’s going on?”
Craig reached her and took the little bag from his hand. “This is where we met, Lucy. Do you remember?”
She laughed. “Of course I remember. Garfield…oh.” She pressed a hand to her mouth.
“The day that fluffy orange beast crashed into my legs changed my life forever.” With the ring in his hand, Craig dropped to one knee, and Lucy sucked in a breath. “From the moment I met you, Lucy, I knew you were special, but I don’t think I realized then just how much was missing in my life. Now, there is not a day that goes by where I am not thankful for you and everything you’ve brought into my life.”
He looked to his right, and a moment later, Meri joined him. “Our lives.”
Very seriously, Meri got down on one knee next to her dad and looked up at Lucy.
