“Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for giving him this.”
“Are you gonna be my mom now?” Charlie’s voice piped up from the doorway. “Uncle Roan kisses Cady’s mom like that, and now he’s Cady’s dad. Are you gonna be my mom?”
There was so much hope in Charlie’s words that I knew we needed to tread carefully.
“Come here, Charlie Bear,” Lawson said.
Charlie came running, and Lawson hoisted him into his arms. “I like Hallie a whole lot.”
Charlie’s face scrunched. “You gotta if you’re kissing her. Kissing isgross.”
Luke tried to disguise a laugh with a cough.
“Someday, you’ll change your tune about that, bud,” Lawson said with a smile.
“Nuh-uh. So, you gonna marry her?” Charlie asked hopefully. “I want Hallie to be my mom.”
My heart cracked then and there, and I knew Lawson’s did, too.
He swallowed hard. “There are a lot of steps between dating and getting married, and we don’t want to rush them. But we’ll let you know if anything changes. How about that?”
Charlie’s shoulders slumped. “Okay.” He glanced at me. “Could you be my best friend now? Cady won’t mind if I have two.”
My nose stung. “I’d love to be your best friend.”
Charlie threw himself from his dad to me, and I caught him with anoof.
“I’m the bestest best friend. I share my candy and everything.”
I struggled to keep the tears at bay. “Then I’m pretty lucky.”
“You are,” Charlie said, nuzzling into my hold.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I whispered to Lawson.
He grinned at me. “Been ready since the moment I laid eyes on you again. And now I get to kiss you whenever I want.”
And he did just that.
44
HALLIE
Sunshine beameddown as teenage laughter and shrieks came from inside the barn. Younger kids raced around outside in another game I couldn’t quite figure out. And the adults milled about, chatting and eating.
An arm came around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze. “This is just incredible,” Kerry whispered, emotion clogging her voice.
“He’s having fun, isn’t he?” I asked as I watched Drew let out a war whoop as he let a series of Nerf darts fly.
“Best birthday he’s had. Hands down. And it’s all thanks to you,” Kerry said, giving me another squeeze.
I shook my head. “I had tons of help. Luke, Charlie, Lawson. All your kids and their partners, actually.”
Kerry’s smile turned soft. “I’ve surrounded myself with some good ones, haven’t I?”
“That you have,” I told her honestly. I couldn’t imagine a better group. I wanted Emerson and Adrian to come out here to meet them. Some secret part of me hoped they might fall in love with the small mountain town and kiss city life goodbye.
“But it’s you who did the lion’s share of the work.” She held up a hand when I started to speak. “Don’t say it’s nothing.” Her gaze traveled over to Lawson, where he talked to Clint, Reed, and Daniels. “My boy has been struggling.”
