Carter snickered. “Dante could wear a trash bag and look cool.”
He laughed with the others, and those feelings of belonging and tight brotherhood that had been born on active duty continued to emanate from every one of the guys in front of him.
“Well,” he said, gaining their attention. “I just want to say thank you for being here. I’m glad to share this day with you all. With my family. Thanks for always having my back. And thanks for being my brothers.”
And as he gathered his son and they took their places in the backyard, Dante’s heart was full to bursting at what was to come.
***
When Amanda pulled in behind Dante’s truck and turned off the engine, she thought she heard people talking, then she spotted her sisters and Lyndsey waving to her from the side of the driveway.
“What are you doing here? Where are you parked?” she asked, getting out of the car.
“At my house.” Lyndsey grinned.
Emily nodded. “We wanted to surprise you.”
“And congratulate you on your first full week of teaching Kindergarteners,” Olivia added with a smile. “So proud of you.”
Amanda blinked back a rush of tears. “Thanks. I had a great week.”
“Well, it’s about to get better,” Emily said, pointing to the driveway just beyond Dante’s truck.
A trail of red rose petals spread from his truck to the backyard gate. She gasped and a deluge of goose bumps shot through her body.
“What’s going on?” she asked, glancing from one grinning face to another.
Lyndsey and Olivia took her purse and her lunch bag but remained quiet.
“Follow them and see.” Emily waved at the rose petals.
Amanda’s pulse skipped a beat as she walked closer and closer to the gate. Once there, she gripped the latch on the large wooden gate, and her heartbeats quickened as she opened the gate and stepped into the yard.
Air funneled into her chest and her heart warmed at the sight of all her friends and family holding balloons and signs with “Congratulations” on them.
“Thank you so much,” she said, smiling at the crowd gathered in front of her.
“But, wait,” Emily said, walking up to her side. “There’s more.”
Lyndsey motioned to the crowd, and they began to part down the middle to reveal another trail of rose petals. This trail led to a rose-covered swing set, where two of the most important guys in her life stood, wearing matching suits and smiles.
Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them back as she slowly moved to them. The crowd was quiet, but her pulse was loud. Dante stole her breath. He wore a fitted black suit and white button-down shirt and she already looked forward to later that night and taking him out of it. Her gaze drifted to Noah and her heart caught in her chest. He wore a matching black suit and a tiny button-down shirt that fit his cute, tiny size. Their arms were positioned behind their backs, but as she neared, they each pull out and held up a white sign.
Amanda’s steps faltered and her eyes filled with a larger round of tears and several spilled down her face. She reread the signs again. Both asked very special questions.
Noah’s read: Will you be my mommy?
Dante’s read: Will you be my wife?
And if that wasn’t enough to break Amanda, they dropped to one knee and pulled out a blue velvet jeweler’s box and presented them to her.
Unable to hold it in any longer she rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she knelt in front of them.
“Yes, Noah. I will,” she told the sweet little boy she’d come to love as her own.
“Yay!Den dis is for you.” He fumbled but managed to get the ring out and shoved it on the ring finger of her right hand. “It has all ourbirfstones. Right, Daddy?”
“Yes, it does,” Dante replied with a grin.
