by Abby Brooks
“Please don’t.” I reach out to take his hand. “It’s like she’s still here. In that sound. I don’t want to fix it and finally lose her for good.”
Ethan bobs his head and narrows his eyes. “You know she’s everywhere, right?” He holds up his hand as I open my mouth to protest. “I won’t fix the board. But I just want to be sure that you know her handprints are all over this place.”
“What do you mean?”
“She grew up here. Her entire life is inside this house. And if you look, you can see reminders of all of your family. Each nail you see was put into place by a LaRue. Her father. Her mother. Her son. You. How can your Nana be gone, when she’s in each and every nook and cranny of this property?”
Tears fill my eyes and make the wide expanse of stars waver and dance. “I never really thought of it like that.”
“I can’t help but think of it like that,” says Ethan, a funny look on his face. “My family is scattered and broken. We were each so eager to get out of each other’s lives that we broke ties and burned bridges and I can’t imagine ever going back to them. I never really thought about it until now, with you. But there’s something to be said for being connected, I guess. I never understood the draw of family until recently.”
“It’s weird to know it all ends with me. My family is gone and I’m the last one left.” I look down at the blanket on my lap. “When I’m gone, there won’t be anyone else to care about this old place.”
Ethan looks at me. I mean really looks at me. His eyes hold mine and something so soft and gentle flits across his face that my lips part. “We shouldn’t let that happen.”
Butterflies flutter through my stomach. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we should start making some babies so we can fill this place back up with LaRues to care for it when we’re too old to do it ourselves.”
My eyes go wide. “You want to have babies with me?”
“Well, yeah. Lots of them,” he says, his tone so matter of fact I’m confused. “I mean, after all this time in this place, I can’t imagine not making ourselves a large family.”
“A large family?” I’m dumbfounded, not quite sure what he’s getting at. Sure, I’ve been daydreaming about growing old with him out here, watching our children play in the same yard I did when I was young, but I was in no way expecting that we’d get started so soon, before we’re even married.
Ethan nods, a smile lifting the corners of his lips. “Of course, they’ll all be Masters instead of LaRues, but that’s really a technicality, don’t you think?”
I nod even though I’m still quite confused. “Of course…”
“And you’d be a Masters, too.”
“Will I?” My heart pounds in my chest and I put the tumbler of Maker’s Mark down on the little table beside me because my hands are shaking and I’m afraid I’ll drop it.
“I hope so.” Ethan stands, the floor board underneath him squeaking and groaning and it sounds like my Nana’s laughter. He kneels in front of me and takes my hands. “Skye, I’m asking you to marry me. To fill this void inside me with your love and lots of little me’s and you’s running around this place. Every day is better with you and I’ve told you before, I’m a selfish man. I just want more better days with you.”
I smile through my tears and sniff as Ethan pulls a small velvet box out of his pocket. “It’s not my mom’s or anything romantic like that. But I chose one that’s classic so that maybe, some day along the line, one of our grandsons will use it to propose to the love of his life. This is the start of our legacy.” He opens the box and shows me the stunning diamond nestled inside. It glitters in the porch light and then disappears in my tears. “Skye LaRue? Will you marry me?”
“Oh, hell yes.” I laugh as I answer, tears rolling down my face, so overwhelmed with emotion that they all want out at the same time.
Ethan slides the ring onto my finger and pulls me to my feet. Draws me in close and lowers his lips to mine. “Wonderful,” he says before swooping me up into his arms. “Now, how about we head inside and get a start on that family.”
Epilogue
“Miles!” Ethan’s voice booms across the yard. “Stop throwing grass at Sarah!” He gestures to our son, beckoning him over with a crook of his finger. “Why don’t you come here and help me with this fence?”
Miles takes off running as fast as his little legs can carry him—which is faster and faster with every passing day—while Sarah toddles along behind.
“Me help too, dada?” she asks. “Me too?”
“Of course, little lady.” Ethan draws the children in close and gives them and in-depth lesson on how to set the nails in straight. Sarah grows bored quickly and wanders up to stand next to me on the porch, but Miles listens intently. He even takes his shirt off so he can be just like dad, working outside with his back and chest bared to the sun.
My heart is so full. I can’t imagine being happier. But then Sarah spreads her tiny fingers over my swollen belly and plants a kiss there, reaching up on her tip toes as twelve-month old Evan kicks his chubby little legs at her from his perch on my hip.
The twins are due any day now. We thought we’d stop at four kids, but it turns out our vote got overruled and our family will grow even bigger than we intended. I’m nervous, but honestly, I’m also really excited. Ethan has proven to be an exceptional father and I get more joy out of our little clan than I could ever have guessed.
Sure, our living room is a mess and there are days where I don’t think I’ll ever see the end of the dishes. Miles gets bossy with Sarah and Sarah puts her hands on her little hips and howls. There are stories to read at bed time and too many glasses of water before everyone’s asleep. With Evan learning to walk, there are bumps and bruises and trials and tears.
But there’s also laughter. So much laughter. After so many years of just me and my Nana here, and then, after that, just me struggling to make this place still feel like a home, it feels so good to have the empty rooms filling up with my family again.
Ethan looks up and sees me watching him. Runs a hand through his hair and shades his eyes and damn if Miles doesn’t do the exact same thing. They wave at me and I blow them a kiss before leading Sarah over to the chairs on the mostly renovated porch. The floorboard under my chair still squeaks and I smile as I sit down and think of my Nana.
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Also by Abby Brooks/Wren Williams
Bad, Bad Prince: A Royal Bad Boy Romance
Woodsman: A Bad Boy Romance
Written As Abby Brooks
The Moore Brothers Series
Blown Away (Ian and Juliet)
Carried Away (James and Ellie)
Swept Away (Harry and Willow)
Break Away (Lilah and Cole)
Love Is…
Love Is Crazy (Dakota & Dominic)
What Happened in Vegas (Dakota & Dominic’s Wedding)
Love Is Beautiful (Chelsea & Max)
Blissed Out (Chelsea & Max’s Wedding)
Love Is Everything (Maya & Hudson)