“If I didn’t love you before, that would have done it.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around me. “Life won’t be boring with this family.”

“You’re damn right.”

She smiled at me, and I knew right then that I was going to marry this girl.

I just had to give her a little time to get used to the idea.

Very little time.

I couldn’t wait much longer to make her mine because she was the only one I ever wanted.

Epilogue

Nora

I ranup the walkway to the library. Danny had a science fair, and it was a little too small of a class for the cafeteria and too big of one with the projects to use his classroom.

The Indigo Valley Library hadn’t changed a bit from when I left. It had been a safe haven for me with two working parents. I could do my homework, then lose myself in the stacks with books and sometimes the librarian, Mrs. Flannery, would let me use one of the homework rooms to watch movies.

But now, it was a brightly colored expanse of science projects with glue, foam boards, and a whole lot of paint and glitter. I caught sight of Sully first. He was standing beside Danny with a big ol’ smile on his face. We’d been up late putting the finishes on the planets.

Currently, Danny was obsessed with all things space and planets. Last month, it had been the ocean.

I was fascinated with his little brain. I was pretty sure he was smarter than me and his dad put together.

“There you guys are!”

Danny turned around, a smile brightening his face. There had been a lot more of those these days too. After seeing the family band around him, Danny had busted out of his shell soon after.

“It looks awesome,” I told him.

“Thanks. Your Saturn is my favorite.” He gave me a quick hug. “Then there’s a new Pluto. It fell off on the ride over.”

I laughed. “Dad fixed it?”

He nodded. “He found a marble that was perfect.”

“Look at that. Way to go, Dad.” I went onto my toes and kissed him. “Our hero.”

Sully grinned. “Why don’t you go check out your friend’s projects before the teachers come around to score you.”

“Okay!” He took off and ran right to another boy in his class.

“He’s finally making friends.”

“Yeah. Jefferson is just as into space stuff as he is.”

“Two peas.” I leaned against him, looking around at the kids. A girl with blond crooked pigtails was fixing her colorful version of the elemental table.

“Bet our kid would look just like her.”

I straightened. “Were you reading my mind?”

He laced his fingers behind my back. “Maybe.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Hmm.” Before I could say anything else, one of the teachers called out for the kids to get to their places.