Page 113 of Always Be Mine

She swallowed hard but didn’t bother trying to stop the tears that slipped down her cheeks as the little girl spoke.

“Lucy, I—” Meri’s voice shook a little with nerves. She squeezed her eyes tight and opened them before trying again. “I think you’re the nicest lady I know. You play with me and read to me. And you wear purple, just like me.”

Lucy laughed.

Meri looked up at her dad for guidance.

“Go ahead,” Craig urged her gently.

She nodded and looked at Lucy again. “Dad said that after today I could ask you this,” she said. “Lucy, will you be my mom?”

“Oh.” There was nothing that could have prepared Lucy for such a question. Her hands flew to her mouth.

Meri waited patiently next to her dad for the answer.

“Oh, Meri.” She nodded and looked to Craig, who also had tears streaming down his cheeks. “There is nothing I’d like more in the whole wide world than to be your mom.” She stepped forward and pulled the little girl up into her arms. She let her tears spill unchecked while they squeezed each other.

Next to them, Craig cleared his throat loudly. “I hate to interrupt,” he said with a chuckle. “But I still have something I need to ask, too.”

“Oh, sorry, Dad.”

Meri untangled herself from Lucy’s embrace, but Lucy held tight to her hand as she focused on the man she loved.

“I feel like this might be a bit anticlimactic now,” he started. “But I need to ask.” He held out the ring that sparkled in the sun. “Lucy, will you please marry me and be my wife?”

The impromptu party in the plaza was a smashing success. With his new fiancée on his arm, Craig was on top of the world. Together, as a family, they made their rounds and accepted the well wishes of their friends and family, including Mandi and Lucy’s mom, Audrey, who he’d arranged to come to witness the special moment.

He was looking forward to getting to know them both better, but for now Charli and Annie had taken them under their wing and were making sure both women were being well cared for.

Asher had arranged for a few tables with bottles of champagne to be set up to celebrate the moment, and somewhere someone had found a speaker and upbeat music filled the plaza.

“Congratulations, man.” Craig’s best friend Andy appeared and handed them each a glass of champagne before giving Craig a quick hug and slap on the shoulder. “And Lucy, I can’t tell you how nice it is to meet you finally. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Is that right?” Lucy shot Craig a look, but he held up a hand in defense.

“Only good things, of course.” Andy winked. “Kat told me from day one that she knew you were special.”

“Oh, did she?” Craig raised his eyebrow in Andy’s direction. “You two are sure chatting a lot these days.”

Fortunately for Andy, he was saved from answering the question when Meri barrelled into him for a hug a moment later. “Uncle Andy.”

“Hey, kiddo.” He picked her up and twirled her around. “What’s new?”

“I’m going to have a mom.”

They all laughed. “You sure are.”

“And Garfield gets to live with us forever now.”

Craig groaned. But truth be told, the cat had grown on him.

“Speaking of Garfield,” Lucy asked. “How on earth did you get him to do that? I’ve had him a long time and he’s never done anything like that before.”

Meri’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she looked Lucy in the eye. “I told him how important it was, Lucy. And we practiced. A lot.” She rolled her eyes. “Remember what you said when I was trying to tie my shoes?”

Lucy laughed. “Practice might not make perfect, but it will make it better.”

“That.” Meri pointed at her, and they all laughed.

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