Page 106 of Surviving in Everton

“What’s going on? Are we having a party?” I look around waiting for someone to answer.

“Well, that depends on your answer to this question,” Hudson says from behind me.

Spinning around, I see all five of them down on one knee, and mine about buckle.

“Rowen. You’ve been my best friend, my confidante. I’ve known since I was twelve years old, I wanted to spend my life with you. I want to wake up at a reasonable hour and make you coffee cake,” Hudson proclaims and I can’t help but chuckle. “I want to hold you while you make me watch sappy romance movies. I want to take you on a million first dates.”

Covering my mouth to hold back the sob that wants to come out, I stand there as they go down the line.

“Rowen,” Kayden starts with a smile. “I remember the moment my feelings for you changed, when I went from thinking of you as a sister, one of the guys, my best friend, to the girl I wanted to spend all my days with. The girl I wanted by my side, to celebrate my accomplishments with, to lament my failures with. We were thirteen and we had a trip to the water park planned. I broke my leg the week before and was in a full leg cast, so I couldn’t go. I was a miserable bastard that whole week leading up to the day everyone would leave and I would have to stay home alone. But you stayed with me. You raved about how excited you were for that trip since we first started talking about it. But you gave that up to spend the weekend with me. I knewthenthat I wanted to repay the favor for the rest of my life.”

Nate smoothly starts his part of the speech as soon as Kayden is done. “There’s not a specific moment that turned the tides, so to speak. I’ve always loved you. You were always there for me, no matter what was going on at home. You made it all disappear. I could be a normal kid when I was with you. I never had to worry if you would judge me, or make fun of me like other kids did. You always stuck by me no matter what anyone else said. I want to be that for you, Rowe. I want to be your rock. The person you can turn to when things get bad. The person that’s always there to lift you up. I don’t even mind sharing that honor with these guys, and you know how much I hate sharing.”

I chuckle through the tears, but they don’t give me time to say anything, Ayden picking up right where Nate left off.

“Lucky for you, I’m a very good sharer. I mean I’ve already been sharing you with most of these guys my whole life. What’s adding another guy gonna do?”

Rolling my eyes I shake my head at him, but the smile doesn’t go anywhere.

“I want to spend the rest of my life driving you crazy. I want to make you laugh every day. When things get too serious, you can count on me to lighten the mood. To always bring a smile to your face. To make your life a little less stuffy with all of these serious cavemen around.”

“I never thought I would find love again. Didn’t have any plans on even lookin’. But then you walked into my life with your crazy ramblin’ thoughts and I knew my life would never be the same. You brought me back to life,A Stor. Before you, I was just goin’ through the motions. I didn’t even realize that until you showed up, shakin’ everythin’ up. It should scare me, our soul deep connection. How fiercely I love you with everythin’ I am. But it doesn’t, it brings me peace to know that kind of love is possible and real. I adore that you love my son as much as I do. That you don’t shy away from includin’ him in things. You’ve welcomed him into your life just like he was your own. I want to make that a reality.Wewant to make that a reality. We want to be a family with you and Violet. The eight of us. So what do you say,A Stor?”

“Will you marry us?” they all ask in unison. Hudson holding out a ring box.

“Oh my god! You want… you want tomarryme?! All of you?! But how? What?” I can’t believe they really asked me! I was joking with Momma C. the other day about it, but I definitely wasn’t expecting anything!

“Easy,A Stor. You say yes. You and the moms plan a beautiful wedding. The five of us stand before all our loved ones and profess our undying love for you. You say ‘sure, I can live with that’. We kiss and live happily ever after.”

“You just got it all figured out, don’t ya?” My cheeks hurt from smiling so big for so long. Tears are streaming down my face as I gaze at the loves of my life waiting for me to tell them one simple word. They look like they’re starting to get nervous, but they shouldn’t. My nod starts off slow but quickly becomes vigorous. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you! All of you!” I exclaim.

They all jump up and run to me. Ayden reaches me first, picking me up and whooping as he spins me around. Kayden pulls me from his brother’s arms and kisses me soundly on the mouth. Nate tears me from Kayden, squeezing me tight, like he never wants to let me go. He kisses the top of my head before passing me off to Hudson. Smile still fixed on my face, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him toward me.

“I love you so much, Hudson,” I declare before sealing our lips together.

Coming up for air, I look for Declan. Finding him standing back, letting the guys get their celebration hugs.What’s the matter, Daddy? Don’t you want a hug too?

Smirking, he walks over to me, hauling me into his arms. “Trust me,A Stor, I want a whole lot more than a hug,” he whispers in my ear. “But I’ll save that for behind closed doors.”

Letting me go, he announces, “There is one more thing though. And this whole celebration hinges on it.”

“What? What else?” I look around nervously, only to find Nate holding Violet’s hand, dragging her into the mist of our celebration.

“Violet. We know we’re not your blood, but we love you like you’re our own. We may have just asked your mother to marry us and make us a family, but you are just as much a part of that. We want to be your dads, Princess. It may not always be sunshine and roses, but you willalwaysknow we love you and only want the best for you.” He pauses to wipe a stray tear, but Violet beats him to it, cupping his cheek in her tiny hand and brushing the tear away with her thumb.

“Does that mean I can call you Daddy Natey?”

The crowd of loved ones standing around, watching with bated breath to see if Violet will accept the guys, share a collective laugh.

“You can call me whatever you want, Princess. So? What do you say?”

I can feel how nervous he is right now, and it kills me. He should know Violet loves him. Loves all of them. There isn’t a chance she’ll say anything other than-

“Yes! I always wanted a daddy that actually liked me and would play with me! Now I getfive!”

The relief that pours off of him is quickly replaced by sheer joy as he swoops her up in his arms and spins her around like Ayden did to me. Her musical giggles fill the air as he twirls her around and around. When he finally stops and goes to set her down, she squeezes her little arms around his head, not letting him go.

“I love you, Daddy Natey,” she tells him softly before backing away with a smile.

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