Page 45 of Daddy's Heart

Cade is leaning against the counter, looking like he just walked out of a flannel catalog. Messy hair, woodsmoke still clinging to his jacket. Next to him is a petite blonde with sharp eyes and a quick smile.

“Cade,” he says, tipping his chin at me. “And this troublemaker is Marley.”

“Hey!” Marley protests, smacking his arm. “I’m not the one who dragged you to that wedding with the ten-piece string quartet and gluten-free cake.”

“Best mistake I ever made,” Cade mutters, kissing her temple while she rolls her eyes.

And then there’s Beau.

The biggest of the brothers, standing at the stove like he’s running a diner during the breakfast rush, flipping pancakeswith military precision. He’s got grease under his nails and a scowl that seems permanent until he glances at Legend.

Then something shifts.

“And you must be the famous Legend,” Beau says, voice like gravel dragged across a front porch.

Legend, who’s been suspiciously quiet for a kid hopped up on apple juice and adrenaline, sidles closer to Beau.

“Are you a real mechanic?” he asks, eyes narrowing.

“I am,” Beau answers.

“Do you fix police cars?”

“Sometimes.”

Legend nods like this meets his approval. “Cool. I’m a deputy now.” He points to the plastic badge stuck to his chest like it's proof of employment.

“I can see that,” Beau says. “Very official.”

Delaney leans toward me, voice low. “Beau says he’s not great with kids, but he made pancakes shaped like police cars.”

I glance at the plate Beau slides in front of Legend, and sure enough there are tiny pancakes in the shape of cruisers, sirens and all. They’re kind of ridiculous. And perfect.

Legend’s eyes go huge. “These are thebestpancakes ever!”

“Told you he’d love them,” Jack mutters to Beau, who only grunts in reply, though I swear there’s the ghost of a smirk tucked into his beard.

The next hour is loud, messy, and surprisingly effortless. The brothers talk like they’re still teenagers, taking shots at each other over eggs and hash browns. Their partners roll their eyes in perfect harmony and pull me into the fold like I’ve always belonged.

Legend’s in absolute heaven. Every time he opens his mouth, someone’s listening, laughing, or handing him another slice of bacon.

Then Marley, cool as can be, drops a bomb between sips of orange juice.

“So... when’s the wedding?”

I nearly inhale my coffee. “Wedding?”

Delaney jumps right in. “Come on. Look at the way he watches you. Look at how he is with your kid. That man’s already planning the playlist.”

“We just—”

But before I can raise any kind of objection, Colt is dropping to one knee, being handed a small box by my own son. Jesus, they were both in on this?

“Sorry, babygirl, but I can’t let them beat me to the punch. I’d never hear the end of it. Marry me, Emery Rose Langston.”

I frown. “There’s a reason it’s calledpopping the question. You’re supposed to ask, not tell me what to do.”

“Marry him, Mama!” Legend is jumping up and down with a big ridiculous grin on his face, and I can’t help myself. I’m smiling right along with him, because there’s nothing I want more.

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