Page 93 of Summer Escape
Saylor moved away from me to hug Blaire. “Thank you so much. I never thought it would be ours.”
“We couldn’t find anything that compared to this place,” I said as I hugged Blaire.
“That’s because there isn’t anything comparable, and you’ll be the perfect owners. You’ll maintain the history of this place and appreciate it.” With one last smile, Blaire stepped away from us. “Now let’s have a party.”
One by one, our family members congratulated us. Even Luna and Axel were in town, and I was happy to introduce Saylor to my sister. There were people milling about the house and spilling onto the patio surrounding the pool.
Outside, Lilliana and Henry sat in a little playpen by a cluster of chairs. We sat with Dalton, Cooper, and Ivy, who kept an eye on the babies who were more mobile.
“It’s nice that they will grow up together,” Saylor said.
“Now that Lilliana is older, Oakley’s finally given me a real visitation schedule. I can take her every other weekend. It’s fine for now,” Dalton said.
“That’s great. Congratulations,” I said to him.
“I can’t say I know what I’m doing most of the time, but hopefully, I’ll figure it out.”
Ivy leaned back against Cooper on their lounge chair. “I can send over Blake to give you some pointers. She’s been amazing with Henry.”
Dalton nodded. “I’d appreciate that. I’ll take any help I can get.”
“She’s actually looking for a place to rent, but there isn’t anything available at the moment. Maybe she could rent one of your extra rooms and help you out with Lilliana?”
“I’ll have to think about it. I don’t know how Oakley would feel about that.”
“I’ll let you meet her and decide,” Ivy said simply.
Blaire approached me. “Can you help me get something down from the closet? I left a few photo albums in there.”
I stood. “Of course.” I told Saylor, “I’ll be right back.
I followed Blaire to the primary bedroom that we’d recently taken for our own. Hayden had moved into Saylor’s old room upstairs. I opened the closet.
“It’s that box on the top shelf,” Blaire said.
I grabbed it and put it on the comforter.
Blaire sat on the bed and opened the lid, pulling out a few albums. Then she opened a small velvet box. “This is my engagement ring. I want you to have it.”
My heart skipped a beat. I’d been thinking about proposing to Saylor, but I wasn’t sure which ring to buy, but this one was perfect. It was vintage, and it held meaning.
Blaire raised a brow as she handed me the box. “Provided you give it to my granddaughter.”
My lips twitched. “I was thinking about proposing to her.”
“I was hoping for that,” she said dryly.
It was fitting since it was Blaire who’d conspired to bring us together.
Blaire stood, and I hugged her. “Thank you for everything.” She’d given me this house, Saylor, and now her ring that held so much meaning.
“You’re welcome. I want to throw an engagement party for you at the center. So don’t dawdle over the proposal. Just ask her.”
I chuckled. “I can do that.” I didn’t want to wait any longer to make her my fiancée.
When the guests were gone and the house cleaned up, Hayden said she wanted to show us something on her computer. We waited in the living room while she grabbed her laptop.
She sat next to us on the couch. “This is the mural I want to paint for the center. It’ll go in the lobby.
