Page 172 of Lavender Lake
“And get her pregnant,” I added.
“No apologies for that, tater tot.”
I fell silent for a moment.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Why does Declan think you’re not a family man?”
“Because I’m not. I don’t have a family. I don’t know what a healthy marriage looks like. I don’t have a shining example of what a normal family is. He doesn’t think I’m good enough for you,” Cas said, his tone soft, somber. “And so even though he considers me his best friend, he doesn’t think I deserve someone like you. He thinks I’m no good for you.”
I kissed his hand and rose.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“To have some of my own words with Declan.”
“Salem, don’t. He’s not wrong.”
“Not wrong? Of course he’s wrong. He’s so fucking wrong I can’t even believe he’d—look, I know he warned me away from you when we first got here. But to say you’re not a family man? That’s bullshit. You were the one that decided to stick around when Muddy needed help, when we needed help. Don’t you get it, Cas? You’re a family man who never got a chance to have a family. And we’re your family. You’remyfamily.”
Cas grinned. “Okay, tater tot. I’ll marry you.”
“What?”
“That was a proposal, wasn’t it?”
“No.” I scoffed. “That wasn’t a proposal.”
“Felt like a proposal.”
“You’re an ass.”
“But I’m your ass.” He chuckled. “Now come back here and kiss me.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
The Ranch
“You’ve got sex hair,” Wyn said the next morning when I opened the door to my bedroom.
I stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind me, and then hastily ran my hand through my locks.
“Not gonna help,” Poet said with a cheeky grin. “You must’ve had a good night. You never did make it back to the reception.”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” I said. “But if I did, I’d tell you Cas and I spent the night in the barn loft and snuck in around four in the morning.”
Wyn smirked. “So proud of you, girl.”
“Why are you guys here so early?” I asked, running a hand down my face.
“It’s nine a.m.,” Poet said.
“Is it?” I asked. “Wow.”
“We called Hadley, but she’s not answering her phone. We were going to knock on the cabin door, but last night was her wedding night. So it feels kind of weird to be interrupting their honeymoon,” Wyn said.
“Can you call it a honeymoon if they don’t go anywhere?” Poet asked. “Not even to The Regal Beagle for sparkling water and strawberries?”
