Things We Never Got Over

I held the phone up to my face and screamed into it.

I’d lost myself while trying to convince someone else that I was what he wanted. I’d forgotten who I was because I’d let someone else take over the definition.

One thing you gotta understand, Naomi. If there’s anything in this world you want, I’m gonna get it for you. No questions asked. You want it, it’s yours.

spend the rest of my life trying to be the kind of man who deserves you. So that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna remember how fucking lucky I am, every single day. And I’m gonna do my best to be the best for you.

“I don’t deserve you,

You’re the one who has to live your life. Don’t apologize to other people for the decisions you make for yourself.”

“I want the wedding sooner rather than later. I’m not wasting another minute without making you my wife. You can have anything you want. A big church wedding. A backyard barbecue. A five-figure wedding dress. But I have one demand.”

Of course it was a demand and not a request. “What’s that?”

“I want daisies in your hair.”

I brought the heels of my hands to my eyes. “My parents are…”

“Movin’ to Knockemout.”

“How did you do this? How did you… Waylay gets to grow up with her grandparents right next door!” Every damn dream I’d ever had was coming true, and he was making it happen.

“One thing you gotta understand, Naomi. If there’s anything in this world you want, I’m gonna get it for you. No questions asked. You want it, it’s yours. So here.” He thrust a stack of papers at me.

Blindly, I held them up. They looked like some kind of legal contract. “What are these?”

“Flip to the signature page,” he instructed.

I followed the handy yellow tab and found my sister’s signature scrawled across the line.

The words “guardianship” and “parental rights” popped off the page.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

“She signed over parental rights to you. It’s official. No more hearings or home visits. Way is ours.”

I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe. I could only cry silently.

“Damn it, baby. I hate when you do this,” Knox grumbled, gathering me up and dropping me in his lap.

I nodded, still crying as I wrapped my arms around him and held on tight.

“Now, it’s time for something I want.”

The man could have anything as far as I was concerned. Both my kidneys. My favorite purse. Anything at all.

“Today was the best day,” I whispered, admiring how the ring on my finger caught the light from the bathroom and twinkled. I was right. It was over-the-top. A massive solitaire diamond flanked by three smaller stones on each side. I was going to need to start lifting weights with my other hand just to keep my muscles even.

Knox pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Every day since I met you has been the best day.”

“Don’t be sweet, or I’ll break your new family rule,” I warned him.

He shifted under me. “I got a couple of other things for you.”

“Knox, no offense, but after the best birthday party this town’s ever seen, Liza giving us the house, and you demanding I marry you in front of all our friends and family, I don’t think I can take anything else.”

“Suit yourself,” he said.

I lasted all of ten seconds. “Okay. Gimmie.”

“So I told you once. And now I’m gonna ask you. Marry me, Daze.”

I didn’t point out that he hadn’t exactly asked—it was more like he ordered. I was too busy nodding my head.

“Need you to say it, baby,” he coaxed.

“Yes.” I managed to get the word out and found myself against the very solid, very warm chest of my fiancé. Everyone I loved was cheering for us, and Knox was kissing me—in a very inappropriate way for having an audience.

He pulled back just an inch. “I love you so fucking much, Daisy.”

I gave a hitching sigh and tried not to start wailing. I managed a not very dignified nod.

“Now you can say it,” he prompted me, cupping my face in his hands, those gray-blue eyes telling me exactly what he needed to hear.

“I love you, Knox.”

“Damn right you do, baby.”

He held me tightly, then released one arm and opened it. Waylay appeared and slid under it, grinning up at me through tears of her own. I wrapped my free arm around her, binding the three of us together. Waylon wedged his head between us and barked.

“You did good, Knox,” Waylay said. “I’m proud of you.”

“You about ready for some cake?” he asked her.

“Don’t forget to make a wish, honey,” I told her.

She grinned up at me. “Don’t gotta. I already got everything I wanted.”

And just like that, the tears were back.

“Me too, honey. Me too.”

“Okay. New family rule. Neither of you is allowed to cry ever again,” Knox said, his voice hoarse.

He sounded pretty serious about it. That just made us cry harder.