The Mix Up, page 13
My heart lodges in my throat as I wait for her to say something. She’s staring at me with tears sparkling in her eyes but when she smiles at me, I know she’s going to say yes.
“Yes, Yates. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”
I grin, rising to my feet and wrapping my arms around her and spinning the both of us around. Arlowe is trying to wipe the tears from her eyes as I pull the ring out of the box and grab her hand.
I slip the ring onto her left hand and we both smile down at it.
“It fits perfectly,” she says and I smile.
“Yeah, I may have measured your hand a few weeks ago when you were sleeping.”
She giggles at that and I grin at her.
“We’re getting married,” I whisper and she nods.
I rest my forehead against hers and she tips her face up, pressing a soft kiss against my lips.
“I love you, Yates,” she whispers.
“I love you too, Arlowe.”
We link our fingers together and walk slowly down the beach.
“Isn’t it crazy that we may have never met?” she asks and I frown when I realize she’s right.
“But we did,” she says, squeezing my hand with hers.
“I’m so glad that we did. Best mix up ever.”
She grins at me and I know I’m right. I don’t know what I did to deserve Arlowe, but I’m so glad that she’s mine.
NINETEEN
Arlowe
Five Years Later…
“Do I need to bring anything else?” I ask Lena as I pack the desserts that I grabbed from the bakery on the way home this afternoon.
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure that Lyla is bringing most of the food.”
“Oh, from Fender or Prim + Proper?” I ask, my mouth watering at the thought of both restaurants.
“I’m not sure, maybe Fender since it’s here in Lilac Harbor?”
I grab my purse and make sure everything I need is in there before I wander out to find my husband and kids.
“Okay, well I’m leaving soon. I’ll pick you up in ten.”
“Sounds good. See you soon!”
I hang up as I step out onto the back porch. Yates is there with our youngest, Maise, in the baby carrier strapped to his chest. He’s walking our son, Emery, back and forth along the beach. He giggles every time the waves splash over his feet and I grin.
I love seeing them like this. So happy.
Yates glances up at me and I wave.
“I’m about to leave for girls night!” I call to him and he nods, leading our son over to the back porch steps.
“Mommy!” he shouts once he sees me and I grin, bending down when he sprints my way.
I scoop him up in my arms and he laughs.
“We found a seashell,” he says in his adorable little kid language, and I smile as he shows me the shell.
“That’s so cool. I’m going out for a little bit but Dad is going to watch you.”
“I know,” he says. “He told me that we’re having fun here.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“Daddy says that Grandma is coming to visit again next weekend,” Emery says and I nod.
“Yep! She’s so excited to see you.”
He claps his hands together. He loves my mom. She’s been coming out every other month since we had Emery. Yates knows how much my mom means to me, so he pays for her to come visit as often as she wants. There’s even been talk about her getting a place here in Lilac Harbor so she can be closer to us.
Yates joins us on the back porch and I lean up on my tiptoes, offering him my lips for a kiss. It’s a little complicated with the two kids between us but we make it work.
“Are the guys coming over here?” I ask and he nods.
“Yeah, we’re going to eat and play in the water. Then the kids can play together inside.”
We’ve only grown closer to our friends here in Lilac Harbor and Destiny Falls over the last five years. They all have kids who are about the same age as ours and they love playing together.
Record and Iris invited Hartley, Lena, Auden, and me to join their girl’s night a few years ago and now it’s a bi-weekly event. Usually Lyla, Hudson’s wife, brings the food. Hudson is an amazing chef and he owns Fender here in Lilac Harbor and Prim + Proper over in Destiny Falls. Fender is more laidback than Prim + Proper but the food is delicious from both.
“I’ll see you guys in a little bit,” I tell them, kissing Emery on the cheek before I put him back on his feet.
“Bye, Mommy!” he calls, already waddling on shaky legs back to the water.
“See you in a little bit,” Yates says as he chases after him.
I was a little nervous about how Yates would handle having kids since he liked having his world small, but I didn’t need to worry at all. He was so excited when I told him and so involved in every step of the pregnancy. He never missed a doctor’s appointment and I think he changed more diapers than I did.
I make my way through the house and back toward the front door, grabbing the bag of desserts on the way. I open the door and let out a squeak when I see Sutton, Teller, and their kids on the other side. It’s obvious they were about to knock and I laugh a little as I step to the side.
“Come in! Yates and the kids are out back.”
Her kids take off in that direction and Teller just laughs and gives his wife a quick kiss before he takes off after them.
“Want to ride with me?” Sutton asks and I smile.
“Sure.”
We climb into her car and drive toward downtown. We’re having girls night at Auden’s house this time and she lives with her husband on the other side of town.
We pass by Holden and wave.
“Are they all going to your place?” Sutton asks and I nod.
“Yeah, I think so. I think Hudson had to stay late at work or something but he was going to try to join later. Oh, and Hartley and none of the other Honey Peak girls are coming tonight since Brennan is sick. I think they’re worried that the rest of the kids got sick now too.”
“That’s too bad. I hope that they feel better soon.”
“Me too.”
We pull into Auden’s driveway and I spot Lena and Iris’s cars already there.
“I think that Record and Madelyn came with Iris,” Sutton says as we climb out and I nod, grabbing the dessert and heading for the front door.
“Girls night!” Lena says as we walk in and I laugh.
“Has it been a long week for you then?” I ask and she blows out a puff of air.
“Kaylie quit this morning, so I had to stay late to cover her shift.”
“Why’d she quit?”
“She’s not going to work under these conditions!” Lena says, mimicking Kaylie’s high-pitched voice.
“What kind of conditions?” Record asks and Lena rolls her eyes.
“She didn’t like anything about the job. Her dad made her get one or he would cut her off and I tried to give her a chance but she complained all the time,” she says with a groan.
“Like what?” Sutton asks.
“She didn’t like touching the flour or sugar and was convinced that it would damage her nails. She hated working in the mornings but couldn’t do the afternoons either because she wanted to hang out with her friends. The list goes on and on.”
“I’m surprised that she lasted as long as she did,” I say, and Lena grabs her margarita and takes a big drink.
“Me too. Now we’re short a person though.”
“You’ll find someone soon, I’m sure,” Iris says with an encouraging smile.
The front door opens and Lyla comes in, her hands full of take out bags from Fender.
“Yum!” I say as I move to help her and she grins at me.
“I know! I got the good stuff.”
Iris and Madelyn head outside to grab the last of the bags as Auden and Lena grab plates and forks for everyone.
I join my friends at Auden’s big kitchen table and fill my plate. I’ve come to love my life here in Lilac Harbor.
I was so devastated when I found out Clay Fire was closing. I was about to be out of a job and stuck in a city I hated, far away from the only family I had. I thought my life was about to be over.
Instead, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
I got a husband and two wonderful children. I have a career that I love in a place that just feels like home, and I’ve grown my family from just my mom and me, to this extended group.
Coming to Lilac Harbor wasn’t a mix up like Yates and I first thought.
It was the shakeup I needed and I’m so glad it happened.
I smile as I dig into my food and listen to my friends talk about their week.
Want to read Auden and Lena’s books? Continue the Lilac Harbor series with The Hook Up!
Are you curious about Arlowe’s friends? Then be sure to check out the Destiny Falls series and the Honey Peak series!
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Finding His Forever
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Chasing His Forever
Folklore: The Complete Series
Holiday Hearts
Be Mine
Falling in Love
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Love Notes
Signing Off With Love
Care Package Love
Wrong Number, Right Love
Kings Gym
Fighting Fire With Fire
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Fighting Back From Hell
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Mine to: The Complete Series
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Shaw Hart, The Mix Up
