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“No.” Jai shook his head. “This place is perfect. Small. Intimate. On the water. At sunset, I think.”

I blinked several times. “Yes. Just a few close friends.”

“We have openings for that.” Isaac eyed us. “For yourselves?”

We nodded.

I grinned. “So, I guess that makes us fiancés.”

“Yeah.” A grin spread across Jai’s face. “I guess that does.”

“Think Arnav and Foster will stand up for us?” Excitement rose within me. “Of course, Stephanie, Taryn, Alessandra, and Smith need to come.”

“And Kennedy, Cody, Grey, and Makenna.”

“Of course.” His camp family had warmly embraced my family, and we’d all celebrated when the last camp group had gone home last week.

“I know a celebrant, if you need one.” Isaac smiled.

“Oh, do you allow dogs? I’d love if Gus and Gizmo could come.” More excitement at the prospect of making our family complete.

The harbormaster nodded. “My dog Buddy frequently visits me at work. With my husband Ben, of course.”

I squinted. “Okay, that wouldn’t be Ben the French Immersion teacher at Cedar Street Elementary, would it?”

Isaac’s face broke into the widest grin I’d ever seen. “Why yes, that’s my husband. Damn fine teacher. Great guy. You have kids in the school?”

“Our daughter is starting next week. We’re new in town. Well, I am. Jai’s newly come home.”

“Ben and I were new to town when we arrived a few years ago. Mission City is a great place to raise kids.”

“Our daughter.” Jai repeated the words.

I nodded.

He turned to Isaac. “We have two amazing kids.”

“What are their names? How old are they?” He grinned. “I love kids. I mean, unless… You don’t need to return to the party?”

Jai shook his head. “We’ll collect the kids when it’s time to leave. So Alaina’s eleven going on thirty…” He continued on for several minutes about our kids.

Isaac asked insightful and kind questions—truly curious about our two.

I let the words wash over me as I gazed out over the bright blue of the Fraser River. I might not have brought Keegan to Mission City—and Pride Camp—with the intention of finding a new home…but we had. I gripped Jai’s arm as he talked about Torah training the dogs and how wonderful life was.

I had to keep blinking so I wouldn’t cry. I told myself the reflection of the sun off the water was the cause.

In truth, I just hadn’t realized that, in finding my Buttercup, I’d find my happily ever after as well.

But I had.

Epilogue

Jai

Foster and I tugged each end of the rope.

I snarled. In fun.