Page 170 of Slumming It

From somewhere in the kitchen, Grant called out, "Hey, who got into the pie?"

Emily's mom called back. "Youdid. Don't try to pin it on your brothers."

"Hey, you fell for it last year."

"No, I didn't," the mom said. "I was just being nice."

Nice.I almost chuckled at the word. Theywerenice. And it was nice to be here with the same boisterous family that had made me feel welcome and wanted all those years ago.

But it was even nicer to know whose car had just pulled into the long, curving driveway that led to the lake house I was standing in now.Finally, Emily had arrived.

Somewhere behind me, Dean was saying, "What we should do is yell ‘surprise’, and then go sit in the hot tub or something – you know, to give them some time alone."

Emily's mom asked, "But what iftheywant to sit in the hot tub?"

"Then we'll make room," Dean said. "I'll bring extra beer."

From the kitchen, Grant said, "The rules didn't say, can we eat in the hot tub?"

Emily's mom replied, "If you're talking about more pie, forget it. You're gonna ruin your dinner."

"But dinner's four hours away."

"So make a sandwich."

"Oh, likethatwon't ruin my dinner."

Listening, I felt like I had gone back twenty years in time. Sure, the topics were a little different, but the personalities were the same.

Last week, I had arranged for this holiday vacation rental – a luxurious lake house big enough to hold them all. And then, I'd asked for some help on the family front in pulling all of this together while keeping some of it a surprise.

I had also apologized to Emily's parents – first for any lingering misunderstandings and afterward for causing their daughter so much grief.

My apologies had been wholly sincere, but this wasn't the primary reason I'd made them.I'd done it for her.

Emily's family was important to her, andshewas important to me. I didn't want to make her choose. I wanted her to have it all.

And yeah, that included me.

So here I was, standing with my heart in my throat, waiting for the girl of my dreams as her big, raucous family waited in the wings.

Finally, I saw Emily bounding up the walkway. She was wearing dark jeans and a thick red sweater along with red sneakers and a long white scarf.

Her eyes were bright, and her lips were curved into the beginnings of a familiar smile as she approached the door with a spring in her step and a covered dish in her hands. She didn't look concerned. She looked not only happy, but eager, too.

But she couldn't have been half as eager asIwas.

I loved her.

I knew that now.

And it was long past time for me to tell her so.

Her dad was still using a cane while recovering from the surgery. But he wouldn't be using that cane for long. This was a damn good thing, because I wanted him good and healthy to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle.

Yeah, that aisle.

Of course, I would first need to ask that once-in-a-lifetime question. In spite of my eagerness, this would be a question for another day – maybe in a few weeks, maybe in a few months. But Iwouldbe asking it. No doubt aboutthat.