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She darts to the food area and returns a minute later with two turkey legs and a pair of berry lemonades.

“Wanna walk around while we eat?” she asks, handing me the food.

“Let me pay first, please,” I say, reaching for my wallet.

Rain shakes her head and smiles. “Gio sponsors every festival in town.”

I let out a low whistle, my brows rising. “Seriously?”

“Oh yeah. He not only built this place, but he also pays for all the food, attractions… you name it.”

She bites into the turkey, and we start walking.

“He has a financial advisor—Penny. Have you met her yet?” she asks, glancing at me.

“I did,” I say with a nod .

Rain continues, “Well, Penny is in charge of organizing the booths. Businesses submit estimates for supplies, and she transfers the funds. We do the rest.”

I take a big bite of my turkey. It’s delicious—crispy skin and moist meat. “And you guys donate the labor?”

“I’ve offered a couple of times, but Gio refuses. We all get paid to work the fair, though.”

Damn. A billionaire with a heart.

“That’s amazing.”

“Yeah. Gio has been beyond generous with everyone in town. Minx?” She pauses, making sure I’m following. “He originally bought her for a date with my sister. When Ruin moved in with him, I asked to buy Minx, but he just transferred the title over to me.”

Speak of the devil—Gio and Ruin are pushing a double stroller toward the dunk tank. A small crowd gathers around them, people stopping Gio to shake his hand like he’s a local celebrity.

“He’s like royalty around here,” I say.

Rain chuckles. “No kidding. Poor Gio hates being in the spotlight, but when you have a big heart in a small town, it’s hard not to stand out.”

Ruin catches sight of us and lights up. She gently excuses herself and hurries over.

“Hey, guys. Fancy seeing you out of the booth,” she teases, raising her brow behind her sunglasses.

Rain groans. “Oh, stop it. ”

I chuckle as I lift my chin to greet Gio, and he does the same.

Ruin isn’t letting her sister off the hook. “No, no. This is payback, Raindrop. Remember when you gave me shit for leaving you alone in the booth to walk the fair with Gio? How does it feel now?”

Rain sips her lemonade and sighs. “Fine, you win. It’s nice to be able to walk the fair with someone. Happy?”

Ruin lifts her arms in victory. “Yes!”

Rain shakes her head at her sister’s antics, but they hug and linger there for a moment, clearly whispering something I’m not meant to hear.

I drift over to the stroller to check on the babies. They’re peacefully napping, noise-cancelling headphones on their tiny heads. Their cheeks are flushed from the heat but cooled by small fans clipped to the canopy. They’re wearing matching red-and-blue star onesies. They look adorable.

“Thinking about the future?” Gio asks, stepping up beside me.

“Yeah,” I say, voice quiet. “I want it all.”

Gio is surprisingly a very easy person to talk to—not the typical cool and aloof billionaire.

He nods slowly, eyes on his kids. “If there’s anything I can do to help you, and I mean anything…” He pauses to let his words sink in. “Just say the word.”

He hands me a business card, and I tuck it into my back pocket. No fanfare. Just quiet, solid support .

“Thanks, man. It means a lot.”

He takes a big sip from his water bottle.

“Long-distance relationships aren’t easy.

But I know you two can make things work.

If Rain says she loves you, believe her.

Just… give her time to let her feelings settle in.

She has always been guarded, but with you?

” He glances over, the girls still huddled in conversation. “It seems like she’s bloomed.”

My chest swells, and he pats me on the back.

“We’ll make sure to keep an eye on her while you’re in Raleigh.”

I sip my lemonade, savoring the refreshing flavor of raspberries, blackberries, and a hint of bitterness from the lime. There’s another flavor I can’t quite place, but damn—this is good. Joss was right. I need to ask Rain for the recipe.

“I appreciate it, Gio,” I say. “I know my time to go back to Raleigh is coming up soon. We haven’t talked about her moving, or even if she’s open to continuing our relationship long-distance. There’s a lot we need to figure out, but I hope we can make things work.”

Gio nods. “If your love is as strong as I think it is, you guys will find a way.”

I give him a half hug and thank him for chatting with me.

He claps a hand on my shoulder. “Anytime, Xander. You know, we’re just two lucky bastards living in the MacAllisters’ world.”

I throw my head back, laughing. He’s right. I’m just thankful I get to be a part of her world.

“The concert is about to start,” Rain says, wrapping her arm around my waist. I slide mine around her shoulder without thinking.

“Let’s go,” Ruin adds, falling into step with Gio.

We make our way to a shaded pavilion where the rest of the crew is already set up—River, Miles, Merlin, and Penny lounging in foldable chairs, a few extra saved for us. The air is cooler here, the breeze off the hill making the space feel like a secret retreat from the sun-drenched fairground.

After hellos and baby compliments, we settle into our seats.

The stage lights shift. A girl with curly blonde hair and big brown eyes steps up to the mic with a guitar slung over her shoulder. She strums a few chords, clears her throat, and smiles.

“Hello, Azaleans. How are we on this beautiful Fourth of July?”

The crowd explodes in cheers, and her smile grows.

“Okay, alright. You seem to be in good spirits. I have a couple of songs for you today, but before we start, let’s give a big round of applause to Dr. Gio Bianchi for sponsoring another fantastic festival.”

The crowd goes wild. Gio turns beet red. He grabs a hat from the bottom of the stroller and slouches lower in his seat, trying to disappear. But with a redhead like Ruin beside you—one who’s standing, clapping, and literally pointing at you—that’s an impossible task.

Eventually, Gio relents. He stands and waves, then bows. The applause fades. He sits back down, Ruin tugs him into a hug, and they kiss like nobody’s watching.

“Alright,” the girl says, adjusting her guitar strap. “Without further ado, my name is Meadow Smith, and this is 'Lover' by Taylor Swift.

She taps her cowboy boot against the stage and strums.

Rain slips her fingers into mine and rests her head on my shoulder. I press a kiss to her hair.

Meadow starts singing, and her voice is mesmerizing—strong and sweet. A few folks sing along. Others sway, hands in the air, drinks forgotten on their laps. The energy is infectious.

I scan our group. Everyone seems to be having a great time. Even River looks relaxed. Almost happy.

But it’s Merlin who surprises me. He’s completely focused on Meadow. His lips move with the lyrics, but his eyes don’t stray from the stage. He doesn’t even blink.

Rain notices and snickers. “He’s had a crush on her forever. But he left town, and I don’t think they’ve kept in touch.”

“Looks like he’s still got it bad,” I murmur.

We sit back and take it all in—the music, the laughter, the warmth of a summer night, the company of my favorite person in the world, and the quiet magic of feeling completely, deeply at home.

Later, Rain and I end the night on Minx’s rooftop, watching the fireworks from a hill that overlooks the orchard. Wrapped under a blanket, our legs tangled, her head on my chest, I hold her close.

And right there, with Rain in my arms and laughter echoing against the crackle of fireworks, I make a quiet promise:

I’ll do whatever it takes to one day call her my wife.