Come Back for Me (Arrowood Brothers #1)(89)

Worst. Secret keeper. Ever.

“Houses? For what?”

This wasn’t how I wanted to tell her my grand plan, but I’m learning that life doesn’t ever really go according to how we think it will anyway. Life with Ellie and Hadley has taken a lot of turns, but all of them have led me to this moment.

I want to propose, and if I thought for one second that she was ready, I would marry her tomorrow. I’m finding that it doesn’t much matter that she isn’t ready.

What does matter is having a home that is wholly ours and free of the ghosts of bad memories.

I’d like to tear this one down, but that’ll be my brothers’ issue, not mine.

I get up off the floor where Hadley and I were coloring and grab the papers. “Which do you like? I think mine are better, but Hadley likes this one.”

Ellie takes them and seems to ponder each one carefully. “I see.”

“You like mine, right, Mommy?”

“Hmmm.” Ellie’s noise is thoughtful as she moves to the next.

“Mine is better than Daddy’s!”

“Hey!” I grumble at my daughter playfully. “I think I did good.”

She nods and then pats my back. “You did okay, for an adult.”

“Gee, thanks. Here I thought I was your favorite.”

She giggles. “You are! But I’m going to win!”

I scoop her up into my arms and kiss her cheeks. “No way, Squirt. I’m going to win.”

Ellie clears her throat. “I have made my decision.”

“Put me down, Daddy.” Hadley kicks her feet while laughing.

“Yes, we must be very official.”

She mimics me when I stand at attention as though Ellie is my commander and I am receiving orders.

“At ease, soldiers.” Ellie gives a salute, and I groan.

“We aren’t soldiers, we’re in the navy.”

“Okay, whatever, sailors, people who can’t draw.” She winks, and Hadley and I both blanch in mock indignation. “I’ve decided which house is my favorite.”

She lifts the drawing that Hadley did with the moat and entire farm. “I knew it! You owe me ice cream!”

I don’t remember making that bet. “When did I say that?”

“You didn’t,” Hadley informs me. “I think I should get some since I’m the winner.”

I think we’re going to win something else.

“I have another idea . . .” I walk over to my jacket and tug out the papers hidden in the inside pocket. “What if we did something else for a prize? Something we all might want?”

Hadley’s attention is piqued, and so is Ellie’s. “What are you up to, Arrowood?”

I grin as I walk to Ellie. “I was thinking that this family has one big flaw.”

“What’s that?”

“We don’t have a house of our own.”

Ellie shakes her head with her lips pursed. “We are living in one now.”

“Yeah, but my brother is going to be coming soon, and that got me thinking, we should have somewhere that’s just for the three of us. A few months ago, I approached Declan about this,” I extend the paperwork.

“What did you do?”

“Just open it.”

She does so slowly, and her eyes go wide as she reads the agreement. “You’re buying land?”

“I’m buying us land. My brothers agreed to sell me part of the Arrowood farm once it’s able to be sold, and I’d like us to build on it. The good part is that we can actually start to build before it’s sold. We can stay here while it’s being built, but everything is ready to go if you are.”

Hadley makes a squeal as she holds on to my arm. “Can we have goats?”

Her and the animals. “Let’s see if Mom goes for the house first.”

Then she looks at the paper behind it, taking a minute to examine the architect’s sketch of the house I’d had designed. “That’s what I had drawn up. I was thinking that, even though it doesn’t have a steeple or gates, it would be great for us.”

“Connor . . .”

“It has four bedrooms, the porch goes all the way around, and there’s an office where you can work when you need to. I was thinking we could put—”

Ellie grips my face, pressing her lips to mine, effectively silencing me.

“Eww,” Hadley complains, and we both smile against the other’s lips.

“What do you think?”

“I think I love you and this is perfect.”

I lean down and pull Hadley up into my arms and then grab ahold of Ellie. “This is what’s perfect.”

Ellie gives us each a kiss. “What do you think, Hadley?”

She grabs both our necks and pulls us close. “I love our family.”

“Me too, Squirt.”

“Me three.”

And everything I have in my arms is everything I need.





Epilogue


Ellie





Two months later





“Dealing with these contractors is driving us crazy. But it’s a huge relief that the Walcott farm sold and now I don’t have to worry about Kevin living next door.”