Page 118 of Blissful Devotion

One of the few times I didn’t mind calling on friends in high places is when it benefits Kat or our children.

The night is perfect; the air is crisp but not too much, even as a light dusting of snow begins to fall. The girls skate, and we take turns with Nico or warming up and joining them. When they’ve had enough, they come back to the warmth and devour a plate of s’mores dip, completely ignoring the large spread of other food.

Kat might not be Addison’s biological mother, but they’re so much alike that in ten years I don’t think anyone will know, and when Addison turns her beaming smile my way, I know it's her.

Everything we ever wanted, all six of us.

“Addy, do you want to go look at the tree?” Desmond asks her right on cue, and just like we knew she would, she happily agrees.

“Come on,” I tell Kat, holding out a hand to help her off the bench and follow them. She looks back at Mother, who holds a sleeping Nico, and I see the worry in her eyes.

She’s so used to being a burden that it’s hard for her to believe that my mother simply wants to help. She’d gladly take every baby cuddle she can get now more than ever, seeing as she and Father fly back to Italy in less than a week.

“We’re coming,” Mother assures her, her smile soft as she nods toward me.

Kat rests her hand in mine and lets me pull her from the chalet and out into the night, pulling her coat close as her breath fogs the air.

It’s nearly nine o’clock, meaning the area is clear, and while we still can’t get all the way to the tree, we are closer than usual. Thankfully, Kat isn’t aware of the oddity of walking past the usual guardrails or how quiet the crowd is as they watch us.

“It’s beautiful.” Kat’s voice is ‌full of wonder and awe, and when I glance at her, I see it shine in her eyes.

“It is, but even its beauty pales in comparison to you, my queen.”

Her eyes go wide at my words, her cheeks turning redder by the moment, and I know it has nothing to do with the cold.

Now or never, I suppose.

I hold her gaze as I reach into my pocket, still holding her hand in my other, and do something I never thought I’d do: I drop to one knee.

Her brows pull together in an adorable look of confusion before they nearly shoot into her hairline when my hand comes back with a velvet box.

“Nathan!” she gasps my name, then slaps a hand to her mouth and frantically looks around.

I feel the others behind me; we’d talked about it and agreed she needed to be all of ours. So while I might be on one knee for the world, we're asking for more than just her to be mine.

The others stand on either side of me. Addison stands with Desmond, and Alex has Nico as we ask her to be our center, the woman who holds us all together and understands us the way nobody else ever has or will.

Our queen.

Her eyes dart up, and I see the understanding that shines in them. I’d worried she wouldn’t know how to react, but I see now that was silly.

She always understands.

Tears well in her eyes, but she blinks them back as her gaze moves to meet mine.

“I’d asked you into my home to help with Addison, but at the time I wasn’t aware of how much you would take that to heart. From the first moment I saw her with you, I knew you loved her, and she loved you. You’ve never hesitated to give her everything she needed, never looking for more than what was best for her.”

A tear rolls down her cheek and a small sob escapes her, but she doesn’t pull away, and I keep going before one of them loses it at seeing her cry.

Not that I can say much; I hate seeing her cry too, no matter the reason.

“You came into our house and turned it into a home. I never thought I would be here, on one knee before a woman, because I never believed there was someone for us.”

I pull her hand up to my lips and press a gentle kiss to her knuckles before I release her and pull the box open.

I’d bought this ring a while ago, when I bought her bracelet, and while the timing wasn’t right then, I knew it would be one day. It was too perfect to pass up.

The thin gold band twists and weaves around the oval-cut green moss agate like branches and vines with tiny accent gems.