Page 161 of My Husband Problem

I stare at him for a moment, then shake my head. “That’s it?”

“Why would I argue?”

“Because you and I always argue.”

“And where has that gotten us?” he asks, his playful smile fading a bit.

There are a few ways I could answer that question. The most obvious is to tell him that it resulted in my leaving my home and family for eighteen years and missing holidays, huge, important milestones, and small, meaningful memory-making moments.

But I don’t say that.

I pause.

I turn and look around the room.

At my siblings, who are all next to the loves of their lives. Their happiness is palpable, and their matches are perfect.

I look at my brother, Torin, who is now the beloved leader of the country we all love and who is making true, progressive change.

Then I look at Fiona, who has saved countless animals and, even more, has inspired and empowered others to do the same, creating a ripple effect that has probably benefited millions of lives.

Finally, I look at Cian, who is working to support single-parent families in ways that are proving to local and national leaders that not only can it be done, but it can be done faster and more economically than they believed. Programs are croppingup in cities and counties everywhere, and real families are being helped every day because of him and Scarlett.

They’re all doing real work that is paving the way for even more to come behind them and expand on what they’ve started, making actual real-time change.

If my grandfather and I hadn’t argued, I would have stayed in Cara. I would have become king. I would have married Linnea. And while my siblings might have left, they wouldn’t have had the support system I created to do the things they’ve done.

Not only would all of these lives and loves not have happened, but all of the lives they’ve touched wouldn’t have been changed.

I focus on my grandfather and answer his question honestly. “It’s gotten us exactly where we all needed to be.”

He looks surprised for a moment. Then his eyes fill, and a smile curls his lips.

“Declan, do you take Astrid to be your wife?”

I turn and reach for Astrid. She takes my hand. I pull her forward to stand with me in front of my grandfather. I look directly into her eyes.

“I do. With everything in me. Forever.”

“Astrid, do you take Declan to be your husband?”

“I absolutely do,” she answers.

He gives us a huge smile and lifts his hands. “I declare you wed. Go forth with my blessing.”

Astrid and I grin at one another, then I pull her in and kiss her. Deeply.

The room applauds and cheers, and we’re laughing when we separate.

“Alfred would have been so happy.”

We look at my grandfather. Astrid sniffs. “Yes, he would have.”

“And I want to say, that Alfred and I had hoped for a baby from your union?—”

“Grandfather,” I interrupt.

He holds up a hand. “We had hoped for a baby because we, obviously, couldn’t have one together.Butwe were always so happy with all of the children and grandchildren that came from our marriages.” He smiles at my grandmother. “Things have a way of working out the way they should.”