Page 91 of Calling a Cease-Fire

I froze, half expecting fear to race through my body, but it didn’t. Instead, anticipation and excitement rose up. The thought of us being next had crossed my mind a few times lately, what with all the wedding talk. Seth and Violet had gotten engaged soon after Adam and Lyla, and now both couples were busy planning weddings coming up in the next seven months.

His lips brushed against my cheek, and I relaxed against him.

“That idea doesn’t freak you out?” he asked, reading my body language.

I bit the inside of my cheek before shaking my head slightly. “It doesn’t.”

“Is there a but there?”

I giggled. “I want a puppy before a ring.”

He smiled at me with that soft look that still made my heart race every single time.

"So that's the order?" he teased. "Puppy first. Ring second."

"Yep."

His grin widened like I'd just handed him the greatest news in the world. I leaned up and kissed him, slow and easy, despite the noise echoing through the cabin.

"Mia,” Lyla called from across the room. “You’re doing the snowball fight too, right?”

“Uh,” I spluttered, trying to think of a reason I couldn’t do it.

“She’s trying to find a way out of it,” Zack offered for me.

“I am not,” I lied. "I’m just strategically delaying."

He laughed, taking my hand and lacing our fingers together. "Come on. I need my teammate."

And we truly had become an amazing team. Depending and leaning on each other after the hard days, knowing exactly what the other needed. Making sure we each made time for the other, and made the best of the time we had together. Having someone like Zack in my corner was truly a blessing I never knew I needed.

Outside, fresh snow blanketed the ground, untouched except for the little footprints already scattered across the porch.

"Rules!" Adam called.

"There are no rules!" Seth shouted back with a glower.

"I like Seth's version.” Zack pointed his way.

Within seconds, a snowball smacked Zack square in the shoulder. He gasped dramatically while the twins dissolved into giggles before sprinting away.

"Oh, they're in trouble now." Zack scooped up snow with both hands, quickly packing the perfect snowball.

The next ten minutes were nothing but laughter, flying snow, and adults acting no better than the kids. I ended up with snow in my damn boots, in my hair, and somehow inside my jacket after Zack decided tackling me into a snowbank was a "strategic move."

"I can't believe I trusted you." I laughed as he helped pull me back to my feet.

"You absolutely shouldn't."

I brushed the snow off my coat and wrapped my arms around his waist. Around us, everyone else was laughing, arguing over imaginary points, and helping the little ones make tiny snowmen.

For the first time in my life, chaos didn't make me want to run. It felt…like home.

Zack rested his forehead against mine. "So... next weekend?"

Did he mean… "The puppy?"

"The puppy,” he confirmed.

I felt giddy at the idea, loving taking that next step with him.

"And someday..." he added.

I knew exactly what he meant. "The ring."

"And after that?"

I glanced around at our family, because that's who they'd become. Friends who felt like siblings. Kids who already treated us like permanent fixtures in their lives. A future that no longer scared me, because every version of it had Zack standing beside me.

"One step at a time," I whispered, not wanting to get too ahead of ourselves.

He squeezed my hand. "One step at a time."

Maybe we'd bring home a mischievous puppy before the year was over. Maybe a ring would come after that. One day we might even have little feet running through our house too.

For someone who once believed forever wasn't meant for them, I'd somehow found exactly where I was supposed to be.

And I couldn't wait to see what came next.