As it gets even closer to midnight everyone starts to filter out of the house and onto Anders’s land. I would say garden but damn this is far beyond a garden, there are flower beds and outbuildings as well as a covered pool that I am sure Jack will ask to visit again next summer.

Liam has my hand in his until he pulls me to the middle of the gathering crowd. He locks eyes with me and doesn’t break the contact while he drops down onto one knee before me.

My heart seems to stop for a moment. The crowd around me melts away. “Ellis Ainsley,” he says. “This year has been crazy, but one of the best years of my life. From the moment I saw you again in that bar I knew I had found my way home. I can’t wait to come home to you every day for the rest of our lives. You have already given me a family. But would you do me the honour of being my wife?” He gently opens the box to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring I could ever have dreamed of owning. “Will you marry me?”

I catch my breath as the lump in my throat grows larger. “Yes!” With perfect timing and co-ordination, the sky above lights up with fireworks as the word leaves my mouth. A thundering applause and cheering from everyone around us rips through the air. I jump into Liam’s arms and kiss him hard.

When I finally pull my lips from his, he slips the ring on my finger as I nearly burst into tears. It’s everything I would want – because it came from him, and I would take a piece of string if it’s all he could give me.

Just like that, he is not my boyfriend, or my partner, or my co-parent – he is my fiancé. And I love him more than I could explain.

A second later, Jack is jumping at our side and climbing up me like a spider monkey until he is swinging around my neck. Maybe it isn’t all chocolate that has made him this hyper, because he doesn’t look the least bit as surprised by Liam’s question as I am.

“Yay!” Jack cheers.

With the picturesque scene surrounding us, all I can think about is grabbing Charlotte, Jack and Liam and holding my whole family in my arms.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Liam

“You happy?” I ask, sliding my arms around Ellis’s waist as she surveys the rose petals on our bed and the chocolate-covered strawberries on the table.

“That’s an understatement – Liam you didn’t have to do all of this.” She spins in my arms to rest her back against me.

“Yeah I did, anything for you.” She slips her fingers through my hair and pulls me so my forehead is resting against hers before she kisses me lightly, turning back around.