Parker was getting my luggage out of the car. So as not to be caught unaware like we had been the last time we had made a large family announcement at the dinner table, we had carefully scripted how we would break our latest—and best—news.

But then I saw them. Those meddling little women in ballet flats with matching bobs. And as they hugged me and asked in soothing tones what was wrong, I couldn’t help but blurt out, “I’m pregnant.” I sobbed, and added, “With twins.”

The shrieks could have been heard ’round the world. As I began to recover from the deafening noise, I realized Parker was standing in the kitchen doorway. “Babe, you’re not great at sticking to a plan, are you?”

But he couldn’t say anything more because three women were covering him with kisses.

That night at dinner we told them all about the plan, about moving to Cape Carolina, about buying Dogwood, about taking over the magazine. I am quite certain there have never been that many cheers, tears, or toasts at a Dogwood dinner table. When everyone was somewhat settled down, Daddy said, “Amelia, Dogwood is yours for the taking. That was always the plan. We don’t want to sell it to you. We simply want to pass along the nightmare of its upkeep.” He laughed heartily.

“I insist,” Parker said. “We can’t take the house…”

But Mom put her hand up. When Mom puts her hand up, no one argues. “It is a family home, meant to be passed down through the generations. As of this moment, the house is yours,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said. It was all there was to say.

“Then we insist on renovating the back house for you when we renovate this one. It’s the least we can do,” Parker added.

No one argued.

“As homeowners, you are now in charge of washing all these dishes,” Aunt Tilley added.

Robby put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder.

“I am so excited that I will help you!” Trina squealed. “Oh, to have babies in the family again!”

She was currently nursing her four-month-old—a fourth boy—at the table, so I wouldn’t exactly say there weren’t babies in the family, but if she was happy, I was happy.

But Parker looked perturbed. “It isn’t right,” he said. I gave him my best What do you want me to do? look. “It isn’t right,” he continued, “for us to be living here at Dogwood, in Cape Carolina, with these babies, without making it official.”

I was ninety percent sure I knew what was coming next, but I didn’t quite have time to protest. Parker was on his knee and reaching his hand out to his mother, who slipped a ring out of her pocket so fast I barely saw it happen. “I never dreamed that I would get lucky enough to fall in love with the girl next door. I really never dreamed that I would get lucky enough to have the girl next door be the mother of my children. But I think what would really make me the luckiest of all would be to marry the girl next door.” He took a deep breath, and I could tell he was nervous. “So, Amelia Saxton, will you marry me?”