"A little man business between me and Simon," Brad told her, deftly palming the box Simon had clutched in his hand. "You see, it happens Simon and I discussed a certain matter a while back, and—"
"You said you had to wait until…" Hunching his shoulders under Brad's bland stare, Simon scuffed a toe on the path. "Okay, okay, but hurry up ."
"We came to an understanding," Brad continued. "And as questions on both sides were resolved, I thought it only right to show him this, so he could be sure of my intentions."
Brad lifted the box, opened the lid.
"It was his grandmother's and—golly, can't I say anything?" Simon complained when Brad shushed him.
"Let's see what your mother has to say first."
Looking at the ring was like looking at stars. Delicate and bright, and beautiful. She could only give a helpless shake of her head.
"You had plenty to say a minute ago," Brad pointed out. "Something about me standing up, and what you expect. But maybe I should answer your initial question. Yes." He took the ring from the box. "Absolutely yes. I'll be your husband, and love you every day for the rest of my life."
"Put it on her finger," Simon demanded. "You're supposed to put it on her finger, then you have to kiss her."
"I know the drill."
"You—the two of you—already talked about this?" Zoe managed.
"That's right. When a guy's taking on a father, there are things he needs to know." Brad exchanged a look with Simon, one that made Zoe's heart sparkle every bit as richly as the ring. "And when a man's being given a son, there are things he needs to say."
"It's man-to-man stuff," Simon told her. "You wouldn't get it."
"Oh." She felt the laugh bubble up through the tears in her throat. "Okay, then."
"Zoe? Give me your hand."
She looked at him first, looked into his eyes. "He's the most precious thing in the world to me." She laid her right hand on Simon's shoulder and gave Brad her left. "We're both yours now."
"We're each other's."
There was warmth as the ring slid onto her finger, a lovely jolt of it as it circled her flesh. "It fits. It's so beautiful. I've never seen anything more beautiful."
"I have." His eyes held hers as he kissed her.
"Can I call you Dad now?" Simon tugged on Brad's sleeve. "Can I, or do I have to wait?" As Brad lifted Simon off his feet, Zoe's already full heart overflowed. "You don't have to wait. Neither do we." With his free hand, Brad pulled Zoe into his arms and made the three of them a
unit. "We don't have to wait for anything."
As cheers sounded from the house, Zoe looked over. Everyone was on the deck, applauding.
"I sort of told them," Simon confessed. "When I went in to get the ring."
"Get back here!" Dana shouted between her cupped hands. "We need champagne and we need it now."
"I wanna watch it pop." Wiggling down, Simon ran for the house.
It seemed to Zoe that everything glowed as if it had been washed with gold. With her hand clutched in Brad's she took the first step down the path toward the house.
Simon leaped onto the deck. The pup missed a step and tumbled, and Moe raced in circles around him. She saw Flynn give Jordan a friendly punch on the arm. And watched as Malory slid her arm around Dana's waist.
Brad's hand was warm against hers as their fingers linked.
And she knew.
"Oh! Oh, of course. How simple." The knowledge filled her like light, like that lovely gold light, had her spinning so her body pressed against Brad's, laughing at the sheer joy of it. "How perfect, and how simple. Hurry."