“Have you seen Elvis? Has anyone seen Elvis?” Lacey asked us as she walked back and forth. I knew she was a second from going into panic mode, so I quickly stood up to help her with her search.

Elvis was their new puppy. They had named him Elvis because Las Vegas was where Elvis Presley impersonators frequently performed, and Las Vegas held a special place in Jude’s and Lacey’s heart. Even though Elvis was a whopping ninety pounds, he could still hide himself very well. I found him a second later with baby Sebastian, who wasn’t quite a baby anymore, hiding next to the bed. They were both eating cookies. Peanut butter cookies....

“They’re here... both of the little troublemakers,” I added. Sebastian giggled and then jumped up to hug me around my legs. He was almost four years old. I couldn’t believe how fast time had gone by.

“Auntie Lesli, Elvis is bad.”

“Oh, is he?” I laughed.

Sebastian nodded seriously. “He’s real, real bad. He ate my cookies.”

I frowned, ready to playfully scold Elvis, but then laughed as Elvis rolled over for a belly rub.

“Uh oh, someone wants belly rubs,” I said bending down and Sebastian joined me, both of us giggling as Elvis’s tongue lolled around and he leaned his head back in blissful abandon.

“You two,” Lacey said, shaking her head. “How am I going to get any work done with you two stealing cookies?”

“Not me, Mommy,” said Sebastian. “It was Elvis.”

Lacey winked at me and then turned back to Sebastian. “So Elvis went into the pantry and took those cookies?”

Sebastian nodded so hard that the bangs on his forehead bounced up and down. He was so cute and looked just like his mom.

“Hmm... I guess I’ll have to give Elvis a timeout, right?”

“Yep,” Sebastian said with a giggle.

I decided that Lacey could take it from there and I made my way back to the sofa and seated myself between Oliver and Kat.

They were arguing over wedding invites. Oliver had finally worn Kat down and got her to say yes. The only stipulation is that they would get to maintain separate residences. After all, Kat didn’t want to lose her sense of independence. I hoped that I was like Kat when I reached her age.

Sitting across from us was Magnus and Jude. Strangely enough, Jude had been really into helping plan his dad’s wedding. I think he wanted to see his father happy.

Speaking of happiness, I couldn’t help but stare at Magnus as he slowly organized the wedding invitations by color. He was great. I was discovering new things about him almost every day, it seemed. And I was finding out new things about myself as well. It was safe to say we were growing together.

“Are you ready to head out?” I asked him. We’d been there since early morning. I reached for my bag and remembered that I had something special to give to Sebastian. “Give me a sec,” I said to Magnus.

I found Sebastian sitting on his bed trying to read a book. “I have something for you,” I said reaching into my bag. I pulled out Mr. Boo and handed him to Sebastian.

“For me?” he asked, hugging it tightly.

I nodded and smiled. Lacey peeked in and said, “Mr. Boo? You’re giving up Mr. Boo?” She knew how much the toy had meant to me as a child.

I nodded. “Mom sent him to me in a big box of all my childhood things. But I think this is a better home for him. What do you think, Sebastian?”

“I love Mr. Boo,” he said sweetly.

“Yeah, I had a feeling that you would…” I felt myself tearing up and didn’t want to embarrass myself by crying in front of a preschooler. I didn’t know why I was so emotional. I guess it was because giving my childhood toy away was less about the action and more about what it represented. It represented how I was finally able to move on, to grow up, to become the person I’d dreamed of being.

I gave Sebastian a parting hug, said a final goodbye to Mr. Boo and headed back into the living room where Magnus stood, looking handsome, waiting for me.

“You ready?”

I nodded.

He said goodbye to everyone and as we left said, “Call us if you guys need any more help.” He reached for his jacket and together we headed out.

It was a chilly day, especially for South Florida. It was in the low sixties. I liked it and was enjoying the change of weather. Other South Floridians probably disagreed with me as they walked around wearing scarves and down jackets as if it were ten below. I thought it was funny.

I had moved in with Magnus almost six months ago and I didn’t regret the decision at all. Waking up next to him every morning was my favorite part of the day.

Not that the rest of my day wasn’t also great. I’d taken Maya’s job once she was promoted to a new director position that was made possible by an anonymous donation of a million dollars to Ophelia’s Angels after we’d lost Brain Pain. It was hard to tell who’d gifted the amount. I figured it was Magnus, but Oliver was equally generous. Neither one would admit to it, so I guess it would always stay a mystery. I could have been way off base though, as it could have just as easily been Misha’s husband, Erik. I forgot that my life was now full of billionaires.

I never thought about their net worth, because at the end of the day, they were my friends and my family, not a number. And they were the most down to earth people I knew.

I got into the updated version of Magnus’s car and he surprised me by driving to the park where we’d had our first non-date.

“What are we doing here?” I asked surprised.

“We’re going to feed the ducks. I think they miss us.”

“Miss us? They tried to kill me.”

“They were just a little overenthusiastic. Come on.”

I followed him, but not happily. The ducks could feed themselves for all I cared. We turned the corner and I noticed that rose petals lined the way toward the pond.

“What happened here?” I wondered out loud. “Did someone have a wedding near the pond?”

And just as I said that I noticed that the gazebo where the teenagers had filmed my disgrace was covered in what seemed to be a million flowers, exotic tropical flowers, romantic roses, and delicate lilies.

He took my hand and pulled me toward the entrance of the gazebo.

“Umm... what’s going on?”

I was in awe of how the gazebo had been turned into a little bit of paradise. And then it dawned on me as Magnus lowered himself onto one knee what exactly was happening.

“Oh my God....”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. “It was my great grandmother’s,” he said. He laughed wryly. “It was the one thing my mother didn’t just give away.”

“I’m glad she didn’t,” I couldn’t help but say as I reached for the ring, “Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.”

He laughed. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you yet.”

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry. Ask me now. Ask me now.” I was practically bouncing with excitement.

He couldn’t help but laugh again. “Lesli Cabot, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Now I was jumping up and down. He stood up and gathered me in his arms.

“I love you,” he said softly against my ear.

“And I love you,” I whispered back.

I’d left West Virginia to seek an adventure and I realized that with Magnus, every day of my life with him would be not only an adventure, but an adventure full of love.