Pie. Check. Wine. Check. Milo. Check. I think I’ve got everything. I take one last look around Trevor’s house to make sure I didn’t forget anything, and then I’m out the door.

Trevor and I aren’t living together yet, but we might as well be. Sometimes he stays with me, and sometimes I stay with him, and the only time we’re apart is when he’s at work. And those nights are the hardest.

The last three months have been amazing. We’ve had several long talks about life and our future and what each of us wants, and I think it’s safe to say we’re on the same page. It hasn’t been easy to make my peace with Trevor’s profession, and sometimes I still struggle, especially if I’m staying at his house and hear his radio go off. But Trevor has been a dream, always taking the time to assure me he’s safe. After each fire call, he sends me a quick text or gives me a call to tell me he’s okay, and at night he fills me in on all the details.

Sometimes I feel like I’d be better off without all of the details. I’m not sure it helps to know the dangerous things he does—like diving into freezing cold water to save a baby or repelling down the side of a building or running into a collapsed parking garage to rescue a family—but he’s convinced that the more I know, the better. It’s one of the few things we argue about.

My phone rings, and I press the answer button on my dash. “Hey, babe.”

Trevor’s voices crackles through the speakers. “Hey, are you on your way?”

“Yup.” I smile even though he can’t see me.

Once a week we have dinner at his mom’s. It’s usually just the two of us with his parents, sometimes his brothers and sister, but tonight is extra special because my mom and Phil are joining us, and it just so happens that today is my thirtieth birthday.

“Good. And you’ve got Milo?”

Milo perks up in the passenger seat at the sound of her name. “She’s sitting right here. Are you going to run home and take a shower first, or are you meeting me there?”

Trevor is coming off of a forty-eight-hour shift, which means I haven’t kissed his soft lips in two days, and I’m practically dying.

“Actually, there’s been a small change of plans. Chief asked me to stay and cover the first half of the next shift. Mikey and Todd are out with the stomach flu, so I won’t be able to make it to dinner.”

“Oh.” My heart falls to the pit of my stomach.

“Are you upset?”

“No.”

“Want to try that again?”

“Fine. Maybe, but not at you. I’m upset with the situation. I just miss you, that’s all.”

“I know, baby, me too. And I know tonight was special because your mom was coming to dinner, and I swear I would be there if I could, but my crew needs me. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Actually, tonight was special because it was the first birthday I’d get to spend with you. “It’s okay. I understand.”

“You’re not going to cry, are you?”

Maybe. “No.” I pull into his parents’ drive and park on the pad in front of the garage. “Mom and Phil aren’t even here yet. I probably have time to cancel.”

“What? No,” Trevor says. “You’ve been looking forward to this, and you should go. My mom is making that lasagna you loved so much.”

Vivian makes the best lasagna, and it does sound good, but… “It’s not going to be the same without you. I might feel out of place.”

“What are you talking about? You could never be out of place, because my family is your family. Now go and have a good dinner, and tomorrow morning you can tell me all about it.”

“Fine.” I put my vehicle in park. “Will you come to my house when you get off?”

“It’s the only place I would go when I get off. Tell my mom I’m sorry I can’t make it.”

“I will.”

“Bye.”

The phone disconnects without a happy birthday, and I feel a ping of disappointment.

“This has been the worst birthday in the history of birthdays.”

“Arf!” Milo tries to follow my voice by crawling across the console. She trips when her foot lands in the cup holder, but she eventually falls into my lap.

“Let’s get this over with.” With Milo in one hand, the pie in the other, and the wine squeezed tight under my arm, I walk along the sidewalk toward the front door. “Maybe if you’re good, I’ll open a tub of Ben and Jerry’s when we get home.”

“Arf!”

“See,” I say, kissing the top of her head. “This is why we’re friends. You support emotional eating.”

“Arf!”

I stop in front of the door and stare at the doorbell, which I can’t exactly reach because of all the things I’m holding. I reach for the small round button, but fall short.

“Screw it.” Using the toe of my shoe, I give the door three solid kicks.

“It’s open,” Vivian hollers from the other side.

“Uh…” I look down at stuff in my hands and then at Milo. “You do have four legs.”

Milo tilts her head at me.

“Don’t cock your head at me. You’re more than capable of walking in yourself.” I squat down, loosen my grip on Milo, and she reluctantly jumps toward the ground.

“Thank you,” I say, reaching for the front door. It opens easily, and I use my foot to nudge Milo into the house.

Vivian and Sawyer have a beautiful home, full of so much warmth and love. It’s the sort of home I hope to have someday—the kind where memories of laughter live in the walls, where every nick, dent, and paint chip tells a story.

The fireplace is on, bathing the room in a soft, orange glow, and the smell of food wafts through the house, causing my mouth to water.

“Vivian?” I holler, shutting the door behind me.

“In the kitchen, dear.”

Milo takes off through the house. She’s been here enough now that she knows which obstacles are in her way and has learned to maneuver through the rooms.

The closer I get to the kitchen, the more delectable the smell becomes, and my stomach growls.

“It smells so good in here.” My nose follows my stomach into the kitchen, and when I round the corner there’s a chorus of “Surprise!”

I jump nearly a foot off the ground and almost lose the pie and wine in the process. “Oh my gosh!” I say, looking around at everyone.

The room is full. Mom is standing next to Phil’s wheelchair, which is parked next to Mo and Rhett. Coop, Lincoln, Adley, and Tess are all smiles by the stove next to Vivian, who is holding a birthday cake, and Sawyer, who has an arm draped around his bride.

And then there’s Trevor, and the sight of his gorgeous, bright smile brings tears to my eyes. “What are you doing here? I thought you were at work!”

He smiles, takes the wine and pie from my hands, sets them on the island in the middle of the kitchen, and he reaches for me. Drawing me into his warm embrace, he kisses the side of my head and laughs.

“You didn’t really think I’d forget your birthday, did you?”

“No,” I say, wiping a tear from my eye. “Okay, maybe.”

His arms tighten, and I melt against him. “Claire, I promise I will never forget your birthday or our anniversary or the birthday of our fur babies.”

“Baby.”

“Huh?”

“You said fur babies, but we only have one, so it’s fur baby.”

“About that…” Trevor turns around and nods toward Mo.

She opens the door to the back patio, and in stumbles a lanky puppy—a mutt from what I can tell, maybe a German Shepherd mix. His ears flop in front of his face, and he trips over his too-big paws. He has a giant bow tied around his neck, and he runs straight for Trevor.

Trevor bends down and picks the puppy up. He holds the fur ball near my face, and a slobbery, pink tongue darts out, licking my cheek.

“Happy birthday.”

“You got me a puppy?” I say, taking the wiggly body from his hands. “What’s his name? Or is it a she?”

“Definitely a he,” Trevor laughs, wrapping an arm around me. He runs his fingers through the fuzzy coat. “And I got him more for Milo.”

“Milo?”

Mo steps forward. “I found a guy who trains dogs to be seeing eye dogs for other dogs.”

I look from Trevor to Mo and back to Trevor. “You did this…”

I shake my head and hand the puppy off to the first person who reaches for him, and then I step up to Trevor. I push up on my toes and kiss him right here in front of everyone.

I probably shouldn’t, but holding him is heaven, and the comfort of knowing he’s mine is overwhelming. We indulge in a deep, languid kiss, only breaking apart when he dips his head to my neck.

“You’re killing me, Red,” he whispers.

Smirking, I pull back just enough to look into his eyes. “You are the very best part of my life, and this is the best gift you could’ve given me.”

“Just wait. I’ve got more for you at home,” he whispers.

“I don’t need more. I just need you.”

“All of this lovey-dovey crap is great, and happy birthday, Claire, but can we eat now?” Cooper asks.

Trevor laughs.

Vivian scoffs. “Cooper Allen.”

“What? I’ve been waiting all day for this. I’m starving.”

“Me too,” Rhett adds.

“Let’s eat,” I say, keeping my eyes on Trevor’s.

The room erupts in chatter. Milo and the puppy hop around, already the best of friends, and Trevor and I stay in our little cocoon for a few more seconds, relishing the peace we’ve found in the midst of chaos.

“Happy birthday, baby.”

“Thank you.” I giggle and look down when the puppy trips over my foot. “We need to name him. How about Bob?”

Trevor wrinkles his nose. “Bob? For a dog?”

I nod, and he shakes his head. “You are the absolute worst at naming things. When we have children, you will not be in charge of that task.”

I blink. “You just said when we have children.”

“I did.”

“Not if, but when.”

He nods and smiles.

When we have children.

I smile back like a doofus.

Trevor’s eyes soften and he pulls me closer. “When,” he whispers across my lips.

Rhett pokes his head into our personal space. “Are you two going to stand here and gush over each other all night? Because the rest of us are hungry, and the birthday cake Mom made is calling my name.”

Mo sticks her head in the conversation as well, smiling sweetly. “Normally I’d slap him upside the head for interrupting such a tender moment, but he’s right. We’re all hungry, and since you’re the guest of honor, we can’t really start without you.”

“Then by all means…” I step out of Trevor’s arms and pull out a chair at the oversized table. “Let’s eat.”

An hour and a half later, the dirty dishes are piled up in the sink, the leftovers put away, and my belly is as full as my heart. Everyone has migrated to the back deck. Mom and Phil are sitting at the table with Vivian and Sawyer. Cooper, Mo, Tess, and Trevor have taken each other on in an intense game of horse, Lincoln and Adley have disappeared to I don’t know where, and Rhett is standing beside me, taking it all in.

I don’t know what’s running through his head, but all I’m thinking about is how perfect all of this feels. I’ve managed to move on and forgive myself since the tutoring fire, and my memories of my father are warm and supportive—a source of courage for me now, not guilt. It was hard to overcome all that, and some days the fire still floats to the surface of my mind, but I try not to let those moments take over my life the way they once did. And they’ve begun to happen less often.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this content.”

Smiling, I look up at Rhett. “I could same the same about you.”

He nods and looks out at Mo. “It’s her fault.”

Mo squares her feet up to the basketball hoop, raises the ball, and shoots. The basketball swirls around the rim before falling through the net. She raises her arms, dancing around Coop and Trevor like the champion she is while the men hassle her.

Rhett chuckles, and as I watch him watch her, I can’t help but wonder what he’s waiting on. I can’t help myself. I nudge him in the arm. “So when are you going to pop the question?”

Looking at me, Rhett frowns. “He told you, didn’t he?”

“Told me what?”

“Trevor. He told you I bought a ring.”

“What?”

Rhett puts a hand over my mouth and glances at the people around us. “Would you keep it down?”

I cringe. “Sorry.” I can’t keep the excitement at bay for long, and I dance around on my toes. “Tell me everything. What does it look like? How long have you had it? When are you going to ask her?”

“You’ll see it when I give it to her. I’ve had it for months. And I don’t have a freaking clue.”

“Months?”

He looks at me cautiously and nods.

“What are you waiting for?”

Blowing out a breath, Rhett shakes his head. “I don’t know. The perfect moment, I guess.”

“The perfect moment doesn’t exist, Rhett, and tomorrow isn’t promised. If you want to marry Mo, you should do it.” My eyes travel across the yard to Trevor. He slaps the ball from Mo’s hand, dodges left, and sinks a layup. For all those years I looked at Trevor as nothing more than Rhett and Coop’s little brother, and then came the years I forced myself to ignore the crush I had on him… I would give anything to rewind time and see things as I do now.

I turn back to Rhett. “Maybe the perfect moment does exist. Maybe the perfect moment is now.”

The lines on his forehead smooth as my words sink in. “You mean right here…right now?”

“Why not? This is a perfect moment, surrounded by the people you love. Your family is here, along with Linc—although I don’t know where he went. Mo’s family is here, as are two of her best friends. What could be more perfect than this? Just think, you could go home tonight and make love to your fiancée.”

“My fiancée,” he says, with awe in his voice. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have waited this long.”

I clap my hands together and try to come up with something encouraging to say, but it’s not needed because Rhett is already striding off the deck with purpose.

Mo is standing at the back of the concrete pad, which I presume to be about as far away from the basket as a free-throw line. Coop, Trevor, and Tess are off to the side, waiting on her. She bounces the ball three times and shoots. The ball swishes through the net just as Rhett goes down on one knee behind her.

Everyone else sees it before she does, and there’s a collective gasp as she tosses her arms into the air and spins around. “Rhett, baby, did you see—ohmygod.”

Her hands fly to her face when she sees the man she loves kneeling in front of her, and good Lord, I wasn’t prepared to cry today.

I blink up at the sky, trying my best to keep from bursting into tears—something Mo is failing horribly at. My heart races as Rhett pulls a black velvet ring box from his pocket.

He casually lifts the lid and pulls the ring out.

“Oh my,” Mo breathes, looking down at the sparkling diamond.

Rhett takes Mo’s trembling hand in his, and although I can’t see his face, I know he’s looking at her as though she’s the most precious thing in the universe.

“Monroe Gallagher, I love you more than I’ve ever loved another human being. You are my heart and soul. You are my home. I want to go to bed with you every night and wake up with you every morning. I want to cook for you and spoil you. I want to watch your belly grow round with our babies. I want to grow old with you. But mostly, I don’t want to go another second without knowing that you’re mine forever. Please, Mo, say you’ll spend the rest of your life with me. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

There isn’t a dry eye in the backyard as Mo throws herself into Rhett’s arms.

“Didn’t see this coming,” Trevor whispers. He places his hands on the railing in front of me, caging me in. I have no idea when he moved across the yard; I was too engrossed in my friend’s engagement, but I’m happy he’s here.

“Liar. Rhett told me you knew he bought a ring.”

“I did, but I didn’t know he’d pop the question on your birthday.”

I smile. “I don’t mind.”

Vivian squeals, throwing herself off the deck so she can shower her soon-to-be daughter in law with as much love as she can, and I laugh when Rhett pushes his mom away.

Trevor lowers his head, and I expect him to make some offhanded comment about his mom, which is why I’m startled when he says, “Move in with me.”

The breath seizes in my lungs. Tilting my head back, I look up at him. His big, blue eyes are steady, warm, and full of so much love. This decision is one of the easiest I’ve ever made.

“Okay.”

He beams at me. “Yeah?”

I nod and smile as I look back at Mo. She tackles Rhett to the ground, peppering him in kisses, friends and family be damned.

“Soon,” Trevor adds.

“I’ll pack a bag tonight.”

I pull his hands from the banister in front of me and wrap his arms around me.

“I love you, Claire.”

Dropping my head back against his shoulder, I sigh. For so long I’ve looked at my life as one big missed opportunity, but not anymore. Now I have Trevor, and I’m going to seize every moment I can.

“I love you, too.”

“One day soon that’s going to be us. I’m going to ask you to marry me.”

I try to turn in his arms, but they tighten around me, holding me in place as we watch our closest friends and family celebrate.

“You’re going to say yes, right? When I ask you?” he says, his warm breath blowing against my ear.

I nod. “Yes.”

I feel his body relax against mine. I hate that I ever walked away from him, that even for a moment I led him to believe I wasn’t in this for the long haul. Forgiving myself for that night outside the warehouse fire has also been a struggle, but Trevor has been so supportive, and I’ve made a silent vow to show him each and every day how much he means to me. I want to prove to him that I’ll never hurt him again—which I won’t, because hurting Trevor is like hurting myself, and my pain tolerance is ridiculously low.

This time when I try to turn, he allows it. Draping my arms around his neck, I pull him toward me. “Just don’t make me wait too long, okay? Because I am getting old.”

“That’s right. You’re thirty now.” He gives me a look, and I slap his arm. “I’m just kidding, baby. Don’t worry, by the time I’m thirty, you’ll be my wife, and I’ll have you barefoot in the kitchen with one kid on your hip and another on the way.”

A year ago that image would’ve made me nervous. Today, it makes me hopeful. “Is that what you want? Me barefoot and pregnant?”

“I just want you, Claire, however I can get you.”

“I’m already yours.”

“Forever.”

“Forever’s a long time.”

“Not nearly long enough.” But Trevor barely gets the words out because I’m kissing him, happily losing myself in the man who loves and understands me, and wants me forever.

And he’s right; forever isn’t nearly long enough.