At the end of the day Lex Ximena Maxfield is an old-fashioned girl, and at the end of the day the same can be said for me. That’s precisely why I’m doing two things.

I present her brother with the report I’ve printed out.

Marlin frowns into it, his go-to expression with me. I somehow coerced him to meet me at the coffee shop at the foot of my building. It’s not Hallowed Grounds, but it works for the purpose of our meeting.

“Ms. Cheryl Kazouski.” He shakes his head. “Quite a string of previous arrests. No felonies. What about her?”

“Just wanted to see if she had any outstanding warrants, anything that might make her go away.”

“You want her to go away?” He pumps out a dry smile and looks eerily like Lex in the process. It’s unnerving seeing her face lurking there in that of her brother’s who has a long-standing history of heavily disliking me. “Here’s what you do. Invite her to dinner and start in on a nice long conversation. That repels just about most women in your life—right? It worked with my sister. The only tragedy is it took a year.” He tosses the printout back to me.

“Funny.” I fold my hands, trying to buy some patience. Maybe this was a big mistake. “This woman has been harassing your sister for the better part of three months. The cops don’t really give a shit. I thought maybe you might.”

“What?” He snaps the page back toward him and glares at her image as if he were suddenly moved to murder. That’s the thing about Marlin. He loves his sisters. He’d die and perhaps kill for them. I should know. I was almost at the receiving end of the latter. I went back to Hollow Brook the summer after that nasty breakup Lex and I had, and it was Marlin who shoved me through a plate glass window. I ran into Lex having dinner with her family and all but begged for a chance to speak with her. When I wouldn’t take the hint and leave her alone, it was Marlin who kindly showed me to the door—in reality, he made a whole new exit. The cops were called, and, well, according to Lex, that was the night he decided to look into becoming an officer of the law himself. “What the hell does this woman want with Lex?”

I start in on “Stumpy” and the insanity that led to Lex quickly becoming the pariah of every dog lover, including just about everyone at the institute for the deaf and hard of hearing without meaning to.

“Shit. I ran right through those protesters the day I came looking for Lex and found her in your bed. It never even occurred to me they were there for her.” He smacks his eye with his palm. “And you let this crap fly for three solid months?”

“No, I monitored it. What I didn’t let fly was our breakup. Lex and I are back together.”

Marlin groans as if I just struck him in the gut full force with a baseball bat. “You sure she’s on the same page? Lex might let you think you’re back together, but she’s probably plotting your demise.” A thin smile creeps up his face as if he might be doing the same.

“She’s in.” Marlin and I glare at one another as if this were a standoff that was about to end with a gunshot, and considering he’s the only one armed in this scenario, it very well might. “Look—we both care about Lex, and this woman right here is making her existence miserable. She’s even got The Pelican covered with protesters. Lex can’t catch a break. The last thing I need is for this to escalate further. Nobody hurts Lex on my watch, and I say this ends today.”

He clicks his tongue, shaking his head at Stumpy’s picture again. Lex even has me calling her that. You have to admit it’s catchy. “Give me a minute.”

In less than thirty seconds, Marlin discovers that sure enough good ol’ Stumpy has an arrest warrant for an entire slew of outstanding parking citations as long as my arm.

Marlin pulls out his phone. “I’ll call the boys over in Hollow Brook and give Lex an early Christmas present.” He growls over at me. “Don’t worry, lover boy. I plan on letting her know it was all your doing. Go on now. Get lost. You’ve done your good deed for the day. Just know if you break my sister’s heart again, I’ll have your body pumped full of bullets, and then I’ll make sure the guy who did it gets thrown away for a very long time.” He gives a shit-eating grin. “I’m all about justice.” He flicks his badge with his finger.

“Cute.” I rap my knuckles over the table two times fast. “This isn’t the only reason I called you down here. I’m planning on asking Lex to marry me, and seeing that your father is no longer with us—I was hoping you’d give me your blessing.”

He lets out a sharp howl of a laugh, and my stomach plummets. Everything in me sinks like lead right to the core of the earth. Deep down, I knew this wasn’t my brightest idea.

“You really want to marry Lex?” He ticks his head back with a strangled look of shock as if he couldn’t understand why anyone would. “You have met her, right?”

“Yes. And if you would spend a little time with her, you’ll see she’s changed. She’s softer, kinder, but at the core still very much herself. She’s had a tough past few months.”

“Only because you’ve been in ’em.”

I shake my head, not sure which way to go with it. He is right. “You’re full of it today, aren’t you?” I take a breath and stare at this masculine version of the woman I love. “So what’s it going to be? Do I have your blessing? Or do I go on without it? Because right now those are my only two choices.”

Marlin leans back, expanding his chest in that navy uniform, only to elicit a sigh from a couple of women walking by. Marlin is a player from what I can remember. I heard there was a short marriage thrown in there between now and the last relationship Lex and I had. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to dump him, seeing that he’s so easy to get along with.

We growl at one another for a few moments before he shakes his head at me. “You got it. You can have my sister’s hand in marriage under one circumstance.”

“What’s that?”

“You make a better point of getting to know Serena and me, too. We’re a package deal. Part of the reason I wasn’t a fan the first time around was the secrecy. Dude, you dated my sister a year before I knew you existed. If you’re going to be family, you better start acting like it.”

“I will. I swear I will.” A rush of relief fills me. “In fact, Lex and I will happily host Sunday dinners. We’ll have the entire clan over. I know how Lex feels about the Knights, too.”

He grunts, “Good.” He stands, and I do the same. “I’ll get cracking on this nutcase.” He snaps the paper off the table. “And I’ll wait for Lex to tell me the good news.” He glares at me a moment before breaking out into a genuine smile—a pained smile, but nonetheless. He wraps an arm around me and offers a quick jostle. “And if she says yes, welcome to the family, kid. I won’t make you regret it too much. Lex is a prize.” He gives a wistful shake of the head. “Let’s hope she feels the same about you.”

“Let’s hope indeed.”

* * *

The Sloppy Pelican is pumping tonight—and the banquet room is also brimming with guests. Lex looks beautiful in her lace floral gown. Something I probably won’t see her donning again anytime soon, but it’s a shame—Lex is a stunner in it. We walk arm in arm down the aisle and watch as Low and Levi become husband and wife while Raven looses it on the sidelines.

Once Levi and Low speed back down the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Masterson, the room explodes in celebratory howls.

Raven boo-hoos as if she were at Low’s funeral. But Lex is right there smacking her over the arm and telling her to get over it before she throws her arms around me.

“Looks like we survived.” Lex lifts a cheek as if the entire event were annoying, and I can’t help but laugh. “What? I had ten bucks that you’d lock your knees and pass out.”

“All right.” I give her thigh a quick pinch. “You’re a riot. You know who didn’t survive?” I glance to an inconsolable Raven sobbing into her floral bouquet. “She could probably use a friend.” I lean in. “One that doesn’t use the words get over it?”

Lex snarls a moment before sagging into me. “I’ll be right back.” She takes off in Raven’s direction, and before I know it, they’re locked in an embrace with Lex whispering soothing words—one can only hope—into Raven’s ear.

A hand slaps over my shoulder, and I turn to find Brody looking every bit the lady-killer. “Looks like things are looking up for you. Everything good with you and Lex?”

“Everything’s great. Lex and I are right on track. In fact”—I pull him in by the elbow—“I’m gunning for a wedding of my own. And if everything goes well, that will happen soon.”

“No kidding?” Brody hops back on one leg, that brimming grin widening on his face. “That’s great. I’m sure it will all work out for you.” He folds his arms across his chest and looks out at the crowd with a sober expression. I’ve known Brody long enough to realize something’s getting to him.

“What’s the long face for?”

“Nah—it’s nothing.” He scratches the back of his head. “It’s just that the other night you mentioned something about me being the forever bachelor. I don’t know. Something about it got to me.”

“You thinking about slowing your roll?” I give him a mock sock. “Afraid your dick will fall off?”

“A little of both.”

“You have your sight set on anyone yet? Or should I put out a general warning, letting the girls of Hollow Brook know it’s time to duck and cover?”

“You’re not funny.” He scans the crowd as if he’s looking for someone. “Anyway, I’m good. I’m sure whatever is meant to be will work out in the end.”

“Good.” I slap my hand over his shoulder as if bringing him back into the room with me. “I’m a firm believer in that myself.”

Brody stares off at the entrance to the banquet hall, and I spot Raven and Lex heading this way. The music starts up, and as fate would have it, Brody and I have unwittingly planted ourselves on the dance floor. Bodies fill in around us, all of them swaying and laughing, and the reception gets underway.

Lex lunges at me and wraps her arms around my waist. “I got her all cleaned up and ready to knock back champagne with the rest of us.” She pulls Raven over and strokes her long dark hair. “Maybe we’ll find you a dance partner so you don’t look so lonely.”

A thought comes to me. “Brody, why don’t you dance with Raven? Help her get back in the game.”

“Please.” Raven scoffs. “The wolfman doesn’t dance. He gyrates”—she averts her eyes a moment—“indiscriminately, with all women.”

Lex gives Raven a firm shove in Brody’s direction. “Shut up and dance with him.”

We share a quiet laugh as Raven and Brody get to the odd task of detangling and rearranging limbs.

“They look uncomfortable,” I point out.

Lex grunts, “Ten bucks says they’re knocking boots by New Year’s.”

“What?” I pull back and examine her for a head injury. “No way. They fight like cats in a bathtub. Besides, they grew up together. They’re practically brother and sister.”

“I don’t know if they quite see things that way,” Lex muses. “He’s her brother’s best friend. She’s his best friend’s little sister. Enemies to lovers, friends to lovers. I think they cover about half the romance tropes in existence. Besides, they’d be ridiculously hot together. Not to mention the fact Levi would detest it. He might even lose his hair over the ordeal.”

I belt out a laugh before burying a kiss just under her ear. “And what trope would we fall under? Endless love?”

“That’s not a trope. It’s a fact. We would fall under second chance romance.”

“Lucky for us we won’t need a third.”

“Good thing”—she shoots back with a sly look in her eye—“because there isn’t one.”

A familiar song plays overhead—“The Piña Colada Song”—and I pull back and lift a brow at Lex. “Does this remind you of anything?”

Lex’s mouth falls open, and she gasps. “The Black Bear! That first day we met and you accosted me with French fries and threatened to feed me to a bear in the woods.”

I frown slightly at her version of the truth. “I did not threaten to feed you to a bear. For your information, had the opportunity risen, I would have formally introduced you.”

“As a tasty piece of a—”

I cut her off with a laugh and save her from having to finish the colorful word. “As I was about to say”—I wince because for the life of me I wish there was a better segue to what I’m about to do—“I spoke with Marlin today.”

Her eyes pop wide. “As in my brother Marlin?” She gives me a quick once-over. “Clearly you have all your limbs, so you managed to live to tell about it.”

“Correct.” I grimace. “But you haven’t seen your brother, now have you?”

“Ha-ha.” She pinches my ribs. “Go on. You’ve got my attention, Collins.”

I bear into Lex Maxfield’s beautiful eyes. “I wanted to ask his—”

She slaps her fingers over her lips. “Blessing for my hand in marriage?”

And there you have it. This woman cannot handle a single surprise. I give a dull laugh. “His assistance in bringing peace back to your neighborhood.”

“What?” She slaps me hard over the arm. “Are you the reason there wasn’t a single protester in front of my house to greet me this morning?”

“And The Pelican.” I tip my forehead to hers. “But as much as I’d like to take all the credit, it was Marlin who put the official kibosh on the operation. It turns out the ringleader was wanted for parking violations. Rumor has it, she both ceased and desisted faster than you can say Stumpy go home.”

“Stumpy.” Lex bites down over her bottom lip as her eyes sparkle with tears. “You did that for me?”

I give a slight nod. “Were you hoping I had asked Marlin for your hand in marriage?”

Those full hot pink lips twist in a knot, and I’m dying to take a bite out of them myself. “Sort of—but only because I’m old-fashioned that way.” She makes a face.

“Good. Because I’m old-fashioned that way, too.” I tip my head as I soak in her beauty. “That’s why I did it.”

“Did what?” Her eyes are back to widening in disbelief, twin expansive emeralds. Lex has never appreciated a good surprise, and for that alone I’m walking on eggshells.

“Asked Marlin for your hand in marriage.”

Her mouth opens wide in a perfect O, and about a dozen perverse thoughts run through my mind—and then one pathetic one. I still haven’t proposed.

“So what do you say?” My muscles tense, my body breaks out into hot bites of sweat. “You—me? A tuxedo and a wedding gown?”

Her left eye comes shy of winking. I can tell she’s eating this up. “Is this a proposal or a costume roll call?”

I casually move us back toward the arch dripping with baby pink roses and pretend to trip, landing carefully on one knee. I look up at Lex, the roses enwreathing her from above, and for a moment I’m speechless. And then I remember my purpose in life and pull that ring out of my pocket that I’ve been saving for six long years.

“I believe this belongs to you.” I hold it between us. “Alexa Ximena Maxfield—I would be honored to spend my life with you. I will love you more than any man could ever imagine. I promise to worship you and be the best father to our children. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Lex takes in a never-ending breath, her fingers lightly covering her mouth.

“Oh my God!” a shrill female voice screams from our left, and we look over to see both Low and Levi standing there, stunned, with a photographer positioned behind them snapping a picture of us of all people. “Well?” Low jumps over and smacks Lex with her bouquet, and it rains pink petals all over Lex’s beautiful feet. “Get to it, sister!”

Lex looks back to me and gives a circular nod, tears glossing her eyes. “Yes!”

“Yes?” My heart thumps back to life, and I rise to my feet to meet her.

“Hell yes.” She wraps her arms around me so tight it feels as if she’s about to slip right through me.

“Hell yes!” I pick her up and spin her as the crowd screams and howls in our honor.

Lex smashes a dozen kisses over my face before pulling back. “Make it small and quick before I change my mind.” She gives a little wink.

Low jumps in. “No way! Not until I get back from my honeymoon. This is one wedding I’m not going to miss.”

“Fine,” Lex says without taking her sparkling eyes off mine. The joy she’s exuding is palpable. “Strudel will be the ring bearer.”

“Done,” I say before landing my lips to hers—to my fiancée’s. Lex and I kiss through the next six songs as the reception rages around us. Low leaned in and whispered that we couldn’t have given her and Levi a better wedding gift—but asked us politely not to beat them to the fun part of the night right here on the dance floor. I think that was code for get a room.

At the end of the night, not long after Low and Levi take off for Key Largo, Lex and I take off, each with a piña colada in hand, and we head out into the night—as serendipity would have it, getting caught in the rain.

We make love at midnight—long after midnight, until we greet the sun.

Lex is the love that I’ve looked for all my life, and now that I have her in my heart again, in my bed, there is no escape.

Lex is mine, and I am hers—forever.