Just as Declan had warned her, the next day when they’d finally packed up and made their way down the mountain and to Ian’s house for a celebratory brunch, his family didn’t hold back with their questions.

Gwen was the first. She handed Evie a cup of coffee. “So what’s the deal? You were engaged and then you weren’t? Why did you break up? Why did he ask you to marry him again?”

She basically asked all of the questions everyone was thinking in five seconds and the only response Evie had was to laugh. “It’s kind of a funny story,” she said finally.

“You should tell them,” Declan’s mom, Maureen, said from her chair at the table.

Evie’s mouth dropped open. “You knew?”

Declan’s arm came around her shoulder. “Mom guessed pretty early on.”

“I know my boys,” Maureen said. “I also knew there was more to it long before either of you did.” She winked at them.

“Is anyone going to tell us?” Jade moaned. “Seriously, what is going on here?”

“Okay, but then I want to know exactly how you pulled off the surprise last night.” They nodded and said they’d fill her in, so Evie put her coffee cup down and started talking. She explained how she’d felt backed into a corner and had out of desperation had asked Declan to help her out.

“Of course he said yes,” Chelsea said. “Anything for a cause.”

“And a beautiful woman,” Cal added.

Declan winked at his brother and pulled Evie closer. “That was it. I’m sure it’s no surprise to you guys that I thought Evie was pretty special.”

“But you said you weren’t going to ask her out,” Mitch said. “You said something about how you couldn’t.”

“Things change.” Declan kissed her forehead. “And mostly I smartened up and realized that if I didn’t open my heart a little, I was going to lose the best thing I’d ever had. And you are, sweetheart.” He kissed her again. “The. Best. Thing.” He punctuated each word with a kiss.

“You guys are just too cute.” Milena sighed. “And now, there’s going to be another wedding in the family.” She looked up at Cal quickly. “But not ours.”

“Not yet, baby.” He blew her a kiss. “But it’s coming. I just wanted to make it special. Everyone else around here jumps straight to engagements or marriage.” He looked pointedly at Mitch. “I thought it would be special to be different.”

“Whatever,” Chelsea piped up. “You’re all just too damn sweet, if you ask me. This whole family seems to have caught the love bug. It’s crazy.”

“What about you, Chels?” Cal asked. “Anyone special in your life right now?”

Chelsea snorted. “Not that any of you would know. You’ve all been a little preoccupied.”

“That wasn’t an answer.” Mitch wiggled his eyebrows. “Let us know who we need to check out. Ya know, see if he’s good enough for our little sister.”

Chelsea waved a hand. “Forget it. The last thing I need is you guys getting all up in Sc—” She cut herself off, but not before Declan picked up on it.

“Who’s that?” He grinned. “Scott? As in, Scott from Scott’s Stop?”

“Seriously?” Milena squealed with delight. “He’s awesome. Are you guys dating?”

Chelsea’s face went bright red and she turned away.

“You are, aren’t you?” Milena wouldn’t let it go.

“We better go have a chat with this Scott,” Cal said and Declan nodded his agreement.

“Make sure he’s treating our girl right.”

“Absolutely.”

Chelsea’s face grew redder and redder and Evie felt bad for the girl with so many protective older brothers. “We’re not dating,” she finally said. “I just…well, never mind.”

“You just what?” Declan pushed and Evie put a hand on his arm.

“Leave her alone,” she whispered to him. “It must be hard enough trying to date in a small town. Let alone in this family. Don’t worry about anything until there’s something to worry about.”

It must have worked, because Declan nodded and backed down.

Soon enough, the conversation drifted back to Evie and Declan. Jade filled her in on how she’d contacted Brandon’s mom and had her make up a story about her son being sick so Jonah would have to come home, how she’d found April at home to get her to open up the shop so she could get the ring, and how the guys had rushed up to the mountain to set everything up before they got there. Evie was blown away with how they’d all worked together to make her proposal happen. Her heart was completely full. Champagne and orange juice was passed around, and toasts were made in their honor.

The afternoon was spent discussing plans for not only weddings, but the upcoming premiere night of Mr. Summer. The McCormick family had so much to look forward to that it made Evie’s head spin, but she also couldn’t be happier to be part of such a family. Not only had she gained Declan, but an entire family, too.

---

It had been a busy day and as much as Declan enjoyed celebrating his love for Evie with his family, he was looking forward to taking his new little family home and settling in, for real.

Jonah, long since bored with the adults, had retired to the living room, where he’d fallen asleep on the couch. With Evie saying her final good-byes and thank-yous for everyone’s help with the proposal, Declan went in search of Jonah to carry him out to the car.

“Dec?” His mother’s soft voice came behind him.

He left Jonah sleeping and moved to the side of the room where she was sitting.

“Can we talk a moment?”

“Of course, Mom.” He sat. “What’s up?”

She extended her hand and Declan took it. “I wanted to make sure you were okay now.”

He laughed, but then saw the seriousness in her eyes. “Of course, Mom. I’m great.”

“And you feel sure about Evie, that you can be everything for her and Jonah?”

He smiled and nodded, remembering the conversation they’d had over breakfast. Had it really only been the day before? So much had happened, it felt like a lifetime ago that he’d been unsure.

“I love her and Jonah more than my own life, Mom. I’ll never hurt them and I’ll never leave them. Not only will I be enough for them, I’ll be everything for them. Just the way you were for us.”

His mother smiled, but it was sad. “No, Dec. I wasn’t enough. I was your mother and I did my best, but I couldn’t show you that love was possible and for that I’m sorry.”

“I’m not, Mom.” He squeezed her hands, so small in his own. “Everything happens in its own time and had I realized earlier what I needed to know, the timing wouldn’t have been right to meet Evie. You see, it all happened the way it was supposed to.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Of course I do.” He released her and ran a hand through his hair. “Do you remember the summer I broke my leg?”

She nodded. “Do I ever. You just had to be like your older brothers, swinging from that tree even though I told you not to. And I made Ian promise not to let you and Cal try.”

“But he did.”

She scowled. “Yes, he did.”

“In Ian’s defense, I begged him and I didn’t really think I’d hit the tree.”

“No one ever thinks they’re going to hit the tree, Dec. But sometimes you do.”

“That’s right,” Declan said. “That’s my point. No one ever really thinks they’re going to hit the tree, but sometimes they do. And sometimes that happens when it’s supposed to.”

“Are you saying you broke your leg when you were supposed to?”

He laughed, but nodded his head. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Do you remember what I did all summer?”

“You mean, besides sitting in the window watching your brothers play on the lake?”

He had done some of that. “Besides that.” He laughed. “We’d talk. Me and you. And do you remember what you’d tell me?”

“I do.” Maureen leaned back in her chair and smiled fondly. “I’d tell you tales of Adam Duncan, the man I’d met when I was only eighteen.” Her eyes took on the same faraway look that Declan remembered she used to get all those years ago. “He was almost seven years older than me, but he’d just finished optometry school. He was going to be an eye doctor. He’d graduated early and instead of setting up a practice in the city where he could make lots of money, he was moving to Africa to work on a medical train and provide free eye care to people who would never be able to afford it.”

“I remember.” Declan nodded along as she recounted the story. It was one he’d never forgotten and had changed the trajectory of his life. “Do you think you would have ever told me that story if I hadn’t have broken my leg that summer?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure. You always reminded me so much of Adam. Such a kind soul. I always wished you could have met him. But no, I don’t think I ever would have talked about him like that if we hadn’t had so much time together that summer.”

Declan smiled knowingly. “Do you realize that those stories about Adam changed my life, Mom?”

“No.” Even in the dim light, Declan could see the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. “Really? Is that why…DAR? All of your work helping others?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Partly. Well, honestly, it was a large part. It was the way you talked about Adam, with so much respect and…well, love almost. I guess I wanted to always make you proud of me like that. And then when I got older, it seemed like a really good way to travel and see the world, and…”

“Avoid love,” she finished for him and he nodded. “I never knew that, Dec. But you have to know that you make me so proud all on your own. You never needed to run away for me to be proud of you.”

“I know.” He pulled her into a hug. “I just wanted you to know that I really believe everything happens when it’s supposed to happen, and for reasons we don’t even fully understand at the time. Just like you meeting Adam, me breaking my leg so you could tell me about him and then…meeting Evie. It all works out.”

Tears streaked down his mother’s cheeks. “I hope that’s true, Dec. The part about everything working out. I mean, I know everything happens for a reason. That’s why I have all of you boys. I often had to remind myself about that in some of the harder years after your father left. If I had gone with Adam when he’d asked, I never would have had all of you boys and that was worth everything. Now, I think it’s time for it all to work out, don’t you?”

He nodded and then stopped himself. “Wait. What do you mean, when Adam asked you to go with him?” Never in all the years of knowing Adam Duncan’s story had Declan ever stopped to consider that his mother may have been in love with the man. Of course, he’d only been a child when he learned of him. Now, the pieces fell into place and it all made sense. “You were in love with him?”

Maureen nodded slowly. “Very much.” Her smile was sad. “But it wasn’t meant to be. Not then. I was too young, just out of high school myself, and the idea of going to Africa seemed so…exotic and unreal.”

“So you let him go.”

“I did. And I was heartbroken, but then life started to go on. And then, a few years later, I met your father and we got married and had you boys. Sure, I thought of Adam over the years, but it just wasn’t right. And then after your father left, well…I was too busy picking up the pieces. And besides that, who would ever be interested in a divorcée with four boys to take care of?” She laughed a little at herself. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. That’s all in the past, but there are times, especially when you say things like everything has a way of working out, where I let myself believe that maybe it could. Work out between us, I mean.”

Declan’s mind reeled. His mother had been carrying a torch for the man he’d idolized his whole life, and he’d never known. But now he did. And it wasn’t too late. He grinned and pulled his mom into another tight hug. “I don’t know if it’s just because my jaded heart is so full of love right now, or if I’m just exhausted from the craziness of the last few days, but Mom, I do believe that everything will work out. And I think it’s about time we found Adam Duncan and told him just how much he’s meant to both of us throughout the years.”

His mother pushed away and gave him a gentle smack on the arm. “The last thing you need to be worrying about right now is your old mom and some crazy idea she has.”

“It’s not crazy, Mom. I think I can—”

“I mean it, Declan.” Her eyes lost their laughter and grew very serious. “Don’t do this right now. Things work out the way they are supposed to and right now is your time to build a family and a life with Evie and Jonah. I’m not your project, Dec. Focus on them.”

“But, Mom. It really won’t be—”

“Declan McCormick. Don’t push me on this.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but closed it again. He knew when to let a subject drop with his mom. She was one stubborn lady, and he was not going to win the argument. At least not today. But he wasn’t going to drop it. Not yet. “Okay,” he agreed with her. “Besides that, I do very much want to focus on my new family.” That much was true. He glanced over at Jonah, who was still fast asleep. “In fact, I think it’s past time for me to get them home.”

“I would agree with that.” Maureen stood and gave him a big hug. “Congratulations, son. I couldn’t be happier for you.”

He sensed her, almost before he heard Evie’s footsteps behind them. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all.” Maureen held out her arms to Evie, who went immediately to them and accepted a hug from his mother. “I was just telling my son how happy I was that he realized what a special woman you were, before it was too late. He’s a lucky man. Welcome to the family, Evie. We’re just so pleased to have you.”

“Oh, Mrs. McCormick—”

“Maureen.”

Evie smiled. “Maureen. It’s me who’s the lucky one. I can’t believe we almost let this get away from us.”

Declan took her hand. “We never would have let it get away.” He squeezed. “And we never will.”

“No,” she agreed. “Now that we’ve opened our eyes, I don’t think either of us will be willing to close them again.”

He couldn’t help it. Even with his mother standing right beside them, he needed to kiss her. And that’s exactly what he did. With his eyes wide open, staring into hers, he kissed the love of his life with everything he had.