Sophie had been acting weird during the week leading up to Christmas. The little girl had stopped bossing Sammy around and played quietly with her friend, which was unusual for her. Her playmate didn’t seem to mind about the change in her behavior; he was probably glad for the reprieve, and totally oblivious to what her father had done to his.
She’d also been unusually quiet at home, making Ellie fear she was still shocked by what had happened to her father a couple of weeks before or, even worse, that she wasn’t happy about finding out her dad and her teacher were a couple.
The day after the shooting, Ellie had spoken to Dee and told her everything about her relationship with Adam—as well as the real reason she’d lost her job in San Francisco. Loving Adam had made her finally realize she should stop being ashamed of what happened with Spencer. She wasn’t the home-wrecker she’d been labeled back then—if she’d known he was still married, she would never have gone out with him in the first place. She planned on spending the rest of her life in Spring, working at Spring Bunnies, if Dee let her—she didn’t want to let the shadow of that secret loom over her head any longer. Just like Adam had faced his fears and let go of the past, it was time she did the same.
Dee hadn’t questioned Ellie’s integrity or professionalism, nor had she doubted her words. She’d actually had a few colorful words for Spencer and told her he’d better never show up in Spring, if he wanted to keep his male parts intact. The news about Ellie and Adam had been welcomed with an excited laugh and a bear hug. Adam hadn’t been kidding when he told Ellie the people in Spring would be happy to know he’d found love again. She wouldn’t put it past Jared to feature the happy news in the Gazette, like Adam had ironically foreseen. And just like that, all the broken pieces finally slid into place, and she was ready to finally start a new life.
After all the deepest secrets were out in the open, Ellie and Dee talked about the shooting and eventually agreed to never let the parents or the kids know that the man who’d threatened their teacher was Sammy’s father. The poor boy already had a tough life as it was, without adding his biological father’s sins to the list. Mrs. Saunders had been devastated at the news of what the man had done, and she’d gone to visit Adam at the hospital, asking for forgiveness for something that technically hadn’t been her fault. Ellie had been in his room when the old woman had shown up in tears, and she’d felt her heart break at the desperation in the woman’s words.
After Mrs. Saunders left his room, Adam had told Ellie he hadn’t wanted to kill the man and deprive the little guy of his father, but Ellie reassured him that Sammy wouldn’t miss a man who’d never been in his life, especially not a drug addict with violent tendencies.
She’d tried speaking to Sophie about that day, using the best techniques she’d learned in college, but the little girl had nearly forgotten all the bad parts and enjoyed talking about the ride in the fire truck and the slumber party she’d had at her grandparents’ that night.
Ellie couldn’t help worrying something was wrong with her, though.
“Is something bothering Sophie?” she finally mustered up the courage to ask when she walked into Adam’s kitchen shortly before dinner. She placed the oven pan on the stove and Adam’s hand froze in mid-air, the glass of water stopping inches from his lips. He frowned.
“What do you mean?” His voice had a slightly squeaky tone. He cleared his throat and put the glass on the counter. “I mean, she looks okay to me.”
Ellie quirked an eyebrow. “Are you saying you haven’t noticed how quiet she’s been in the past few days? Even Dee noticed.”
He shrugged and turned his back to her, suddenly very eager to wash the salad in a bowl next to the sink. Now there was something wrong with him, too.
She’d thought he’d finally put his demons to rest, but judging from the odd way he was behaving, she feared something was still troubling his mind. Maybe he knew why Sophie had been acting in a weird way, and he didn’t want to tell her because it would hurt her feelings.
“Is it because of me? Because of us?” Doubt and guilt reared their ugly heads, making her stomach roll over. She should’ve known her relationship with him would unsettle Sophie. It had always been just the two of them, but now that a new person had stepped into their routine it was obvious the little girl would feel threatened by Ellie, that she would fear her teacher would steal Adam’s attentions. “I don’t want her to feel threatened by my presence.”
Adam’s arms went around her waist, and he pulled her against his chest. His stubble scratched on her jersey as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Honey, my daughter’s over the moon about us being together. She keeps saying we’re like Cinderella and the prince; there’s no way she’s upset about us.”
“I don’t know. She’s been so different this past week.” She spun around to face him, but her mind blanked out when he smiled, and she forgot what she was about to say.
“Maybe she’s just outgrown her chatty phase?” He snatched a carrot stick from the bowl and munched on it while he stared at her with those soul-melting eyes that always managed to make her lose her train of thought. “Or maybe she’s got nothing to say these days.”
“We’re talking about Sophie,” Ellie said, patting his chest. “She always has something to say, even when she doesn’t.”
Adam laughed, kissed the side of her neck and pulled back. “You know I love my daughter more than my life. If I ever thought there was something wrong with her or that she was unhappy, I wouldn’t be here wondering whether or not I should talk to her. Trust me, Sophie’s okay.”
As if on cue, Meatball came yapping into the kitchen, followed by Sophie, who was holding a white towel in her tiny hands, begging the puppy to stop so she could dress her for the wedding.
She froze when she entered the kitchen and spotted Ellie standing at the stove. Her angelic face puckered in what looked like a guilty expression as she looked at her dad. She hid the towel behind her back and looked up at Ellie.
“Hi, Miss Ellie. I was playing wif Meatball but I fink it’s time for dinner now.” She looked at her dad, who smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, let’s go wash our hands and get ready for the delicious dinner Ellie has brought us once again.”
Adam picked her up, and Sophie buried her head in his blue Seattle Mariners sweatshirt. Ellie thought she heard her apologize to her dad, but she wasn’t sure, since they were already out of the kitchen, headed to the downstairs bathroom.
When they came back, Sophie looked okay, a bit more cheerful than when they’d left the kitchen. She sat at her special chair—slightly higher, but not quite a toddler’s highchair—that Adam had made especially for her when they moved into the new house.
“I’m weally hungwy, Miss Ellie. What did you cook?”
Ellie smiled as she dished up the vegetable gratin she’d learned was the best way to make Sophie eat the ‘green stuff’ she didn’t like. Adam had asked her not to bother cooking tonight, that he’d order takeout, but she knew Sophie liked her cooking, and Ellie loved finally having someone she could cook for.
Sophie dug into her food like a ravenous puppy, while Adam waited for Ellie to sit down next to him before he even touched his fork, ever the gentleman.
“Thank you for feeding us again.” He smiled and brushed her hand with his finger. Ellie felt the familiar zap course through her at the contact, mixed with something warm that enveloped her heart every time Adam looked at her. She loved this man, loved his daughter and just loved being part of their everyday life, even though it all still felt like a beautiful dream she didn’t want to ever wake up from.
All her fears slowly faded away once Sophie went back to her chattering self, talking with her mouth full and telling her dad about the drawing Sammy had made that day. Ellie still hadn’t managed to make any major progress with the little boy, but Sophie’s friendship helped him a lot, and lately Ellie had discovered that Sammy liked drawing and used his art to communicate with her. Baby steps, but she was getting there, and the feeling of triumph was enough to make her heart soar in her chest with every small progress.
“Can we eat dessert now?” Sophie bounced excitedly on her seat, and Ellie thought she’d probably received some special treat from her grandmothers. She was normally so excited about dessert only when Enya or Jenna gave her something from the bakery.
“Yes, I think it’s time for dessert.” Adam said, winking at his daughter when she grinned. He picked her up and carried her to the oven, opened the door, and took out a tray with one hand.
“I want to cawwy it! I want to cawwy it!” Sophie reached for the tray, and he moved it away from her.
“Calm down now, or you’ll make them all fall. We’ll carry them together.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Oh wow, your Grammy’s cupcakes. Yum,” Ellie said when she spotted the contents of the tray. She’d become addicted to Enya’s cupcakes and could never pass by the bakery without stopping to eat one with a cup of coffee.
“Nooo, I helped Daddy make them. I put all the sparkles, so they look like a wainbow.”
“You put the sprinkles, baby,” Adam said, placing a kiss on her temple.
“Yes, the spwinkles. We made the pupcakes for you, Miss Ellie.” Her smile was as bright as the one she’d had the day they met Santa Claus at the mall outside town last week.
Treacherous tears pricked the back of Ellie’s eyes. “Aw, that’s so sweet of—”
She froze with her mouth open and a hand half-way to her heart when Adam, helped by his daughter, put the tray on the table in front of her. Her vision blurred a little as her eyes settled on the eight cupcakes in front of her, their white frosting covered with a few too many colorful sprinkles. Pink, blue and yellow letters were stuck on toothpicks in the center of each one, and all together the cupcakes spelled, ‘Marry us?’
Ellie’s heart shot up into her throat, down to her toes, and up again, like a crazy steel sphere in a pinball machine. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think. Her mind was a flurry of emotions, her chest ached with the love she felt for this man and his little girl, and all she could do was stare dumbfounded at the slightly crooked cupcakes on the table, as she reminded herself to breathe.
She was afraid to say yes, in case someone jumped out from behind the counter shouting, “You’ve been punked!”, making her feel like a fool. She was afraid to believe this was real, in case she woke up and discovered it had been just a dream.
For so long she’d believed falling in love and giving your heart to someone was dangerous, something that could destroy you, and now that true love was right in front of her, she was scared. Scared that if she let this amazing man and his daughter into her heart she would eventually lose herself to this overwhelming feeling washing over her—a feeling she seemed to have no control over. Losing control of her heart would make her feel weak, just like her mother had felt when she’d lost the love of her life.
But then again, Adam had lost the love of his life too, and not only had he survived, he’d also opened his heart to Ellie and let her in. Loving someone didn’t necessarily have to equal feeling weak; Adam’s love had made her understand that.
Now he was offering her the future she’d dreamed of for so long. It was right there within her grasp; all she had to do was reach out her hand and let Adam lead her on the path to her happy ending.
As she stared at those two simple, and yet so powerful, words on the colorful cupcakes, she had a feeling that if she gave her heart to Adam, she would never feel weak. His love could only make her stronger.
* * *
The shock on Ellie’s face, coupled with her beautiful green eyes veiled with tears, told Adam his surprise had worked the way he’d hoped. Her right hand was still above her heart, and her lips were slightly parted. Apart from the gasp she let out when she saw the letters on the cupcakes, she hadn’t uttered a word, and he got a little antsy as each second passed by.
Sophie wriggled out of his arms and went to stand beside Ellie. “Don’t you want to mawwy my daddy, Miss Ellie?”
The hurt tone in Sophie’s voice was enough to shake Ellie out of her daze, and she looked down at Sophie with a smile—a dazzling smile he felt all the way to his heart. She brushed a loving hand on Sophie’s head and looked up at Adam. Her glistening eyes crinkled at the corners as her smile grew brighter. He held his breath, his heart thumping against his ribcage as he waited for Ellie to say the word that would change his and Sophie’s life.
“Yes,” she said on a sob she failed to contain. She stood up and took a step toward him, as he instinctively opened his arms. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
She didn’t get a chance to say more, because as soon as the words were out of her mouth, he pulled her into a bear hug, and a second later his lips were on hers. He was barely aware of Sophie’s arm around his leg, until Ellie pulled back, and he noticed his little girl had squeezed in between them, wanting in on the hug.
Ellie crouched down and pulled Sophie to her chest. “I’ll marry both of you.”
Sophie’s arms went around Ellie’s neck as she let out a squeal of delight. Meatball, who’d come back from her toilet trip outside, came barreling toward them, her tail waggling wildly as she wriggled her furry body between Sophie and Ellie, hoping to get some cuddles and maybe even a little treat.
Adam pulled out the white gold band he’d bought upon Sophie’s suggestion and knelt to be at his girls’ level. He held the ring between his index finger and his thumb and raised it in front of Ellie’s face. She offered a trembling left hand, and he held his breath hoping it would be the right fit. When the band slipped on without a hitch, he finally exhaled.
“It’s beautiful.” Ellie’s voice trembled just slightly as she stared at the tiny diamond sparkling on her ring finger.
“I picked it, Miss Ellie! Daddy said I could pick the one I liked, and I liked dat wing.”
Ellie smiled and kissed Sophie’s forehead. “You picked the perfect one, sweetie. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.”
It wasn’t anything special, to be honest. The lady at the jewelry store in the mall outside town had shown him other bigger and way more expensive rings, but when Sophie had made her decision, he’d agreed with her. Ellie wasn’t the kind of woman who’d want to be sporting a twenty-carat diamond the size of a walnut. And from the way it fit perfectly on her delicate, long fingers, he knew he’d picked right. Not that his daughter would’ve let him buy another one even if he wanted to, but still it was good to know they hadn’t spoiled the moment by picking a ring Ellie wouldn’t want to wear.
Ellie listened intently as Sophie described how she’d known what ring to buy. Adam brushed a hand on her back, and she turned her eyes from Sophie for a moment, smiling at him.
“I love you,” he whispered, his voice nearly drowned out by his daughter’s chattering. Ellie’s hand went up to cup his cheek, and she mouthed, “Love you, too”, before returning all her attention to his daughter.
“If you mawwy my daddy, can you be my mommy?”
Adam’s heart squeezed at the hopeful inflexion in Sophie’s voice. Before Sophie started school, she’d never felt the need for a mother figure, not until she’d seen the other kids’ mothers picking them up and asked him why she couldn’t have a mommy like her friends. In his selfish denial of ever needing a woman in his life, he’d forgotten to take his daughter’s feelings into consideration.
“I’d love to be your mom, sweetie. I’ll be your second mom, though. We must never forget your real mom, who’s looking after you from heaven. She gave you life and made your daddy happy, so we’ll always have to be grateful to her.”
Adam’s eyes filled with tears. He couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been to meet a woman like Ellie. Some people never found love in their lives, and he’d been blessed with love twice.
“So I’ll have two mommies?”
Ellie nodded. “Yes. You’re a very lucky girl.”
“I fink my fwiends at school will be jealous.” Sophie stage-whispered in such a dramatic way Adam couldn’t hold back a laugh. Ellie laughed too and stood up, pulling Sophie with her.
“I think we should eat those cupcakes now, before Meatball sees them and wants to eat them all. What do you say?”
Sophie clapped her hands and lunged for the cupcakes. Adam managed to snatch the tray off the table before his little girl could get her hands on all of them and keep him up for the rest of the night.
“One,” he warned, lowering the tray in front of her after she nodded. She took the one with the pink S—because it was her initial and she liked pink—and licked half the frosting off before Ellie had even taken her own cupcake.
He rolled his eyes, mentally preparing himself for at least an hour of Sophie jumping around the house. Ellie took his hand and squeezed.
“Let her celebrate, just for tonight.”
“Does it mean you’ll stay up all night with me if she’s on a sugar high?” His smirk brought a pretty flush to her cheeks.
“We’ll see.”
He swiped his finger on the cupcake in Ellie’s hand and smeared the white frosting on the tip of her nose. Sophie giggled.
“Daddy, the fwosting is for eating!”
Adam shrugged innocently. “Oops, I thought it was for face painting.”
Sophie giggled again and stretched her arms for Ellie to pick her up. When she did, his little girl wiped the frosting off Ellie’s nose and smiled.
“There. Now it’s better.”
“We should cover your daddy in frosting and see if he likes it, too.”
Sophie burst into a fit of laughter, and Ellie joined in. Adam took a bite of his cupcake, staring at the two girls he loved the most. As the happy sound filled the kitchen, Hannah’s words echoed in his mind, and he realized she’d been right: there really was no end to love.