“Oh my gosh,” Ivey gushed, “I hadn’t even thought about his birthday. We could do an entire monster party! I have so many things we can use...” She jumped up from the table to rummage in a drawer until she found a pen and paper. Hurrying back to her seat, she started a list. “This is going to be so fun.”
As Corbin watched her, contentment settled into his heart. Ivey not only loved his son, she loved caring for him, loved surprising him and making him happy. She would be an amazing stepmother.
Suddenly Ivey stopped her feverish writing. She glanced up at Corbin with an expression of uncertainty. “Am I assuming too much?” She sat straighter. “Damn it, I didn’t mean to suddenly take over.”
“You’re fine,” Corbin promised her, but she didn’t appear to be listening.
“It’s just that he enjoys monster stuff so much and he’s always so happy whenever I give him something from my collection. There are so many more things for him to enjoy, and I’d already decided to hand the whole lot over to him...”
Corbin touched a finger to her mouth to stop her rambling. He was aware of his mother smiling in satisfaction, and of Lang and Hope watching with affection. Of course everyone loved Ivey. How could they not?
If they didn’t have an audience right now, he’d kiss her silly. “I love your idea, and I know Justin will, too.”
Unconvinced, she chewed her bottom lip. “You said it’s two months away.” She glanced around the table, then lowered her voice as if everyone couldn’t hear. “I assume I’ll still be here?”
If he had his way, she’d be with them always. He’d thought about it a lot and as much as he wanted to marry her, he’d kept thinking that it would be best to wait a year, maybe even two...
But now? Now he faced reality. He couldn’t wait that long, even if she was willing.
Ivey sat back. “Well, you’re taking an awfully long time to think about it.”
“Because,” Lang said, giving Corbin a provoking look, “my brother is sometimes a little slow on the uptake.”
“I’m not, actually,” Corbin promised Ivey with a smile. “Yes, I want you here. Always.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “Now that you’ve been staying here, I can’t imagine this house without you in it.”
“Awww.” Ivey put a hand to her throat. To Vesta, she said, “Isn’t he just the sweetest?”
“I raised him right,” Vesta replied. “So will there be a wedding?”
Damn it. He really wished his mother didn’t bulldoze through every situation. He needed to talk to Ivey alone, without everyone listening in.
After a beat, Lang filled in the silence. “In fact, there will be, because Hope and I are going to get married.” He lifted his glass in a toast. “I’m not slow.”
Screeching, Ivey was out of her seat and racing around the table to Hope, while Hope hurriedly pushed back her chair.
They embraced tightly.
Grinning, Corbin watched them. Ivey wanted to marry him. He knew that because, as usual, she hadn’t been shy about telling him. But clearly she didn’t resent Hope’s good news. She glowed with happiness for her friend, and just as she had with Justin’s birthday party, she immediately started making plans.
Corbin looked at his brother. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Lang nodded at their mother. “The news struck her silent. Who knew that was even possible?”
Wow. Their stalwart mother looked positively leveled. She even had tears in her eyes. When she turned her dazed expression to Lang, the emotion overflowed. “I’m finally going to be a mother-in-law!” she wailed, making both brothers jump.
Surging to her feet, she snatched Hope away from Ivey and crushed her. Hope only laughed and hugged her back.
While they were all otherwise engaged, Corbin pushed back his chair, took Ivey’s hand and led her through the dining room and out to the deck. He closed the slider firmly behind him.
Flushed with excitement, Ivey sighed. “Isn’t it wonderful? Oh, Corbin, I was so afraid Hope would never find the right guy for her, but your brother did the trick. She is so happy. And that makes me happy, too.” She wiped at her eyes.
Corbin gently pulled her into his arms. “What about you, Ivey? Have you found the right guy?”
“Pfft,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “I found you. It doesn’t get more right than that.”
No, it didn’t. “I love you, Ivey.”
It was as if time and space stopped, she went so still—then she exploded from his arms. “You love me?”
“Shhh. Sweetheart, you’ll tell everyone on the lake.”
Laughing, she surged back against him. “Who cares? I have a right to shout it.”
Corbin tugged her to a chair, sat down and situated her in his lap. “At first I was thinking that we should take it slow—”
“Slow is fine by me.” She pressed her palm to his jaw. “I don’t mind waiting.”
“—but every chance I got, I included you more in our lives.”
“That was for convenience.”
Laughing, Corbin shook his head. “Just shush and listen to me, okay?”
Her brows shot up. “You’re telling me to shush?”
“Please.” He kissed the disgruntled set of her mouth. “It’ll be easier for me to propose.”
Her jaw loosened, then her lips parted. She didn’t say a word.
“I love you, Ivey. Life is so much better with you, for so many different reasons. You see the best in me, you’re the most understanding person I know. The kindest and sweetest.” He lightly tugged on a bouncy curl near her temple. “Definitely the sexiest.”
She bit her lips as if to keep from talking, but he saw the happiness glowing in her mesmerizing green eyes.
“I had worried that it might be too much for Justin. I wanted his adjustment to be as smooth and easy as possible.”
Nodding fast, Ivey again showed the depth of her care for his son.
“But that was just dumb. How can it hurt him to bring more people into his life who love him and who make him a priority?”
Ivey whispered, “I do love him, Corbin. So much.”
He knew it. He’d seen it, felt it. And so had Justin.
“Now I realize that the more he sees of good relationships, the better it is for him.”
“We do have a good relationship.”