“Did I miss anything?” Gray asked, looking at Tanner.
He shook his head. “Not a thing.”
“Good. We would’ve been here half an hour ago, but we thought Maddie might have been in labor.”
Maddie grimaced. “Turned out it was just gas. Gray’s face was a picture when I let out the hugest burp.”
“It was pretty bad.” Gray was biting down a smile.
“Are you okay now?” Becca asked, looking worried.
“I’m fine. I’ve got weeks to go.” Maddie’s hand slid over her bump, a smile pulling at her lips. “You should have seen Gray panic though. It’s like he’s the one who’ll be doing all the pushing.”
“That wasn’t panic. I just like being ready.” Gray tipped his head to the side, looking at her through narrowed eyes. God, he was good looking. He and Tanner and all their brothers.
The Heartbreak Brothers. Van bit down a smile at the description.
“Anyway, enough of our problems,” Gray said, turning his gaze to Tanner. “If only somebody around here would take the limelight off me.”
Becca sniggered. It took Van a moment to realize that every one of them was staring at Tanner. She frowned, wondering what was going on.
“Get off my ass.” Tanner shook his head, and Gray chuckled.
“I’ve heard that one before.”
“I’ve always known you Hartsons were crazy.” Van rolled her eyes. “But now you’re reaching another level. What on earth are you all talking about?”
“Don’t include me in the Hartsons,” Maddie said. “I’m still a Clark.”
“You’re carrying a Hartson, baby,” Gray pointed out, looking pleased with himself as he caressed Maddie’s bump. “That makes you one of us.”
Tanner shook his head at them all, then took Van’s hand between his. “Come with me,” he murmured.
“Gladly.” She grinned at his family. “You’re all crazy.”
“That’s why you love us,” Becca told her, grinning.
Stupid thing, but it was true. Since Van had moved in with Tanner a few months ago – officially, that was, since she’d spent most nights with him since they reconciled – it had felt like she was finally part of something. They loved her the way she loved them, and they included her, Zoe, and even Kim in their daily lives. Dinners on Sundays after church, cookouts at Maddie and Gray’s at least every other weekend, and of course they all came to the drive-in whenever there was a new movie showing.
Tanner guided her to the center of the grassy field, and climbed up on an empty chair. “Hey, everybody!” he shouted out. The low murmur of conversation stopped, as heads turned to look at him. Van looked up at him, her brows furrowed together.
What the hell was he doing?
As soon as everyone’s attention was on him, Tanner grinned, and he took her breath away. She’d never get enough of him. Of that thick, crazy hair, or those eyes that seemed to see into her very soul.
Or his lips. God, his lips. She swallowed hard remembering exactly what they did to her last night.
His eyes caught hers. “I want to tell you a little story,” he said, his voice projecting over the field. “About a small girl who smelled of strawberries and looked like the sun. And the little boy who ran into her and almost flattened her to the ground.” He winked at Van. “Not knowing that in reality, he was the one who’d been bowled over.”
She shook her head. This was so very Tanner. The crowd gathered around them, craned forward to listen.
“And when that kid looked up at the angel he’d almost knocked over, he knew his life was never going to be the same. It was going to be better. Always. Because she was in it.”
“Aww,” somebody whispered. “Isn’t he the sweetest?”
“That girl and boy grew up,” he continued. “And they made some stupid mistakes.” He raised an eyebrow at Van. “Especially the boy, who turned out to be an idiot. Because instead of putting a ring on the girl’s finger, and thanking god for every day she spent with him, he decided to head off to New York and play with computers for ten years.”
“A real idiot,” Gray shouted out. Tanner rolled his eyes at his brother.
“But then they met again. And the boy realized what a damn huge mistake he’d made. Because this girl was everything he’d wanted. She was beautiful, clever, funny, and for some crazy reason, she decided to give him a second chance.” He grinned at Van, and she blew him a kiss back. “And this time that boy – me – isn’t going to mess it up. He’s going to beg her to be his forever, because he knows how damn lucky he is to have her.”
“Why don’t you say things like that about me?” an old woman whispered to her husband.
“Because I haven’t gotten lucky in years,” he muttered.
Van bit down on her lip to stop herself from laughing. Or maybe crying. Her whole body was tingling. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, so eventually she clasped them together, looking up at Tanner with shiny eyes.
“Savannah Butler. Beautiful, clever woman. Love of my whole damn life.” Tanner jumped down from the chair, still smiling at her, and then dropped to a knee in front of her, pulling a ring box out of his pocket and opening it up. “I have something to ask you.”
Van’s heart started galloping in her chest.
“Will you do the honor of agreeing to be my wife?” Tanner asked softly, looking up at her through thick lashes. “I promise to always take care of you. To kiss you as often as you deserve to be kissed.” He slid his eyes to where Gray and Maddie were watching. “And if I knock you up, I promise I won’t complain about your gas.”
“See?” Maddie elbowed Gray. “That’s true love.”
“I know, baby.” Gray kissed her head.
“Say yes!” Becca shouted out. “Come on!”
Everybody was silent. All eyes were on Van. The old Van would have panicked about what they were all thinking. If they were judging her.
But the new Van didn’t care. Not one bit.
Instead, she smiled and looked around, taking in the warm faces of everybody watching. “He’s lying,” she told them all. “I’m the lucky one.”
“You’re killing me here,” Tanner told her, his lip quirking. “I’m kinda waiting for an answer.”
Van laughed, clapping her hands over her mouth. “Oh goodness. Yes! The answer’s yes.” Tanner started to laugh, too. Grabbing the ring from the box he was holding, he slid it onto her outstretched finger. Then he stood and pulled her against him, smoothing the hair from her face with his hand before kissing her hard and hot.
“Go, Tanner!” somebody hollered, followed by a whole host of whoops and catcalls. The older folk started cheering, and Van’s lips curled beneath his before they finally pulled apart.
“Let’s make it a short engagement,” Tanner murmured to her. “Like really, really short.”
She grinned up at him, happiness shining out of her. She’d never get tired of this man. Of his smile, or the way he teased her, or the good humored way he took the ribbing from his brothers.
They’d be spending the rest of their lives together, and she couldn’t wait for it to begin.