-sorry in advance for the time skip-
-one year later, family barbecue at Kate's-
I floated around the backyard, mingling with all of our friends. "Oh, hello, Amanda. Aren't you so cute?" I whispered to Jaden and Mads' newborn.
"She is, isn't she?" Jaden replied. "Just like the aunt that she was named after."
Jaden and Mads had decided on Kathryn, my birth name, as Amanda's middle name, and it was an honor, even if it did remind me of a life that I could barely remember.
I rotated to Dixie and Noah. Nathan was hanging all over Dixie as she tried to sip her White Claw, despite Noah's best efforts to keep him off. I noticed Didi hanging out with JJ at the picnic table.
"How are you guys?" I asked, bending down to pick up Nathan. "Hey, little Nate. You want to hang out with Auntie Kate for a little bit?"
He agreed, and Dixie let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Kate. I appreciate it."
"No problem," I laughed, rotating through the backyard again.
Griffin was with Josh and Nessa, and I stopped in front of the three of them. "Do you guys need anything? Another drink? Some more food?" I asked.
All three of them shook their heads. "You know, you can try to enjoy your own barbecue," Nessa told me.
"Yeah. Besides, where's that boyfriend of yours? I haven't seen him all day," Josh added.
I looked across the backyard to where Cade was pushing Owen on the swingset. I had truly fallen in love with him over the last fifteen months, and I think that that was pretty obvious to everyone. It was nothing like with Bryce, but it was still something.
"You're right. I will go spend some time with him," I agreed.
Griffin chuckled. "Give Dixie her kid back while you're at it."
I brushed him off, and I walked across the yard to Cade. "Hey. sweetie," Cade greeted me, kissing me on the cheek as he continued to push Owen on the swing.
"Hey, baby. I missed you."
He chuckled. "Babe, I've literally been over here this whole time."
"You know what I mean," I giggled.
I sat on a lawn chair next to the swingset, watching all of my family enjoy themselves in my backyard. I spotted Bryce come in the fence, and I stood up to greet him. "Hey, Bryce! I'm so glad that you could make it!" I said, reaching out to hug him.
"I wouldn't miss this for anything," he replied.
Isaiah and Annalisa ran up to him, each wrapping themselves around him. "Hey, Dad."
"Hey, kiddos. Daddy's gonna make himself a plate, and then we can hang out, okay?"
The sun was starting to set, and Cade was starting a fire in the pit in the center of the yard. I wrapped my arms around him as everyone dragged their chairs to their circle. "I love you, Cade," I whispered, standing on my tiptoes to reach.
"I love you, too, Kate," he whispered back.
I sat in my chair, and as everyone sat around, I sat tall in my chair to speak. "You guys, it's been a crazy few years, but, wow, I am so, so grateful, to have had you guys by my side through all of this. I love all of you."
"Hey, I propose a toast. To Kate!" Jaden said, standing up.
"Oh, stop," I chuckled shyly.
When they all sat back down, I watched the older kids roast marshmallows as the younger kids got help from their dads. "I love this," I said, turning to Nessa. "Like, I really, really love this."
"I'm happy, Kate. All that any of us have ever wanted was for you to be happy," Nessa replied.
I took a sip of my beer, leaning my head back as I stared up at the stars. It had taken a long time, but I was finally happy.
I looked up to see Cade kneeling in front of me. "Cade, what are you doing?" I asked.
Nessa gasped, patting my hand excitedly as Cade began to speak. "Kate, we went on our first date fifteen months ago."
I nodded. "We did. Um, what are you, what are you doing right now?" I asked.
"When we met, I was in shock. You were singlehandedly the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen, and if Jaden hadn't told me beforehand, I never would've known that you were a mother of four," he rambled, ignoring my incessant questioning.
I was still shocked, but he continued. "I fell in love with you so quickly, Kate, and I've spent these last fifteen months continuing to fall in love with you. You are everything that I could've ever asked for and then some, and I'm so grateful to you for coming into my life."
"Cade," I interrupted, "what are you doing? Like, right now?" I asked, almost beginning to hyperventilate.
I heard Bryce whisper from behind me. "You have to say it, Kate."
"I'm having a panic attack," I whispered.
"Kate Marie, will you do me the world's greatest honor and marry me?"
I couldn't breathe as I felt everyone staring at me. "Say yes," Nessa whispered.
"Why is Auntie Kate not saying anything?" Abe asked, drawing my attention back to the situation.
"Um, uh, well," I stammered, tears stinging at the back of my eyes. "I, uh, I love you so much, Cade."
"And?" he asked, looking at me expectantly.
I cleared my throat, getting ready to answer hin. "Yes. Yes, Cade. I would love to marry you."
My friends erupted in happiness, and I stood up, wrapping my arms around Cade's neck. "I love you," I whispered.
"I love you, too," he whispered back.
As kids started to fall asleep, their parents started gathering them up to take them home. "Congratulations, girl," they would say as they left.
Bryce came downstairs after he tucked Owen and Everleigh into their beds, and he hugged Isaiah and Annalisa as they went inside. "I told you that you would be happy," he whispered as he hugged me goodbye. "That was all that I ever wanted."