When she opened it, a ring fell out.

She held it up, blinking at him.

“Yeah. So that happened. I was thinking you should marry me. Again. This time for keeps. See, I had no freaking idea how hard you worked. How hard parenting every single day is. You did that for years and years on your own and I had no idea. No. Idea. I’m ashamed now that I do know how much of yourself you put into your business. Our kids. Your friends. Me. You tolerate my insane family. You make me happy, Kelly. Happier than I ever thought possible.”

He went to one knee as their daughters excitedly hopped around making little girl squeeing sounds in the background.

“Kelly Hurley, would you marry me?”

Everyone got totally silent as they watched Kelly’s face.

Could she do it? There was no willing herself not to love him. It was impossible. She’d tried and failed for a long time. So maybe it was okay to let herself love him. Since she did already, that could be a good thing.

“It seems like it was always inevitable I be your wife.”

He kissed her and then hugged her, pulling them both to the floor where the girls joined them, laughing and cheering. Already asking if they could be bridesmaids.

“Can Minnie be in it, too? Since she’s coming here to live with us?” Maddie asked.

“Daddy hasn’t asked your grandmother yet so let’s keep it a secret until then. After that? I don’t know why not. Yes, Vaughan Hurley, I’ll marry you. Because you need someone like me and our daughters to keep you in line.”

Vaughan kissed her a few more times. “How about tomorrow?”

“You can’t even wait one day to start being unruly?” Kelly asked, a smile on her face.

“It seems like I’ve been making my way back to you for a really long time. The unruly part comes with the total package. That includes crazy parents, brothers who all love to punch one another bloody, some assorted girlfriends, wives and more babies by the day. We’ll even make room at the table for your best friend, who also happens to be your divorce attorney.”

“She’ll be glad to know that.”

The following day he’d been back in her life not quite two months and yet it felt like years. He’d asked her for another chance. Said he wanted to be a better dad and get to know the Kelly she was now.

She’d taken a chance then, mainly because she loved him so much she wasn’t ready to totally give up.

“Thank goodness for second chances.”

“Yeah. Thank goodness for ’em.”