Page 48 of Doctor Holliday

“Kade wants you, Cal.” Deanna appeared in the kitchen.

“Ugh.” Callie groaned. “He wants my friend’s phone number.”

“So give it to him and let her tell him she’s not interested,” Deanna suggested.

Callie laughed as she stood and left the room. Ruby pushed her chair back and scampered after her. Deanna grabbed a handful of popcorn and left the room. Lucy stared at Keaton over the table.

“Dr. Holliday?”

“Hmm?”

“C’mere.” He stood and beckoned for her to do the same. Lucy stood and leaned over the table. “I wanna tell you a secret.”

“Okay.” She laughed and carefully put her hand down between the popcorn bowl and the plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies on the table.

Keaton brushed his lips over her ear and then whispered, “I am so in love with you.”

They hadn’t defined it. Never said the words. Though Lucy knew how she felt about him, and she had been pretty sure he felt the same way. Both of them had just glided along in love but happy to enjoy the journey instead of rushing to the realization.

Lucy turned her head to kiss his mouth.

“I love you, too.”

“This isn’t how I planned this.”

“Ohmygod. What?” She laughed and drew back to look at him. “Keaton, I’m in an old sweatshirt, leaning over my mom’s kitchen table, and I’m pretty sure someone spilled apple juice on my jeans?—”

“But somehow.” Keaton shrugged and pulled a ring box from his pocket. “This feels like the absolutely perfect time to ask you.”

“Are you sure you want to do this here? Now?”

“Never been so sure of anything in my life,” he answered simply. “Ruby and I are sure.”

“Ruby knows?”

He took a diamond solitaire from the box and offered it to her with a small grin. “I’d kneel down, but you wouldn’t be able to see me over the table.”

“We could do this at home later.”

“I can’t wait a second longer,” he argued. “Marry me, Luce. I would love to be Dr. Holliday’s husband.”

She knew him well enough to know that was a loaded statement. He wanted to marry her, yes. But he also knew how important her professional life was to her, and he had no plans to take that from her or worse, toask herto give it up for him.

She could be Mrs. Thatcher and still be Dr. Holliday.

“We should toast to miracle babies,” she whispered. They had shared that thought before—teasing about the miracle baby that wasn’t theirs but brought them together.

“You should probably give the guy an answer!”

Lucy laughed and looked toward the kitchen door. Her entire family was piled there watching them. As if they had known it was coming. She dabbed at her eyes.

“Did you?—?”

“I did!” Ruby cheered.

“Dr. Holliday?” Keaton quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Yes. I want to marry you.”