to memorize every second of their magical moment, and now she could relive it as often as she wanted. She and Zev had sent the video to their families and FaceTimed while they’d watched it. Their families were thrilled for them, though they hadn’t appeared surprised by the turn of events, claiming that Carly and Zev had always given off more sparks than Fourth of July fireworks.
Birdie, Marie, Quinn, and Charlotte had thrown together an impromptu engagement party on the festival green. They had champagne toasts, festival food, and goodies from the shop. Kaylie Crew was singing one of her newest hits, and Carly felt like she was living a dream. She gazed at Zev, talking with Dare, Cowboy, Cutter, Treat, and a handful of his other relatives, and her heart swelled. She still couldn’t believe Zev put the biggest day of his life on hold to come after her—giving them both the best day of their lives.
Zev looked over, his eyes instantly finding hers as if he’d sensed her looking at him. Jillian’s words sailed through her mind. Two sides of the same coin.
Zev lifted his chin, their connection blazing a path between them, as it had all afternoon while he’d helped her hand out fudge samples and all evening since they’d arrived at their party.
Birdie and Quinn sidled up to her, and Quinn said, “Want me to grab a drool rag?”
“I’m still in shock,” Carly said, looking at her perfect plastic engagement ring. “Pinch me so I know it’s real.”
Birdie pinched Carly’s butt.
Carly squealed. “Birdie, I meant my arm.”
“Your butt’s more fun.” Birdie giggled. “Are you going to leave me for good? Because I know I said I couldn’t move away from my family, but if Zev were my man, I’d go wherever he went and I might not ever look back.”
“You’d never leave your family,” Quinn said. “Heck, I’d never leave your family.”
“I don’t know. Zev and Carly make crazy love look mighty tempting,” Birdie said.
“Crazy love,” Carly said, feeling good all over. “That’s pretty much what we have, isn’t it?”
“I’ll say. All the man has to do is look at you and you get all wild eyed, like you want to rip your clothes off, go live in the forest, and have little Tarzan babies.” Birdie gasped and grabbed Carly’s arm. “If you have babies, can I be a godparent? Please? I’d be such a good godmother. I’d spoil your babies rotten.”
“We haven’t had time to talk about tomorrow, much less about babies,” Carly said. “But don’t worry, Birdie. If or when we have kids, you’ll be a big part of their life. But I’ll definitely be back. Marie was right. While I love the chocolate shop, it wasn’t my dream, at least not like the adventurous life with Zev is. But the shop is an important part of me, and so are you guys and everyone else around here I’ve come to love.”
“Good, because I would miss you,” Quinn said, eyeing Noah talking with two of his cousins. “By the way, I didn’t know Zev had so much family in the area. Are any of those guys single? I feel like I’m at a stud buffet, and Mama’s hungry.”
“Dibs on the single relatives,” Birdie said.
“Hey, that’s not fair. I’m the one who asked,” Quinn complained.
As the girls bickered, Carly spotted Marie and Wynnie heading their way. She wondered what they would think of Birdie and Quinn’s conversation. She hadn’t had a chance to really talk with Wynnie yet about Zev, although Wynnie had congratulated them, and she was sure Birdie and her brothers had filled their mother in over the past week.
Birdie motioned dramatically around them and said, “Most of the single guys in this town are either related to me or Dark Knights, and Cutter seriously wants to throw you on the back of his horse and ride off into the Valley of Cunnilingus with you. He’s been ogling your ass in that black leather miniskirt all day. It’s only fair that I get dibs on any fresh meat in town.”
“Fresh meat?” Carly shook her head.
Quinn and Birdie giggled.
“For what it’s worth, Noah, the guy with the lighter hair, is single,” Carly said as Marie and Wynnie joined them. “But the other two are Treat’s brothers Dane and Hugh. They’re both taken and too old for either of you.”
Wynnie gave Birdie a stern motherly look and said, “Much too old. I love you, Birdie, but you’re going to give your father a heart attack