1. Shaw

1

SHAW

I watch my brother, Reid, as he lifts his newborn daughter out of the hospital bassinet. It's surreal, seeing my niece for the first time. She's only a few hours old and swaddled in a hospital sheet with pastel ducks printed all over it.

I don't think I've ever seen anything so sweet.

"Meet your Uncle Shaw, Ari," Reid says, smiling with paternal pride as he carefully transfers her into my arms.

I've been waiting for this moment ever since my brother told me that he and Mackenna were expecting their first kid. Emotion hits me as I cradle my niece, her dainty newborn features looking ever so delicate against my large, sturdy arms. I knew I'd love the little nugget the moment I met her, but I didn't realize how intensely protective and proud I'd feel, too.

"Hi, sweetheart," I say to Ariana. "I'm so happy you're here."

Ari's eyes are shut, but she emits a tiny noise that makes it feel like she's responding. I grin and look up at my brother, then at my sister-in-law, who looks exhausted but happy from the hospital bed she's lying in.

"Congratulations again, you two," I say. "She's beautiful."

"Thanks, man." Reid looks at his wife. "Mackenna did all the hard work, though. How are you feeling, hon? Can I get you anything?"

Mackenna smiles and shakes her head, her mussed hair sliding over the pillows behind her head. "I'm good. Just tired."

I couldn't be happier for my brother and sister-in-law. They started off as neighbors, ended up falling in love, and now they're a family of three. It brings me genuine joy to see my brother this happy. But watching him fall in love, get married, and become a father has also made me ache for those things even more intensely than I already was. I'm more than ready to find love and start a family of my own.

I know my soulmate is out there. I don't know how to explain my certainty. I've just always known it's true.

But, forty years into my life, I'm still waiting to meet her.

A chime rings out in the hospital room, and Reid walks over to the windowsill to check his phone.

"Looks like Jake got delayed," he says, frowning at his phone. "He's going to fly out in the morning instead."

I'm not surprised to hear that update about our brother. Jake is a workaholic. I can't remember the last time he came home to Cedar Springs for more than a couple days. Don't get me wrong—I'm happy that he's made a successful life for himself up in Seattle. But sometimes I worry that he's too consumed with making money.

I look down at my newborn niece and feel amazed all over again at her existence. Someday, I'll be standing in a hospital room just like this one, holding my own newborn child. It will be one of the best days of my life.

In the meantime, I'm going to focus on being the best damn uncle there ever was.

Despite the late-night visit to the hospital, I'm up at three a.m. the next morning. My body complains, but I push through. This is the life I signed up for as a baker. Most nights I get enough sleep, but sometimes it doesn't work out. The grogginess I feel right now is entirely worth it, though. There was no way I was going to miss out on meeting baby Ari last night.

This early in the morning, Main Street is empty and near-silent. The only noise is the soft buzzing of street lamps illuminating the sidewalks. My footsteps echo as I walk from my car to the bakery and unlock the front door.

Several hours later, the sun is up, people are out on the street, and my display case is full of freshly baked goods. I dust the flour off my hands as my first customers of the day walk in.

"Oh, it always smells so heavenly in here," says one of the two women who just walked in, sighing with pleasure.

I smile at them. "Welcome in. What can I get you ladies today?"

Sunny days tend to bring more business to my bakery, and with the day as bright as it is, there's a nonstop stream of customers coming through my door. By noon, more than half of the baked goods in my display case are sold out.

By two o'clock, the rest are gone.

As soon as my last customers leave, I walk over to my front door to turn the sign to Closed . I've just flipped the sign when a woman appears on the other side of the glass.

The moment I lay my eyes on her, something whips at my heart.

Whoever this woman is, she's stunning. She has the eyes of an angel, a gorgeously full heart-shaped face, and curves that instantly make my blood start pumping hard. I've never laid eyes on anyone as beautiful as her.

She's the one I've been waiting for .

I know how insane it is to think that. I haven't even spoken to her yet. But there's one truth I've always known, and it's that someday the love of my life will walk through the front door of my bakery.

She's the woman I'm going to marry. The one I'm going to have babies with.

My hand falls to the door handle and I wrench open the door. The bells that ring above us sound like harps being played. When she smiles at me, it feels like all the oxygen around me disappears.

Jesus. She's celestial.

"I guess I'm too late," she says. Her honey-colored eyes are apologetic. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"You aren't too late," I say, still staring at her, stunned. "I'll make you something. Come in."

"Well, I was actually coming by to see if—" She cuts herself off with a pretty laugh. "Do you happen to bake wedding cakes?"

Wedding cakes? An awful feeling floods my chest.

Fuck. This can't be happening. I steady myself, clinging to possible explanations. Maybe she's helping her sister plan a wedding. Maybe she's a professional wedding planner. Maybe…

But then my eyes trail down, and I see a huge sparkling engagement ring settled firmly on her left hand.