I Was About to Propose to Another Woman When Four Six-Year-Old Boys With My Face Led Me Back to the Family I Never Knew I Had.

It was something that made the proposal possible.

When the boys turned 10, Lauren said to me one afternoon:

“I think I could marry you now without feeling like I’m joining the Ashfords.”

I smiled.

“Does that mean…?”

“It means we could build something of our own.”

The proposal happened in the kitchen.

Mason had prepared a speech.