The trip to Trish's hometown had gone well. Her family loved him and Trish didn't crumble at the sight of her ex husband. Mick loved how strong she was, although he wished he could have stepped outside with him. Instead, he was stuck with the brother who wanted Trish for himself.

He sized Mick up. "Are you really dating or did she pay you to pretend to be her date?"

Mick laughed. "We're definitely dating. We spent the night together after your little stroll through Harvard Square."

"But she loves Joey."

Mick smiled. "Lucky for me, she is in love with me." Mick wasn't conceited, but he was competition to the brother. He won the nice guy and trustworthy contest hands down.

His entire body relaxed when she returned with a determined look. He claimed her with his arms and they walked back to the party. Later in the tiny twin bed, she told him it was what she needed.

"I was scared. Leigh saw her ex, and she went into an awful place before ridding herself of him. I can't afford that and I don't want to waste time feeling sorry for myself. As I looked at him and listened to his sorry excuse, I realized how lucky I am because of you."

Mick squeezed her. "I'm the lucky one, but as much as I love you, I'll end up on the floor if we sleep in this tiny bed together. Next time, we'll stay somewhere with a decent bed."

"You want to come back?"

"Why not? I like your family." His mind fast forwarded. "Someday we'll bring our baby to visit." Trish didn't answer except with kisses.

Time fast forwarded into the holidays. Mick and Trish celebrated on Christmas Eve, the anniversary of the day they met. They went to the Putnams to visit, but didn't stay long. On Christmas Day, they were celebrating with the Hathorne and Rice clans, not snorkeling.

On Christmas Eve, Lori greeted him. "Mick, I'm so glad you stopped by. We missed you last year."

"I guess you aren't my aunt."

She frowned. "I will always be your aunt. I'm your Godmother. Your mother wanted me and Bruce." Mick frowned. "I mean Kathy. We loved her too. I tried to intervene and will always be sorry I never called her bluff and told you."

"Where is she?"

Lori shrugged. "I don't know. She refuses to speak to me. Home alone, but she'll have to move when they sell the house."

Mick wouldn't be sorry to see that old house gone out of his life. Lori turned her attention to Trish. Heidi had apologized to both of them and had made up with her fiancé. Unfortunately, Jocelyn and Hunter were over.

Mick hadn't spoken to his cousin directly, but according to Trish, Jocelyn had moved on to a guy who worked for a tech startup and was on his way to being a millionaire. The insurance policy from Mick's mother had grown to over a million. It was just money and didn't produce chemistry and compatibility.

On New Year's Eve, he and Trish dressed for the wedding of Eli Hathorne and Leigh Ahern. It was a large event. Mick wore his tuxedo again and Trish wore a sparkling gold dress. Chickie had taken her and Poppy shopping.

Mick sat next to Trish in the large ballroom. There were rows of seats, enough for the guest list of several hundred. After Tyler's rushed wedding, Chickie was in her glory with a real society wedding. As Eli and Leigh stood before the minister and promised to love each other until death, Mick felt a surge in his heart. He wanted to make those same promises. He squeezed Trish's hand and turned to her hoping she wasn't thinking about the vows she once made.

She met his gaze and smiled. Leaning closer, she whispered, "I love you."

Mick whispered back. "That'll be us someday."

She shook her head, and he felt the lead balloon drop. "I want something small, not like this."

He nodded. "Just friends and family." She smiled and nodded which was good because his friends were his family.

After the ceremony, there was an open bar, cocktail reception. Mick stood at the bar with a good looking dark-haired man and a woman who looked younger than her age, like Trish. Mick smiled. They were in the wedding party, but he hadn't met them.

The man smiled. "Friend of the bride or the groom?"

"I'm Tyler Hathorne's best friend. Eli's like my older brother. I'm Mick."

"Donovan and this is Delaney." She had a diamond on her left hand.

A group in the corner was laughing. Mick smiled. "The fun is over there."

Donovan nodded. "They are fun for lawyers. You aren't one are you."

"No." Mick laughed. "I'm a structural engineer. Are you a lawyer?"

"Hell no. I used to be a cop, now I do private investigation."

"Catch adulterers?"

"Nope. We do investigative work. My partner helped to get Leigh's brother off."

Mick smiled. "I think his alibi got him off. Meg is my friend too. I was with them the night they met."

Donovan shrugged. "I like to see innocent people walk and the guilty get what they deserve."

Mick thought of Annette. What did she deserve? As long as she kept out of his life, he didn't care. When he left the bar with two drinks, he walked over to Trish who sat with Poppy. Her sister was visiting and babysitting. Meg didn't have a babysitter since Brynn was still a newborn. Mick smiled at the baby in Brian Rice's arms.

"I'm going to say hi to Brian."

Trish stood. "I'll come."

Brian nodded. "Here they are. You two will be next."

"Lucy is next with the society wedding of the century."

Brian laughed. "Maybe not the century. I'm enjoying my new role."

Trish said, "She's grown in a week."

Brian smiled. "It's all the love."

Mick joked. "I should have been short."

Brian said, "Lots of people loved you. Chickie did like a son and Shannon wasn't too far behind. Your father is a good man. Cade and Leigh didn't have perfect parents either, but their father is a good guy too."

Mick squeezed Trish's hand. He wished he had a diamond ring in his pocket. He wanted to propose. There was a condo close enough to walk to the hospital that he wanted to check out. Everything was falling into place.

When they entered the ballroom, they sat with Cade's friends from his gaming company. Mick had met them before, so he introduced Trish.

Joe asked, "Are you home to stay?"

Mick nodded. "Yes, aside from business trips. Trish is a surgeon." He was so proud of her, but he fell for her when he thought she was a server.

On the table was an elaborate floral centerpiece with a flickering pillar candle decorated with ribbons and fake wedding bands. The gold glittered in the flame light. The effect was dreamy.

After the meal and toast when Harrison teased Eli, the dancing started. Mick pulled Trish into his arms and held her tight. He never wanted to let go. "Are you having fun?"

She nodded. "It's beautiful. Leigh deserves happiness."

Mick smiled. "You do too."

A few months before, she might have denied it or looked sheepish, but she nodded. Mick had seen her strengthen to a woman who had forgiven herself for her role in the end of her marriage and had moved past the humiliation of her ex's betrayal.

Stepping off the dance floor they joined Tyler and Poppy with Meg and Cade. Tyler held Brynn and looked at Poppy with longing.

Meg exclaimed, "Ty! Don't tell me you want another baby! Clara is just one."

Tyler pouted. "I forgot how small she was."

Poppy rubbed his arm. "She's still small. Talk to me in a year, not before."

Everyone laughed, especially Mick, until Tyler turned to him. "I predict you'll be having a baby this time next year."

Meg said, "Ty, they just started dating. Give them time. Most people don't impregnate before dating."

Poppy blushed. Mick said, "It worked out perfectly. Poppy is Tyler's match."

Cade added, "We bumped into each other."

Trish said, "We found each other a world away."

Mick laughed. "But then we bumped into each other."

"Fate is a wonderful thing." Tyler smiled. "My brother hated your sister." He looked at Cade.

Cade smiled. "Look at them now." Eli held Leigh tight on the dance floor.

"I want to dance." Mick squeezed Trish's hand.

"Me too," Tyler said. "Here." He passed the baby to Cade.

Mick smiled as Cade and Meg danced with the baby asleep on Cade's shoulder. Someday, he thought.

Just before midnight, the guests gathered around for the countdown. Trish said, "New Year's Eve was their first date."

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!

Mick kissed Trish. He poured all his love into her. The next year looked bright. Mick had slept through midnight the year before. He took a plastic ring from the table and suddenly more certain than anything in his life, he whispered, "Will you marry me?" She looked at him shocked. He slipped the ring on her finger. "That's just temporary. I'll buy a ring, but you haven't said yes."

She nodded and tears dripped down her cheeks. "Yes!"

He picked her up and spun her around. They both found their happily ever after. For Keeps.

Thanks for hanging with me on this one. I dream up stories and tell them the way they come to me. I don't plot them in detail and let the story lead me. Some times it wants to explore the characters before the kisses and sex.

Thanks for your likes, votes and comments. Thanks to those who always support me.

This is the last of the For Keeps series. The next story will start on Monday. We are leaving Boston behind, at least for the first story. Please add it to your library and public reading list today.