said. You were going to leave, just like I was afraid you would. Except instead of you turning your back on us, I drove you away. Never again. If you ever do leave, it won’t be on account of me. In fact, I might just hold you hostage.”
Laughter bubbled out of me. “Gonna lock me in the barn with the goats you didn’t want?”
“I was thinking more in the way of a ring on your finger and a new last name.”
I blinked, unsure I’d heard him right. “Do you mean—”
“I mean that I want you here with me forever. Starting right now.” He thumbed my cheek, smiling again. “If I didn’t think you’d need a year to plan some big to-do, I’d throw you over my shoulder and drive you to the courthouse this minute.”
“Don’t act like you know me,” I said on a laugh, though there were tears in my eyes.
“Oh, I know you, Olivia Brent, and you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. Even next to Frank. Because he might have taught me what home meant, but you showed me how to love. How to trust. So someday, I’m gonna bring you a ring and get down on one knee and ask you that question. You’re not even gonna see it coming.”
I groaned. “Oh my God, you’re going to drive me crazy waiting, aren’t you?”
“A hundred percent. I’ll even make sure Kit catches it on film for your social media.”
A fake gasp. “You’re on board with my social media? What are the odds I can get you to do the calendar too?”
“Don’t press your luck.”
I sighed. “I swear, one day I’m going to convince you.”
“You have a better chance of convincing me to paint my truck pink.”
One of my brows rose in challenge.
“Jesus,” he said, laughing. “I don’t stand a chance, do I?”
“Nope.”
“Good thing I’d do anything for you. Except the calendar,” he added when he saw my face. “I’m putting my foot down at the prospect of half the town having my naked chest on their refrigerators.”
“You’re no fun,” I pouted.
“Well, I hope you don’t love me for my sense of humor.”
“I love you for many, many reasons. So many reasons that when you do get down on one knee and ask me that question, I’ll say yes.”
Fire sparked behind his eyes. “Good. Then let’s get these suitcases inside, empty them out, and put them away indefinitely.”
“And then let’s humor Kit and get through her party as quick as we can. Because all I really want is to lock us in my room for the next three days to make up for every second we were apart.”
With that smile, he picked me up so we were nose to nose, chest to chest, my legs around his waist and our lips close enough to breathe each other.
“How about we start with an afternoon?”
“I’ll take it. I’ll take all of it. All of you.”
“Good thing. Because I’m yours, Livi.”
Our lips met with an exchange of hearts.
And I never wanted mine back, not if it meant that I could keep his forever.
Epilogue
JAKE
It’d been the happiest year of my life, thanks to her.
I stood on the edge of the dance floor at sunset with a whiskey in my hand, a smile on my face, and my eyes on my wife.
Olivia danced with the abandon she approached everything with. Her wedding dress was hitched by her fists so she didn’t trip, exposing her pink rain boots. When she’d shown up here a year ago, they’d been spotless and unused. Now they were scuffed and banged up, the shine gone and the rubber worn. I’d tried to get her to buy new ones for the wedding, but she said it wouldn’t be the same. It had to be these.
Half the town was here at the farm to celebrate. It’d taken her this long to plan it, as suspected, and she’d put every bit of her into it, just like everything she did. Just a few short hours ago, I’d stood under the last two elms at the end of the drive, sunlight dappling the seats lined up between the trees. Every one was full—Kit in the front row with her nose in a hanky and Olivia’s aunt crying at her side. Maybe just a little in mourning that Olivia wouldn’t be leaving the farm to go back to New York. She didn’t yet know of Olivia’s plans to convince her to move here and matchmake her. I didn’t know with whom.