I understand you’re scared. I am too. But we can navigate through all of it together. You just have to let me in.”
“You’re in. You’re already in my heart. I’m not sure I could keep you out no matter how hard I tried.”
I rest my chin on his chest, looking up at him. “Then let’s do this.”
“Rules?” he asks. His hand slides around my neck, his fingers threading through my hair.
I shake my head. “No rules this time.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
He dips his head but pauses right before his lips touch mine. “And don’t feel like you have to say you love me back. I’ll totally wait.”
“Once you set everyone in Sunrise Bay straight and declare your love for me, I’ll get back to you on the I love you thing. Maybe you can put up a banner downtown or something.”
He laughs, tilting his head back.
I grab his shirt and pull him toward me. “I love you too.”
His lips fall to mine, and for the first time, all the pieces of my life fit together perfectly. I know it’s a fleeting feeling and our road will be bumpy, but as I told him, as long as we’re on the ride together, that’s good enough for me.
One year later
“I’m not so sure about this,” I say to Clara. I’m just being honest—I don’t know if Presley will be cool wearing this ring.
“Believe me, she’ll love it. And hello, it’s been a year. No more dragging your feet, Cade Greene.”
I hold up my hands. “Hey, I’ve been all in.”
And I have been. I’ll be the first to admit it took me forever to realize that losing Presley would hurt no matter if I let her slip away now or in fifty years. If I didn’t want to love someone, I never should’ve picked her for a friends with benefits arrangement. It was a losing bet from the get-go.
I ended up moving out of my childhood home, and Presley and I bought a small house on the outskirts of downtown together, close to my parents and close to our businesses. It’s actually cheesy how we walk to work together when it’s nice, and sometimes on slow days, we walk home for lunch. Wink, wink, if you get what I mean.
“I’m so happy for you guys,” Clara says.
Watching not only my own relationship with Presley grow but watching her relationship with Clara grow into a true friendship and sisterhood this past year has been everything. I think it’s something they both needed. But still, I’m not sure I can trust Clara on this.
I look at the ring again. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime question. If I fuck this up, it’s all she’ll remember.”
“You’re not going to mess it up. Look at this place.” She gestures to the ground beyond the deck.
A path of tea lights in luminary bags lead up to the entrance of a teepee with white sheets over it. Inside is a big fluffy blanket and a laptop set up to display the last year of our lives in a slideshow. Thank goodness for Clara’s and my family’s need to constantly snap pictures. I did have to swear Nikki to silence, which wasn’t easy.
“You better go. She’s on her way home. Thanks for your help.”
“We’ll see you at the brewery.” She jumps up and down, clapping. Always the cheerleader.
“If she says no, have the whiskey ready.”
She hugs me hard. “She’s not going to. Welcome to the family.”
I shake my head. I’m looking forward to this, but I’ll be happy when this is over. It’s nerve-racking as hell.
I catch sight of Presley’s SUV driving down the road and I push Clara out. She sneaks away through the thick trees. The sun is about to set, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
I leave the note I prepared on the table before heading outside. Waiting in the teepee is excruciating as I see Presley turn on the lights in the house. A minute later, she walks out on the balcony and glances down.
“Cade,” she says with that smile I love. “What are you up to?”
She walks down the stairs and through the path of luminaries, her eyes locked with mine. She’s not stupid, she knows exactly what this is. And I pray her smile means my racing heart can calm down.
When she reaches the teepee, I offer my hand to steady her. “Take off your shoes.”
She does and sits on the fluffy blanket. “It’s gorgeous.”
I lean forward and kiss her. “You’re gorgeous.” I hand her the