I sighed. “And you thought you hated weddings. They’re so romantic.”
He didn’t say anything else. Just glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
We drove home in the darkness, leaving the jubilant celebration behind. Evan glanced at me a few times, like he had something on his mind. I wondered what he was thinking. Maybe he was just happy for his brother.
The lights were on in the shop when we parked out front, which was weird because I thought we’d shut them off.
“Did we leave those on all day?” I asked.
Evan shrugged. “Not sure.”
We got out of the car and went over to the shop door. Evan unlocked it, but before we could go inside, he took my hand. I met his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. Just opened the door and led me in.
I took a few steps, then stopped, my eyes widening.
There were plants everywhere. Tall plants in large pots. Skinny plants, trailing vines, little plants with white flowers.
“What is all this?”
“Some of these will probably need to go live in the house,” he said. “But I figured you love plants, so… here’s twenty. Do you like them?”
I took slow steps through the shop, trying to look at each one. “I love them so much.”
“The pots all have chalkboard labels on them,” he said, gesturing. “That way you can write their names on there if you want.”
My eyes filled with tears and my throat felt so tight I wasn’t sure I’d be able to speak. “This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. When did you do all this? How did you do all this?”
He casually shrugged one shoulder. “I had help.”
I rushed back to him and landed in his arms. “Why are you so amazing?”
He squeezed me tight. “I just love you. There’s something else you haven’t noticed though.”
“What?”
“The car sitting in the middle of the shop that wasn’t there before.”
I blinked in surprise. There was a car sitting in the middle of the shop that hadn’t been there before. It was covered with a canvas, and surrounded by my new plants.
“What is it? Our next restoration?”
“That’s exactly what it is.”
A zing of excitement pinged through me. “What is it? Who’s it for? I didn’t know we were getting something new already.”
“I think maybe you should just look.”
Nibbling my bottom lip, and with no idea what to expect, I drew the cover back. And couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Oh my god. Evan. Is this what I think it is?”
“Sixty-five Plymouth Belvedere.”
I stared at the stripped body. The interior looked rotten and I didn’t even know if there was an engine under the hood. But it was my car. My favorite. The funky boxy badass car I’d always loved.
“How did you even know about this?” I asked through tears.
“You told me. The first day of our road trip, you told me this was your favorite.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve kind of been looking for one ever since. And I figured since your car was totaled, you need something new. We can work on this together.”
Happy tears made hot trails down my cheeks. “I don’t know what to do with myself. I love it so much. I love you so much. I can’t stop shaking.”
He gathered me in his arms and gently touched my face. His lips met mine and I laughed and cried and kissed him all at once. I was a big, soggy mess of feelings, but he held me together, like always.
“I love you so much,” I said again. “Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it. But I have a confession.”
He let go and I looked up at him. “What?”
“These were just to butter you up for what I really want to give you.”
I had no idea what he could possibly give me that could be better than an entire family of beautiful houseplants and the car of my dreams, ready for us to restore together.
Until he lowered down onto one knee.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Fiona.” His deep voice was so soft, his brow furrowed with intensity. “I love you more than anything. I want you to be mine, always. And I’ll always be yours. Will you marry me?”
Oh.
My.
God.
Evan Bailey was down on his knee with a ring in his hand.