Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
I hold the bag out for the next kid to dip their hand in and score some candy, but lean toward Stacy and ask, “Have you seen Brandon?”
“No,” she replies, dumping another refill bag of candy to keep the line moving.
Standing on my tiptoes, I finally spot him coming out of his truck. He shuts the door and waves to me when he sees me watching. I smile since my hands are full but enjoy his stride in my direction.
He waits patiently at the back of the line for his turn as it slowly moves forward, inching him closer and closer. He finally arrives at the bottom step leading to the house, while I stand one step higher and hold out the bag. “You look hot.” Not my normal line for trick-or-treaters, but it’s my guy.
“Thanks. Trick or treat.”
“Treat?” I tease.
He bends down on one knee and produces a little black box in the palm of his hand. The bag of candy drops to the wood and spills out over the ground, sending kids scrambling at our feet. I cover my mouth to keep my wide-open fly-catching mouth hidden as I suck in a breath. This is happening. I jump up and down. “Oh my God.” Lowering my hands, I say, “Treat. Definitely treat.”
“I could go into all the ways I love you, Autumn, but that will take more time than we have.” He moves some candy away from his shoes since the kids are getting a little too eager. “With these little vultures around.” Taking my hand, he says, “I love you. I love you to the ends of the earth and time, ocean’s deep and sky high. There’s a reason I saw you before I cheated death. We’re not just one life. We’re eternal. I don’t want to spend another day without you as my wife or another hour without being your husband. Will you marry me, Nurse?”
I don’t want to waste time on words when I could be kissing this man. “Yes, always yes, Captain.” I bend down and kiss him like we shouldn’t be kissing in front of children. Deeply. Wholly. And when he slips that gorgeous ring on my finger, promises of forever and a family are sealed in our fate.
When we part, I wiggle my finger to catch the moonlight sparkles in the diamond. I dig in my pocket and pull out a box. “And here I thought you’d be happy I got you sardines.”
His nose scrunches as he stands, as if I’ve lost all his trust. “Sardines?”
“It was funnier in my head.” I start to laugh, though. “I know you hate sardines, but these are solid chocolate.” I toss the box behind him and say, “Forget the sardines. We’re getting married.” I kiss him again.
It just took years and a few wrong turns to get back on the right path. Now that we are, there’s one thing that will always hold true when it comes to the two of us. Brandon Culver and I were always going to end up together. One way or the other.
EPILOGUE
BRANDON
NOVEMBER . . .
It only felt right.
The time. That hour when the sky is golden just before sunset.
The place. A field where flowers bloom into early fall and many picnics took place.
The couple. Autumn and I.
Ours wasn’t the fastest love story despite rumors saying otherwise. We’re only months on the surface, a superficial marker for others to understand. We’re not months. We’re years, lifetimes in the making. Every event, memory, and chance we took put us on the path to get us here. And now that we are, we’ll never let anything detour us again.
Our love story won’t always make sense to everyone.
For her, I was a sworn enemy for a long time.
For me, I was born to love her.
We’re the only ones who need to understand, and now that we’re on the same page, sharing our lives, we’re more aligned than ever.
And deep down, I like to think she was in love with me all those years and just couldn’t admit it. I am, scratch that, I was the most eligible bachelor for four counties. She says three, but the title clearly states four. Anyway, only one title matters to me now. Husband.
Tucker tried to warn me that I’d want to skip town on the wedding day, but those feelings are normal and temporary. But he also made sure to mention that my truck has a full tank of gas and is parked in the driveway. Nerves haven’t gotten the best of me, though. The opposite has happened. I can’t wait to marry Autumn.
What do I have to fear by getting married?
Waking up every morning with someone who gives life meaning?
Having sex anytime we feel like it.
Eating dinner on the couch while watching movies together.
Seeing your best friend every day and getting to hang out all the time.