Lydia gazes at the ring a moment, then brings her eyes back to mine and pulls me to my feet. She draws me toward her and stands on her tiptoes to kiss me, then pulls back and grins.
“Absolutely, Will. Abso-fucking-lutely.”
Something lets loose inside my chest, and I pull Lydia toward me, my hand on the back of her head, my mouth hungry for hers. I’m just pulling her hips into mine, getting ready to slide my hand down to grip her ass, when applause erupts from the doorway and I freeze. Lydia snickers as we turn to see my siblings and Autumn, all standing there grinning.
“You better have said yes,” Autumn calls, hand on her hip.
“Her loss,” Zeke jokes, and Phoebe elbows him.
Leave it to this crowd to not give us a moment of privacy, even during a damn proposal. I can’t help but chuckle, though. It’s such an accurate representation of our lives right now—and somehow, just like this impromptu proposal, it works for us.
Lydia and I head back up the stairs, holding each other close, and our little crowd of family gathers around us. The girls want to see the ring, Zeke wants to know if he needs to pack up his shit, and everyone’s all smiles. It’s everything I’ve ever hoped for.
As we head back inside to rejoin the party, my mother’s ring now sparkling on Lydia’s finger, I stop near the doorway, close my eyes, and listen to the bustle of the community around me—just for a second. The library building may not look exactly how it used to, but it’s full of life again—and I think Sophia Chandlerwould’ve wanted it that way. I think my soon-to-be wife knows that, too.
The chatter of friends and the lively small talk of the town echoes through the hall, underlaid by the strumming of the folk band. And underneath it all, there’s a steady hum, a constant pulsing of energy. I can’t see the spirits—they’re hanging back, overwhelmed by the hordes of people drifting through the place—but I can feel them in my chest. Hear their silken whispers rustling in my thoughts. And for the first time, maybe in my whole life, I’m thankful for them.
As Lydia leans into my side, resting her cheek against my chest, I hold her close. This woman brought the darkest parts of me to light. And it’s in this moment I realize…
My heart’s not haunted anymore.
I’m home.
