I wakeup on Christmas morning with my limbs wrapped around Connor. I go on a run with Connor following me in his truck and I’m struck with a reminder of telling dad that he’ll be the one keeping me safe forever.
As I run, I think about waking up here every morning and going for a run. Of days spent with Connor, Harvey, andMarion. Looking up at the Rockies every day and realizing how insignificant we are in nature.
“What are you thinking?” Connor asks, after we come back home, and I’ve showered and changed. Home. This place can be my home.
“I’m thinking about what it will be like to live here,” I say honestly.
His eyebrows shoot up. “You don’t have to move here, Scarlett.”
Taking a sip of my coffee, I let my eyes drift to the view out of the windows.
“But this is your home, just like New York is mine. You have responsibilities here and I don’t want you to feel guilty for leaving someone else to take care of them.”
Connor sets his cup down and turns me to face him, his eyebrows dipping down in a frown. “Don’t ask me to let you go. I’ll live through a thousand hells before I let you go again.”
“Connor, please tell me I’m not going to come home one day to you covering the walls with my photos,” I say.
“It’s a possibility,” he says.
Shaking my head, I arch up onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He’s so much taller, I have to go all the way onto my tippy toes.
“I love you, Connor. I’m not asking you to let me go,” I say. “I’m suggesting we can split our time between New York and here, or Toronto, if you think that’s easier. I’m a city girl, I can’t live here permanently but I can’t deny that Silverpine doesn’t have a certain charm.”
“New York is fine,” he says gruffly. “I want you to be with your family.”
I hug him, settling my head on his chest while Connor rests his head on top of mine.
“Connor, what’s in your pocket?”
“It’s nothing.”
I pull away to look at him, raising an eyebrow. Sighing, he pulls out the ring box.
“Were you going to propose at breakfast with my family?” I ask.
“No!” He looks at me wide-eyed. “I know you, baby girl. I wouldn’t make a spectacle out of the proposal. You don’t even have to tell anyone or wear the ring.” The tops of his cheeks turn red and feel a surge of love for him.
“I don’t have anything to tell anyone,” I say, shrugging.
“Baby girl, if you want to give people something to talk about, you only have to ask.”
“I believe you have to do the asking.”
Without a word, Connor drops down to one knee.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
He grins up at me lasciviously. “I like being on my knees for you. I know I fucked up our relationship, baby girl. I don’t take this second chance lightly and I don’t want to fuck this up. It doesn’t matter if you say yes, no, or not now. It doesn’t matter if we never get married. I’m going to love you with every part of my being every single day. I’m going to wake up the happiest and most grateful man alive because you love me back. Will you promise to be mine forever, Scarlett Monroe?”
A tear trickles down my cheek, and I wipe it away, nodding hastily.
“I promise to be yours, Connor Hayes.”
With the biggest grin on his face, he slides the ring onto my finger. It’s a perfect fit and the diamond sparkles when it catches the light. Standing up, he gives me a bone-melting kiss.
When we get to the Inn to have breakfast with my family and Marion, my mother’s and sisters’ eyes land on the ring immediately and they utter the loudest, most embarrassing squeal.
“Keep that up and only dad and Luke will be invited to the wedding. We only need two witnesses, anyway,” I say.
