Page 114 of Long Story Short

She gives me a soft smile, and something in her face tells me that she already knows this isn’t going to be an ordinary night.

When she reaches me, she lets out a shaky breath. “Out here is where we met,” she points out, her words quiet.

“It is,” I respond. Her eyes flick briefly to the chairs behind me, then back to me. I take a moment to look at her up close, soaking it in. Even after a year together, she still takes my breath away.

She still makes the rest of the world fade away until it’s just her.

“What is all this?” she asks as I take her hand in mine. I tighten my grip, my thumb brushing slowly over her skin as I try to steady myself.

I take a deep breath. It feels like I’ve practiced what I’m going to say a thousand times, but now that she’s here in front of me, it all disappears.

“There are so many things I want to say right now,” I begin. “I’ve thought about this—practiced it even—what feels like countless times.”

Her lips twitch with the hint of a smile, but she doesn’t interrupt. She just keeps her gaze trained on me, waiting for me to continue.

“I’m going to try to find the right words here,” I continue. “But forgive me if they don’t come out as perfect as I hoped now that you’re standing in front of me.”

Her fingers curl tighter in mine, a silent sign that she’s right here with me. “I’m sure they’ll be perfect,” she whispers.

“I love you,” I begin, needing to say those words before saying anything else. “This past year with you has been the best year of my life. I didn’t know happiness like this even existed until you came into my life.”

Josie nods, tears beginning to well in her eyes. “You make me so happy, Ty,” she responds.

“I promise you I had all these visions, these poetic things I was going to say here that were romantic, but you look so damn beautiful tonight, and I just love you so much that it’s all disappeared.”

“Yes,” she gets out. “Whatever you’re about to say…yes.”

I can’t help but laugh, even with the nerves running through my veins. “You don’t even know what I’m about to ask.”

“Yes I do. And it’s yes. Forever and always a yes.”

Her words calm something deep inside me. They give me enough courage to keep going.

“Well, I’m going to ask anyway,” I tell her, reaching into my pocket.

My fingers close around a velvet ring box as I lower to one knee.

Josie lets out a small sob as I look up at her. The love I have for her overtakes me as I feel this overwhelming amount of happiness that I get to ask her this question—a question she’s already said yes to.

“Josephine Russell,” I begin, trying to keep my voice steady. “You’ve captivated me from the moment you trespassed on my lawn a year ago.”

We both laugh at the memory. I’ve never been so damn grateful for Mouse and his tendency to wander. “From the first day we met, something about you was incredibly special. It’s like something deep inside me was telling me that you were going to mean a lot to me. From the very beginning, you stole my attention in a way no one has before. I think I might’ve fallen in love with you that first day. I just didn’t even realize what that feeling was.”

I hold the ring box up between us, trying to hide the way my hands shake from the nerves and excitement. “I’ve had the best year with you. I want all my years with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So…” I open the ring box at the same moment she lets out a loud gasp.

“Josephine Russell, will you marry me?” I ask, fully aware that my words shake, but not caring how they sound. They’re out in the world between us, and that’s all that matters.

Josie drops to her knees in front of me, her arms immediately wrapping around my neck. “Yes,” she gets out, pulling her arms back so she can hold my face in her hands. “Yes, always yes,” she continues before leaning forward and pressing her lips to mine.

I smile against her mouth. The hand not holding the ring box cups the back of her head as I deepen the kiss between us. I know I still need to get the ring on her finger, but for the moment, I get lost in the kiss, pure joy running through my body.

She’s going to be my wife.

I get to spend the rest of my life with her.

I’m the luckiest man in the world.

Eventually, I pull away. “You barely even looked at the ring,” I say with a laugh. “I think I’m supposed to put it on your finger, and then we kiss.”