Page 103 of More Than My Hometown

Slowly, I flip the envelope over, running my finger under the flap and opening it. I want to take my time. Want to remember this. Commit it all to memory—every single second of it—so that when I get to tell the story over and over again, I get it all right.

Inside is a piece of paper. A regular, eight by eleven piece of printer paper. Okay—that’s fine. Doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, I don’t want it to be. Ewan isn’t fancy. Nothing about our life together is. This part shouldn’t be either.

I unfold the paper, holding my breath, ready to read the words. The four big words. Even more ready to shout my answer. My even bigger answer.

Only—those four words aren’t what is staring back at me.

It’s a reservation. For the Aurora Igloos in Hella, Iceland.

Ohhh…

My adrenaline rush comes to a crashing halt, my excitement instantly deflating. I feel numb for a split second, torn inside on how to react. On one hand, this is a place that I’ve talked about visiting for years. An experience that I’ve dreamed about. That Ewan paid attention to—listened to—and then acted on. He’s literally gifting me the bucket-list item I walked away from earlier this year when I chose him.

A choice I haven’t regretted for a single second.

Which is why I’m left feeling like this. Because it’s not what I thought was coming. And I know I should be excited. I am excited. We’re going to Iceland and we’re going to sleep under the northern lights.

“I did a bunch of research,” Ewan says, filling the silence. “Turns out Iceland doesn’t have the glass igloos quite like Finland and Norway, but they do have transparent domes, and then what one place called glass tiny lodges. I went with the transparent dome over the tiny lodge because it’s a little more remote for viewing the lights, but also there is a day tour of caves that I figured would be fun.”

I smile, tears filling my eyes as I scan over the printed confirmation in my hand. Of course Ewan did a bunch of research on the best option before booking. He’s an outdoor guide himself, so he wouldn’t settle for anything but the best experience for us.

“There’s just one problem.”

What?!

I whip my head up, the tears in my eyes wobbling slightly but staying put. Problem? How could there possibly be a problem? Unless he thinks that I’m unhappy. Oh, shit. No. I can’t have him thinking that.

Because this gift is perfect.

“What problem?” I ask, choking back my emotion. “Ewan, this is amazing. There are zero problems here.”

“Well, you see, the timing is just a little off.”

What is he talking about?

I look back down at the paper, scanning to find the dates. March. He booked the trip for mid-March. Okay, so what? Gives me enough time to request PTO at the hospital, so that’s not an issue. And spring hunting season usually doesn’t start until late March, I think. Unless it starts earlier next year…

“Well, all the research says that the best time to see the lights is around the equinoxes. Some argue January/February because the nights are longer, but there is more geomagnetic activity around the equinox, making them more active and vibrant.”

I nod along, trying to follow where he’s going with all this environmental science speak. There is a point, surely.

“But, March is only three months away, which I have learned, thanks to all these new women in my family, is not enough time to plan a wedding, upending my thought process of spending our honeymoon visiting your dream country. So, I guess I have to settle for taking my fiancée to Iceland, instead of my wife.”

Fiancée…? Did he just say fiancée?

“Meaning I’m going to have to find some brand-new dream location to sweep you off your feet with when we’re husband and wife.”

Husband and wife…

I can’t breathe. My lungs constrict, tears returning with a vengeance as Ewan leans forward, digging in between the couch cushions and pulling out a little velvet box.

He wobbles a bit as he straightens out and I grab ahold of him, ready to throw my arms around him and kiss the fuck out of him. And then fuck him.

But that would be getting ahead of myself.

“Maisey, there is a part of me that feels like this bit is just a technicality. Because I’ve been calling you my wife in my head for longer than you know. That’s how sure I am that you are my everything, baby. My life, my future. All of it. But I do know that I have to actually ask the question.”

Ewan takes my hands, interlacing our fingers and pressing a kiss to them. A soft sob tumbles over my lips, happiness overtaking me.