Page 111 of Together Is Where We Belong

I don’t even know what to wear.

Leo

You’ll be beautiful in anything you wear.

That’s not helpful.

Leo

Something casual is fine. Now, go enjoy your day, cara.

I tried to keep myself busy throughout the day. I went and got a coffee from Café Latte and visited with Delilah for a bit. Then I walked aimlessly down Main Street and took some time to wander the shops. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Leo had planned. Over the past year, I’d fallen more in love with him than I had as a teenager. He showed me and Luke daily how much he adored us, and I was happy that my path had led me back to him. Back to us.

After I’d spent enough time walking about, I headed home to get ready for the date Leo had planned. I decided to listen to him for once, and dressed in a pair of jeans and a baby doll pink shirt with a pair of sandals.

At six on the dot, my phone chimed with a text alert.

I rushed over to the counter, excited to see what Leo had to say.

Only once I opened the text from him, he hadn’t typed words. Only coordinates. So many questions went through my mind as I grabbed my bag and left the house.

I put the coordinates in the map app on my phone, and I swore it showed it was at Ainsleigh and Gentry’s house, which made me question why he didn’t just say to meet him there.

The whole drive to the location, my hands shook in anticipation on why he’d want me to meet him at their house.

Only as I neared the location, it led me to pass by their house. Moments later the GPS told me to turn down a driveway I hadn’t paid much attention to before now. I thought it was another path on the Courtright’s ranch. I turned down the tree-lined driveway and drove slowly, not sure where it led.

A few minutes later, the tree line ended, and a beautiful house was up ahead. I came to a stop and put the vehicle in park beside Leo’s truck as I took in the house before me.

A beautiful wooden covered deck on the two-story home had rocking chairs lined down the front. The porch went down both sides of the house. Lanterns were on each step of the porch that illuminated the front of the house. On the front door was an intricate wreath with the letter C in the center.

Whose house am I at?

Slowly, I got out of the vehicle and walked toward the house. My breath caught in my throat as I walked up the porch steps and to the front door.

Soft music played inside the house as I lifted my hand and knocked on the front door.

“Come in,” I heard Leo call from the other side of the door.

I turned the knob and opened the door.

Standing before me in the center of a bed of tulip petals were Leo and Luke. Candles were placed on the floor around them, the lights dimmed above.

“Come in, Mom,” Luke said with a wave.

On unsteady legs, I walked inside the house, the screen door hit my backside as it shut behind me.

I brought my hands to my mouth as I took in the sight of the two people I loved the most.

Leo wore a pair of dark denim jeans with a white button-down shirt tucked in and a black suit jacket, and a black cowboy hat. Luke dressed just the same as he stood beside his dad with his little hand holding onto Leo’s.

“What is all this?” I asked as I took a few steps toward them.

“Dad has somethin’ he wants to ask you, Mom.” Luke said with excitement, like he was bursting to reveal whatever secret was between them.

“He does?” I choked out as I stepped over the tulip petals and into the circle where they stood.

“He does,” Leo said as he cleared his throat.