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That’s what I had my Ma and Em tell her, but I planned to be here the entire time, that box in Evan’s pocket.
“Had something else more important to take care of.”
She finally walks up and stands in front of us, her cheeks red from chasing around Polly, the goat that has stolen her heart. She has straw in her hair, dirt on her chin, but happiness in her eyes.
This place changed all of us.
Now seems like as good a time as any, so right there in the dirt on the ranch, I drop to one knee. Holland’s eyes go wide, and she covers her mouth.
“When I think about my future, about our future, you’re all I see. There’s no scenario in my life where you’re not in it. I thought I knew who I was before I met you. I thought I had it all mapped out. I thought I knew exactly how it was gonna go and then you changed everything. I think I loved you the second your classic novel almost impaled me on the floor of your basement. Maybe even before then.”
I take her trembling hand in mine before continuing, “Marry me. Next year, next week, tomorrow. I don’t care. Just marry me. Be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up to you, reminding you that you are the only woman I will ever love. You’ve taught me how to be a better man. To be patient, to put my socks in the hamper and put the toilet seat down. You’ve taught me how to love. I need you now and for the rest of my life. I promise to love you through whatever trials we face, and hold your hand when things get hard. To never go to bed upset and to always put our family first.”
Looking over at Evan, he steps forward, a shy expression on his face as he pulls the box from his pocket. “Howwand, will you maww-ee Weed and stay with usforever?”
Oh fuck, he did it even better than we practiced.
Holland sobs and shakes her head profusely. “Of course I will.” She drops to her knees in front of him and pulls him into her arms, hugging her to him. “I love you. SO much.”
I squat down next to them and Holland throws her arms around my neck. “Yes, I will be your wife, Reed Davidson,” she cries.
Taking the box from Evan, I remove the oval-shaped diamond and slide it on to her shaking ring finger. Then, I hold my fist out for Evan to bump.
“We did it, bud.”
His little fist hits mine then he says, “Can I have ice cream now?”
Holland and I both laugh.
“Yes, bud, let’s get some ice cream. Go tell Mr. Bert bye and I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”
Evan nods and takes off toward the fence line.
Holland looks over at me, still holding her hand up to stare at the ring that Em helped me choose for her. “I can’t believe I get to marry you.”
“I can’t wait. How’s tomorrow sound?”
She throws her head back and laughs. “You never do anything slowly, do you?”
“Remember how we got here?”
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
While we’re waiting for Evan to come back, my phone buzzes over and over in my pocket, and when I finally pull it out to check what’s happening, there’s a dozen texts with the last one from Briggs saying:
Briggs: @ the hospital, COME NOW EMERGENCY.
Holland reads it and her eyes widen. “Oh god, we need to go. What has he gotten himself into now?”
That, baby… is the million-dollar question.
What has Briggs Wilson done now?
