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“We have to find her someone while she’s here,” I said.
Alex laughed. “You think if you set her up while she’s here, she’ll be more likely to move here?”
I smiled. “Couldn’t hurt.”
I reached into the box, pulling out and unwrapping the last item, a small, empty frame I hadn’t seen before.
“That’s weird,” I said, riffling through the pile of papers to see if a photo had slipped out and fallen into the mess. “There’s a photo missing.”
“Here,” Alex said.
I looked up to find him opening his wallet, retrieving something from the billfold in the center. He held it up, sending a rush of goosebumps down my body.
“Alex,” I said incredulously, “is that—?”
“It is,” he said, handing me our photo strip.
I reached out, running my finger along the edge of the four photobooth snapshots. “You kept this? I thought you threw it out.”
He shook his head. “Never. I couldn’t let it go.”
Tears pricked the back of my throat as I slipped the strip into the picture frame and set it on the shelf, admiring the young, happy faces for a long beat.
“There’s something else I wanted to give you,” Alex said.
I turned back to him to find his hand outstretched, holding a diamond ring.
My breath caught in my throat. “Oh my god.”
He took a knee, holding the ring between his thumb and first finger, its platinum band and brilliant-cut stone gleaming in the light.
“Brooke,” he began. “This last year has been the best year of my life because I found you again. Just like those photos, I could never let you go, and I never want to. You’re it for me. Will you marry me?”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, wanting to savor every second of this moment. I opened my eyes again and pulled Alex to his feet.
“Yes, Alex Sawyer. I will marry you.”
His hand trembled as he slid the ring down my finger. He kissed me, then wrapped me in his arms.
We were finally home.
