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She pulled up ten minutes late and spilled out of her car, smearing sunscreen onto her face. She took a few steps toward me, then noticed her shoelaces were untied and bent to fix them.
“Sorry, one of the dogs was having a temper tantrum, and I had to deal with him before I left. Ready to go?” she asked.
“No problem.” I pointed at a smear of white on her nose. “You’ve got a little….”
She rubbed the lotion in. “Thanks.”
“So, which trail are we taking?” I asked. I hadn’t done as much exploring of the local trails as I’d have liked, but I figured I’d have plenty of time to do that now that I planned to stay long term.
“This one.” London gestured toward a well-maintained trail that disappeared into the trees. “It splits halfway, part of it leading to the waterfall and the other to the tarn. I thought we could go to Destiny Falls today. Does that work for you?”
“Sure.” We started walking. I went first, a water bottle in one hand, scouting for anything that might pose a threat to London’s terrible coordination. She tripped and stumbled a few times, but didn’t seem bothered by it. I imagined she was used to bumping her way through life at this point.
“Have you heard the old story about Destiny Falls?” London asked from behind me.
I shook my head. “Don’t think so.”
She swore under her breath, but when I glanced back, she appeared to be in one piece. “So, the story goes that when this town was a mining village, one of the miners fell in love with a woman from a higher class who was engaged to someone else through an arranged marriage her parents had set up. Supposedly, the night before her wedding, the woman and her forbidden lover came up to the waterfall and married in secret. They eloped, and rumor has it, they lived a full and happy life somewhere far away.”
“That’s romantic.” I wondered what it would feel like to love someone so deeply that you’d run away from everything you’d ever known to be with them. I’d like to feel that kind of love someday.
We continued up the trail, stopping occasionally to catch our breaths, and once when London slipped in a patch of mud and landed on her butt. Finally, I could hear rushing water.
“We must be getting near,” I said.
London checked her phone. “According to the map, it’s just around the corner.”
As the waterfall came into view, stunning, with several tiers spilling bluish water, surrounded by emerald green moss, so too did something else. Or rather, someone. Two someones. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, but they were still there. Warren and Ruby, each wearing shorts and T-shirts and holding a banner with big block letters that read: ‘Please Stay.’
My hand flew to my mouth.
“Go!” I felt a hand on my shoulder, pushing me toward them.
I moved forward on shaky legs, my eyes darting from Warren’s rugged face to the banner and up to Ruby’s massive smile, then back again. “What’s going on?”
Warren handed his corner of the banner to Ruby and strode to me, stopping a couple of feet away.
“We want you to take the teaching job and stay with us in Destiny Falls,” he said.
Emotion tightened my throat. “You do?”
He nodded. “Ruby and I talked last night, and there’s nothing that would make us happier.” He took another step forward and grasped my hands in his. “I’m falling for you, Hannah. I know it’s early days, and I don’t want to push you, but it’s important for you to know how I feel—howwefeel—and the fact that we want you here.” He raised one of my hands and kissed the back of it. “Say you’ll stay?”
Joy overflowed in my heart, and a solitary tear trailed down my cheek. He wanted me to stay. He cared enough to ask for it. And based on the way Ruby was beaming behind us, she did too.
“You’re both so amazing,” I cried, flinging myself into his arms. “Yes, I’ll stay. Nothing would make me happier.”
I buried my face in his chest and sank into him. I could happily have remained there forever because, for the first time I could remember, I felt like I belonged. I drew back and gestured for Ruby to join us. With a shy smile, she piled onto the group hug.
“I’m so glad I met you,” Warren said, brushing a kiss over my cheek and then planting another on the top of Ruby’s head.
“I’m glad I met both of you,” I said, meaning it. Perhaps this wasn’t what I’d envisioned for myself when I moved to Destiny Falls, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m your favorite though, right?” Ruby asked, and we all laughed.
Epilogue
WARREN
