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Beau plays with my hair, expelling a sigh. “I don’t know, babe. Your anti-mom is getting a deal and turning into a state’s witness against Mr. Lennox and Mr. Fitch.”
Our friends are quietly shaking their heads. Maverick says, “We’ll see you tomorrow. Go home and get ready for dinner.”
On the way home, we stopped by the distillery. The insurance company paid for everything and is suing Edward Fitch, Mr. Lennox, Rome, and my mom.
We took the money from the insurance company, and the distillery added in two million to upgrade the security systems throughout the warehouses along with a state-of-the-art sprinkler system so if we ever have a fire again, hopefully we will lose less of our stock.
“Wow, I don’t know what to say except it's gorgeous.” I pull Vanessa into my chest filled with so many emotions. The amount of work she gets done in a day is astonishing.
“Do you think he’ll like it?” she asks with wide, doe eyes, squeezing my hand.
“Of course. There’s nothing like it in Kissing Springs.”
She nestles her head against my chest. “Tomorrow, I’ll have a mom.”
“She’s nice, vibrant, an excellent cook, and age doesn’t matter if they love each other. Who are we to judge? Axel and Ali are twelve years apart, so what is eighteen years?” My body envelops her, and I whisper in her ear, “She already seems to love you more than your anti-mom ever could.”
I step back so I can look at her face. Her eyes are filled with tears trapped in her lids when she explains. “Carlotta doesn’t seem like a gold digger. She asked me to pick her dress and take care of all the details. Whenever I showed her anything, she gushed.
With my chin on her head, I respond, “Yeah, I think your dad found someone that would love you both. I don’t think he wanted to settle for someone that would just love him or just love you. You’re a package deal.”
“Just like us. I guess we should get changed and meet them for the rehearsal dinner.” She pushes onto her toes to kiss me. “Except it’s just us and no rehearsing.”
The employees all got an invitation to the opening but they have no idea her dad is getting married and no one in town knows either. It’s going to be the biggest surprise that Kissing Springs has seen.
* * *
I interlace my fingers with hers as I lead her to the bridge.
“The wedding was beautiful, and I can’t believe you had all of that built in three weeks’ time. You’re making my goals seem small and far away.”
She laughs. “It was and what goals seem far away?”
The heat moved out a few days ago, and a northern front is pushing through with blustery fall winds. Vanessa’s hands are cold, so I stop and blow my warm breath over her knuckles before I gently press a kiss to her skin.
“I’m cold. Where are you taking me?” she asks.
“Where’s my girl that’s up for anything?”
Trapped by the blindfold, Vanessa’s loose curls spring from wildly at the ends. I walk backward a few feet, taking her with me. I step onto the wooden slats and lift the black silk tie from her eyes. Dozens of candles and twinkling lights are strung from the trees on the banks that light the bridge. Her face flickers with soft flames, and I can no longer wait to hold her in my hands.
I cradle her porcelain cheeks, holding her head in place. “I love you, and I wanted to bring you to the bridge where we locked our love when we were fifteen years old. The bridge where I promised to love you forever.”
“Do you still have the key?” she asks.
I reach into the front pocket of my jeans and show her the key. “I do.”
She’s wearing a maroon and cream plaid scarf, tight distressed jeans, and brown ankle boots. It’s similar to what she was wearing back then. “Open it.”
Vanessa inserts the key with trembling hands. I pull out our promise note and hand it to her. She reads it out loud, unsuspecting.
I’ll love you forever—Nessa
I’ll love you forever—Beau.
“We weren’t very poetic.” She chuckles. “But what more is there to say? These words say it all.”
I take her shaking hand in mine. She knows what’s coming because when we were fifteen I told her that we wouldn’t come back until I asked her to be my wife. It’s been eleven years to the day since we placed this note in the box. Dropping to my knees, I pinch out a black velvet box from the lock box.
