Page 54

Her face is lit by the setting sun, and my chest clenches at the sight. Love and tenderness and soul–deep certainty wash over me as I return her smile before turning back to my pack.

The damn thing has felt like it weighs about a thousand pounds this whole trip, though it’s got nothing to do with the gear I’ve brought.

No, that weight is entirely because of a small velvet box I have tucked into the safest, most secure inner pocket of my pack, just waiting for the perfect moment.

And here, now, with the sun setting over the mountains and painting the sky in a wash of brilliant pink and orange, with just a few days left in this incredible summer we’ve spent together, it finally feels right.

While Holly’s busy straightening one of the tent poles, I sneak a hand into my pack, fingers already shaky as I draw out the box and tuck it into my pocket.

“Sweetheart,” I murmur, and she turns.

“Yeah?” she asks, and for a moment all I can do is stare at her, heart still hammering in my chest.

I’m fairly certain what her answer will be, but a wave of last-minute nerves settles over me.

Not because of Holly or because I’m doubting in the slightest this is what I want, but simply because I know there’s nothing I’ll ever want more.

Nothing. Not one single thing.

There’s never been anything more important to me than her.

So I hope I don’t fuck this up. I hope it’s what she wants, too.

I offer her my hand. “Come here.”

She gives me a bemused little smile, but takes my hand and lets me lead her a few steps away from camp, where the view opens up through a break in the trees and the splendor of the world stretches wide around us.

“Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Her smile softens, grows wider, though she still looks a little confused as she squeezes my hand. “I could say the same.”

Gods above, she’s beautiful. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

I take a deep breath.

“Every single day of the last year and a half has been better than the last. Every single one. Everything I learn about you and every day we spend together only makes me love you more, and makes me more certain the two of us were meant to be together.”

Holly’s eyes widen, like she’s realizing this isn’t just a casual evening chat at camp, but I press on.

“I want to make you happy for the rest of your life. I want to take care of you and grow old with you and spend a lifetime with you. And that’s why I wanted to ask—” I fall to a knee and pull the ring box from where I stashed it in my pocket. “Will you marry me, Holly?”

There are tears sparkling in those brilliant blue eyes of hers, but I’m pretty sure they’re tears of joy as a heart-stopping grin spreads across her face and she lunges at me.

“Of course I will!”

Holly topples into me with a force that nearly knocks me on my ass, but I manage to stay upright as I catch her left hand. I pause for a moment, ring poised at the tip of her finger.

“I love you so much, sweetheart.”

The first of those tears slips from the corner of her eye, and I wipe it away with my thumb, cradling her cheek.

“I love you, too,” she says, and kisses me.

I kiss her back—long and thorough—sealing the sacred promise we’ve just made as I slide the ring onto her finger.

The kiss tastes like certainty, like forever, like everything we’ll ever need.

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