Page 52 of Steeped In Problems
He heard chairs scraping and feet stomping. Someone banged a coffee mug on a table. In the far corner, Joe shouted, “That’s how you do it, son.”
Kristy wiped her eyes, then poked him in the chest. “You couldn’t have warned me first?”
“Would’ve chickened out,” he admitted.
She grinned, shaky but so bright it made his throat close up. “You know this is going to be all over social by the time we close tonight, right?”
He shrugged, and for once, the thought didn’t scare him. “Let them talk.”
She kissed him again, quick and fierce. “I will.”
Rhonda led the charge toward them, her face split with a grin as she ushered others forward. “Let’s celebrate,” she declared, and with that command, the room transformed. Music started up, festive and loud. Plates piled high with lemon loaf and cups brimming with coffee passed through the hands of friends and well-wishers.
Zach clapped Tanner on the back so hard he nearly stumbled forward. “Didn’t think you had it in you,” he teased with a grin.
Erica wiped a discreet tear from her eye before fixing Kristy with a look of fierce approval. “You two are good for each other,” she stated more than suggested.
As guests came up to congratulate them, Aiden gave Tanner a thumbs-up from across the room while Lindsay wiped tears from her cheeks with a napkin. The community's warmth enveloped them; every handshake and hug infused with genuine happiness for their engagement.
Later in the evening, when the crowd thinned out, and the noise died down to comfortable murmurs and soft laughter, Tanner and Kristy found themselves alone by the window watching the shadows play on the street outside.
Kristy leaned her head against Tanner’s shoulder. “I can’t believe you did that in front of everyone,” she murmured.
Tanner chuckled softly. “Seemed like the right time,” he confessed. “And I guess I wanted everyone to see just how serious I am about us.”
“You really surprised me,” Kristy admitted. “In the best way.”
He smiled at her, tired and a little raw. “This is your last chance to run, you know.”
She shook her head. “Not going anywhere.”
He leaned toward her and placed a kiss on her lips. “Good. Because I have big plans for us.”
She could hear the smile in his voice. “Like what?”
“We can add a back eating area and start serving lunch.”
“That’s not a bad idea. What if we also add a dog rescue?”
“Really? Dogs and coffee?”
“What, it could be great,” she tried to convince him.
He ran a hand through her hair. “Whatever you want, Kristy.”
She went quiet, then looked at him with something almost shy. “I just want you.”
He kissed her again, slow and careful, and for the first time in forever, he felt like the world could be good. Like maybe he was allowed to want things and be happy.
They stood together in silence for a moment before Tanner spoke again, his voice soft but carrying a weight of sincerity that made Kristy turn to look at him. “With everything we’ve been through, I know there won’t be anything we can’t handle together.”
Kristy smiled up at him, her eyes reflecting both the soft lighting of the shop and all the love she felt for this man who’d turned her life into an unexpected but beautiful adventure. “I believe that,” she said simply.
Tanner pulled her closer, memorizing the moment. The past didn’t matter. The future would figure itself out. All that counted was right here, right now, and the way Kristy felt in his arms. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life.