Page 50 of A Certain Step (Midnights at Pemberley #1)

ETHAN

One year and three months later

E than and Willa had talked about many, many things when they were just friends, but engagements weren’t one of the discussed topics.

He knew so much about her, but he was never quite sure what kind of a proposal she would’ve wanted.

She’d once mentioned a small fall or winter wedding, so he kept that detail tucked in his vault of memories.

For the proposal, however, he had asked Sahar, hoping that the topic was something the women would have talked about. Sahar told him that Willa had never been specific about the how, only that she hoped it was thoughtful.

Well, Ethan thought about it a lot, an agonizing amount, actually. This was Willa—his best friend and his favorite person, the love of his life.

It had to be perfect for her.

She adored the treehouse at his family’s cabin, but an unexpected summer storm had caused some damage. He’d discussed repairs with his dad, but with everyone’s chaotic schedules, it would take longer than he would’ve wanted it to.

Time wasn’t on his s ide, and he desperately wanted it to be.

Since their runs in Midnights at Pemberley ended, Willa and Ethan would be spending six weeks apart.

She had to complete performances in a Broadway musical production called Fever Fever, and Ethan was scheduled to shoot a limited series in Alberta, Canada for four months, starting next week.

While she and Tulip planned to join him after Willa took her last bow, he wanted—no needed— to make this promise to her.

And so what if he was also a little selfish and wanted to start referring to her as his fiancée?”

He was standing in their now shared kitchen, staring at the island’s black marble tile, waiting for her to text him that she was on her way home from a Sunday matinee.

Once she did that, he’d tell her to first open the envelope sitting on the coffee table and then meet him on the balcony, which he had spent the entire day after she left installing wood panels and new furniture with a construction crew.

If he couldn’t take her to the treehouse, he’d imitate it as best he could.

As a birthday gift for Willa last year, Sahar had printed out and framed one of the Polaroid-filtered photographs she’d taken of Ethan and Willa during their time as Elizabeth and Darcy.

It sat on the vanity in their bedroom. Remembering how Willa choked up when she saw it, Ethan thought of how she’d mentioned loving the fact that Sahar consistently did this because even though they weren’t “real Polaroid photographs,” they still had the effect.

Shortly after, he’d run the idea of proposing through Polaroids with Sahar, allowing her to help out by printing some of their favorite pictures.

There were shots of Ethan and Willa together, along with other miscellaneous pictures they’d individually taken, so he could slowly ease Willa into his little plan.

For the past two weeks, he started by giving her one photo a day. Behind each of them, he’d written notes— I love you in this dress. Your smile makes me weak. Thinking about the th ings I did to you in this treehouse, I’d do them again.

Yesterday’s read, will, but Willa had been so tired she assumed his pen died before he could finish his sentence.

The photograph he’d used was one he’d taken of her during their first Christmas as a couple. It had been on that day when Ethan had asked her to move in with him.

The one this morning simply said you. It was a photo of her smiling up at him.

She’d apparently thought the word you alone was hilarious because she guffawed, sauntered over to him, and said, “Okay, I have a serious question. Are you concerned that I might forget who I am at some point, so all these photos are evidence so I could remember? What on earth is happening here, Ethan?”

He’d said nothing, kissed her cheek, and walked away.

WILLA

Willa enjoyed her run in Fever Fever, but she was ready for the next month to fly by.

She knew that nothing could ever compare to the magic they’d all uncovered in Midnights at Pemberley, and even though the majority of her castmates were great, their principal star was a prissy nightmare to work with.

A newer actor who thought he was God’s gift to humanity and maybe the worst scene partner she’d ever had.

She stepped through the front door of her and Ethan’s apartment and walked toward the coffee table, spotting the envelope he’d told her about. Another photograph, she assumed, smiling. Frankly, whatever little game he was playing was adorable.

“Ethan?” she called out.

No answer.

She set her backpack d own on the sofa and headed toward the balcony, envelope in hand.

“Oh my, God!” The regular panels had all been replaced with wooden ones, with a matching new table, a new couch, and throw pillows that looked like the ones from his family’s treehouse.

Willa felt Ethan’s arm curl around her waist. She drew her fingers to hold his, turning to face him. “This is gorgeous, babe.”

He bobbed his head toward the envelope in her hands. “Open it.”

Someone’s impatient, she thought to herself. But she obliged with a kiss on his cheekbone and opened the envelope. Willa pulled out the photograph of them from when he took her to Caro Amico last year. And then, she flipped it over, every detail from the past two days and week dawning on her.

Marry me.

She spun, finding Ethan behind her, down on one knee, a tiny box resting in his hands.

Butterflies fluttered in her chest. Her heart threatened to beat out of her and latch itself onto his.

She blinked, mascara and false lashes now more irritating with the tears stinging her eyes.

Oh, how she wished she had taken her makeup off, but she just wanted to get back home to him and their little life.

“Ethan,” it came out in a whisper.

His eyes sparkled, tears threatening to unleash on him, too.

“Willa…” he shook his head. “Fuck, I practiced this so many times. I’ve been proposing to you in the shower for months now, and suddenly, none of it feels right or enough.” He took a breath, swallowed, and shut his eyes.

Willa’s tears fell freely now. She couldn’t hold them in if she tried.

This man—this perfect, thoughtful man.

She ran her fingers along the short beard he’d grown for the new role, relishing in both the feel of it and how stu nningly rugged he looked.

Ethan tried to speak again. “Wills, I love you more than I did yesterday, and I know I’m going to love you even more tomorrow and the next day and every day after that.

You’re my best friend and my favorite person, and I’d really love to add my wife in there, too.

There’s no one else I could ever grow old with, beautiful.

There’s no one else I’d rather look at and know, with every bone in my body, that they’re my home.

No matter where we go or what we do, I’m yours, Willa—only yours.

And there’s nothing I want more than to keep building a life together. Will you marry me?”

Willa bounced her head up and down. “Yes, God, yes. Best friend, love of my life, favorite person, and husband? I’m all in. Always.”

He glided the ring on her finger and placed a kiss where it’d forever reside.

Ethan rose to his feet, and Willa looped her arms around his neck. He collided his lips with hers, lingering for a few beats. Slow and soft and transfixing, as kissing him would always be.

“I love you,” she whispered. “So much. I don’t know how you pulled this off right under my nose.”

He placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “I for sure thought the ‘will’ and the ‘you’ notes would blow my cover.”

Willa laughed. “If I hadn’t been so tired, I might’ve questioned them. But I’ve been too occupied thinking about how lucky I am. I thought you were going to make a gallery wall or something with the way you were presenting them.”

Ethan smirked. “Huh, that’s not a bad idea.”

“Only if you hang them with strings because I want to be able to easily read the notes on the back when I miss you.”

He pulled her in for a tight hug. “What do I get when I start missing you, and I can’t call at the exact moment I need to because you’re at work?”

“Hold, please.” She sprung out of his arms and ran to their bedroom. Willa walked to the wardrobe closet and crouched down to take out a bag hidden in a far corner. She had planned to wait until next week to give it to him before he left but now felt like the appropriate time instead.

She beelined back over to him and held the bag in front of him.

He tilted his head and took it from her. “What’s this?”

She quirked her lips. “Open it and find out.”

Ethan proceeded to take out a black box from inside the bag before setting it aside. He sent another questioning look in her direction. She shrugged her shoulders as he opened the box and gaped slightly.

“You always talk about how much you love the E necklace I wear, and selfishly, there’s something hot about men and thin gold chains, so the subtlety of this one with the small, personalized rectangle-shaped plate near the clasp screamed at me when I saw it.

It was meant to be a congratulations on this next gig gift, but there you go—something to turn to when you miss me.

But don’t fret, I’m going to put little notes in your pockets, too. ”

His smile shot up to his eyes, and his whole face gleamed. “If I only wear this and glasses, is that enough to convince you to stay in bed all day tomorrow?”

“You don’t need any of them to convince me of that, but if you want the extra credit, then absolutely, yes—right away,” she replied.

Ethan carefully took the chain out of the box and circled it around his neck. He could’ve clasped it himself, but she reached forward to do it for him before spinning it around in its proper position.

Willa looped her finger through the fine metal and tugged gently. She kissed the jut of his throat, up toward hi s scruffy jawline, then back to his lips.

When they parted, she rested her forehead against his. “I know that there was a moment when all of this scared me. You and me and our jobs, all the noise, distance, and the challenges that could’ve arisen, but we’ve got this—all of it. We’ll chase our dreams together.”

He dipped his mouth down on hers in a devotedly heated kiss. “We’ve got this,” he repeated, his cadence warm and right. “I love you,” he breathed as his lips scattered across her face, peppering delicate kisses all over.

We’ve got this.