Page 166 of All This Time

Henley nods. “And do you feel that way now?”

“Yeah, I do, and it feels fucking amazing. I want that for you guys too. It’s not about being perfect, because lord knows none of us are. It’s about facing shit instead of running, and honoring our truth. Laney has helped me learn that, and I hope all of you can figure that out one day as well.”

“Then maybe what we need is a new pact,” Henley suggests.

The four of us look around at each other, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, I think that’s exactly what we need.”

***

“Are you taking me up this mountain to make out in your truck? You know, living out another teenage fantasy? Or is there where you murder me and leave me for the animals to feast on?”

My brows draw together as I look over at Laney sitting in the passenger seat of my truck. “Have you been watching Unsolved Mysteries with Dilynne again?”

She nods. “Yeah, and I think I need to stop.”

“I think you do too.”

A month ago, I would have been more concerned, but after learning much more about Dilynne and Laney’s friendship and how it’s evolved over the years, I’m just glad that my girl has someone to lean on during the breaks that we’re going to have apart coming up.

My truck sways side to side as we drive along the dirt road, inching closer to the spot that I’ve been waiting to show to Laney since I met with the realtor right before Elliot’s wedding that never happened.

I only hope that this is everything she envisioned because if not, I still have a few days to back out of escrow.

Turning left, I pull into the vacant lot that sits on a flat part of the mountain, shifting into park before turning to take in her reaction. “We’re here.”

It’s her turn to be confused. “Okay. What are we doing here?”

Once I help her down out of the truck, I take her hand in mine and start walking through the dirt, pointing as I speak. “I’m thinking six bedrooms minimum—three for kids, one for us, and two for our offices.” Her eyes widen. “I want a gym in the basement, a playroom for the kids, a movie room, and an indoor pool so we can go swimming while it’s snowing outside, and watch it fall all around us through the glass-covered ceiling. It will be like being in a snow globe, and the kids will love it.” I take her over to the most important spot. “But this right here? This is where your picturesque window will go, looking out over Blossom Peak, just like you wanted. And right in front of it will be your desk, the desk where you’re going to sit and write your first book.”

Moisture clouds her eyes, but I keep going, dropping to one knee in front of her. She stifles her gasp with her hand. “But if this isn’t the way you dreamed it, we can find another plot of land to build our dream home together. I don’t care where it is, as long as it’s exactly as you dreamed it, and the two of us are there together.”

“Fletcher Jared Adams…are you…”

“Laney, I could have fucking lost you,” I say, fighting the crack in my voice. “You could have married someone else, and I never would have had the opportunity to make you my wife.” I pull the black box from my back pocket, opening it to reveal a pink diamond ring thatmatches her mother’s necklace. “So yes, I am proposing to you. I know it’s fast, Laney, but we’ve lost so much time, and I don’t want to waste another second. I want you to be my wife. I want everyone to know that you’re mine. I want you to be Laney Maddison Adams.” Swallowing roughly, I prepare to ask her the question I’ve been waiting to ask her since the first time I realized she was the one, but our phones chime at the same time, interrupting our moment.

Closing my eyes, I groan. “You need to eat something. Your blood sugar is low.”

“I swear to God, Fletcher Adams…if you make me eat something before you finish what you’re about to say, I’m going to murder you up here on this mountain.”

I shake my head at her, my chest bouncing with laughter. “Fine. But after, you’re eating.”

She pats her pocket. “I have a snack right here. Now, you were saying…” She folds her lips between her teeth.

Taking a deep breath, I finish what I came here to do. “Laney Maddison Hart, will you marry me?”

She jumps up and down in place, screaming, “I’m going to be Mrs. Fletcher Adams!”

I throw my head back laughing before standing to my feet. “Is that a yes?”

“That’s a hell yes!” She jumps at me, wrapping her legs around my waist before crashing her mouth to mine. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“I can’t believe I finally got to.” My finger traces her face. “All this time you thought you hated me, Laney Hart. But it turns out, we just had to wait for that hate to turn to love.”

“I love you so much,” she whispers against my lips before I set her down and gently place the ring on her finger, watching her admire it as the sunlight catches it. “Mom would approve.”

“I thought so. Your dad certainly did.”