Page 131 of Dirty Mechanic

She lifts a hand to her mouth. Her eyes shimmer.

“Yes,” she whispers. “A thousand times yes.”

I slip the ring onto her finger—the same delicate band with the small, apple blossom diamond she asked me to hold on to. It catches the last of the light now, glinting like a quiet kind of victory.

She presses her forehead to mine beneath our tree. And in that moment, the world rights itself. We’re not running anymore. Not hiding. We’re claiming this. Each other.

And this time, love holds.

One Month Later

The sun hasn’t fully broken the horizon when we meet Misty at the orchard gate.

The air is cool, dew threading the grass and dusting the truck tires. Her bags are already loaded in the bed—just essentials. One suitcase. A pile of sketchbooks. A jar of Blake’s apple butter in the cup holder, because of course it is.

She stands beside the truck in jeans and boots, braid swinging, arms crossed tight like she’s keeping herself from unraveling.

I don’t wait.

I cross the gravel and pull her into a hug that nearly breaks both of us. She lets out a breath I don’t think she meant to release, and I feel it—how much she’s still carrying. I don’t say anything. I just hold her until I’m ready to let go.

And when I do, it’s slow. Like handing over something fragile.

“You’ll check in?” I ask.

She nods. “I promise.”

Emma and Eric step up next. Emma wraps Misty in a hug and whispers something fierce and tender into her ear. Eric presses a small silver phone into her palm.

“Emergency flip phone,” he mutters. “Encrypted. Don’t lose it.”

“I won’t.”

She turns to Joanne and Ethan. Joanne’s chin wobbles, but she holds back the tears. Opens her arms, and Misty walks into them without hesitation.

“You know this doesn’t change anything,” Joanne says, her voice thick. “You’re still mine. No matter where you go.”

“I know,” Misty whispers.

Ethan clears his throat, rough. “I didn’t get to know you when you were little. But I see you now. And I’m proud of the woman standing in front of me.”

Misty blinks fast. “That means more than you know.”

Finally, she turns to Annabelle.

Annabelle tries to smile. “I’m not saying goodbye. Just… see you soon.”

They hug hard. Then Misty leans close and whispers something to her. Annabelle nods, wiping her cheek.

Misty climbs into Suzy—a gift from Eric. I made sure she’ll last at least a dozen more trips between Lords Valley and New York. The engine turns over, low and steady. She sits there for a moment, hands on the wheel, just staring at the orchard.

Then she drives.

We watch until she disappears over the ridge.

Joanne’s voice cracks. “I should’ve gone with her.”

Ethan wraps an arm around her waist. “She needed to do this on her own.”