Page 37 of For My Finale

“Oh, God,” said Lilah. “No, wait, that came out wrong. I meant…” She took a breath. “Come and sit down. ”

Lilah turned and went to the couch, hearing Blossom following her. She sat down, knotting her fingers together in her lap, wondering just how to begin.

“I already know,” Blossom said.

“Wait, what?” said Lilah.

“I saw Margot this afternoon. I already know what you want to talk about.” Blossom was pale and there was tension in her shoulders.

“You do?” asked Lilah.

Blossom didn’t look at her. She took a deep breath, blew it out, then said, “You want to go back to Hollywood.”

There was a beat of silence, then Lilah let out a startled laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Blossom asked, finally looking at her.

“You,” Lilah said, shuffling a little closer.

“Do you really think that I’d want that?

” She put her hand on Blossom’s leg, all her nerves suddenly disappearing.

“Blossom, my love, do you honestly think I’d rather be anywhere else?

This is perfect. We’re perfect. I don’t want to change that, I never want to change that. ”

“You don’t?” The relief on Blossom’s face was obvious. “But then why have you been sneaking around, what’s going on?”

Now Lilah did hesitate. But it was now or never.

“Alright, I have been sneaking around,” she admitted.

“But it was only because I wanted to be sure before I said anything. I’ve been offered a role.

In London. It’s a play, a new production, something really special.

” She cleared her throat. “And I want to take it.”

Blossom didn’t say anything right away. She was watching Lilah closely, as if searching for something. “Then… what’s the problem?” she said at last.

Here was the hard part. Lilah’s stomach clenched. “You.”

Blossom’s eyebrows shot up. “Me?”

Lilah bit her lip and nodded. “Blossom, I love our life here. The bookshop, the village, waking up to you every morning. It’s everything I never knew that I wanted. And I don’t want to do anything that might screw that up. I don’t want to be greedy.”

“Lilah— ”

But Lilah wasn’t done. “I could commute. It’s not that far. But it’s still time away from you. And I don’t want to leave if…” She took a deep, shaky breath. “I mean, I’ll only leave if there’s a guarantee that you’re here when I get back.”

???

Blossom stared at Lilah, her heart hammering in her chest.

And the only thing she could think of was that Ives had been right.

She’d spent days worrying about this, and it was nothing, really nothing. In fact, it was amazing. She loved Lilah with all her heart, but she knew that Lilah belonged on a stage, she knew that Lilah would thrive with something more creative to do.

She felt her face crack into a smile, she squeezed Lilah’s hand. “Of course you should take it. It’s an incredible opportunity. You’ll be brilliant and I’ll buy tickets to see you every night.” She paused. “Wait, a guarantee? Lilah, I’m not going anywhere, you have to know that.”

Lilah squeezed her hand right back. “I think I know. But I need to know for absolute sure,” she said. And Blossom could feel that Lilah’s hand was shaking. “Which means there’s only one thing that can happen now.”

And then, before Blossom could fully process what Lilah had said, Lilah let go of her hands, only to slide off the couch and sink down onto one knee. Blossom lost the ability to breathe.

“I’ve spent so much of my life chasing things,” Lilah said. “Chasing fame, chasing movies, chasing the next big thing. Until my life seemed empty. And then I came here.”

Blossom felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

“I came here and I found belonging and meaning, I found a community and a life. But most of all, I found you. And…” Lilah paused, blinked, and swallowed, before looking at Blossom with big green eyes again.

“And I love you, Blossom. I love you with all of my heart in a way I didn’t even know that I could love so meone. ”

Blossom finally let her tears free, she couldn’t hold them back.

Lilah’s smile softened. “And it would make me complete if you’d agree to be my wife.”

There wasn’t a second of thought. “Yes. Yes, of course, yes.”

And then Lilah was pulling them both up, cupping Blossom’s face in both hands, kissing her fiercely. Blossom melted into it, clutching at Lilah’s shirt, warmth and happiness flooding through her.

The kiss deepened, growing more heated, more needy. Blossom’s fingers curled into Lilah’s hair, and Lilah’s hands slid down to Blossom’s waist, pulling her in closer… and then there was a crash.

They broke apart with a startled gasp.

“What the hell was that?” Lilah said.

Blossom, still dazed from the kiss, could only shake her head. Then another loud thump came from the kitchen.

They exchanged looks before sprinting toward the noise. And the sight that greeted them made Blossom groan.

Billy had somehow managed to shove his whole head through the open kitchen window, sending potted plants flying. There was dirt everywhere. Lilah burst out laughing.

“I swear I’m going to get George to lock him up,” Blossom said.

“Oh, come on,” said Lilah, reaching under the sink to get Billy his carrot. “Don’t be too harsh. If it weren’t for Billy stalking me that day, we might never have ended up together.”

“Are you seriously suggesting that we thank a bull?” Blossom asked, hands on her hips.

“Well, we could let him live in the garden,” Lilah said. “Make him a little house or something.”

Blossom snorted despite herself. “He’d eat us out of house and home.”

“Well, maybe he can just come to the wedding then,” said Lilah. “We’ll put a garland around his neck.” She turned to Blossom. “You are sure, right?”

Blossom felt her heart swell up three sizes. “Of course I am,” she said, walking over to take Lilah into her arms. “I wouldn’t have things any other way.” She pulled back to look Lilah in the eyes. “I might have to take your poster off my bedroom wall though, keeping it would be weird.”

Lilah’s eyes sparkled with light and her lips were soft and perfect and Blossom let herself fall back into their kiss, let her eyes close and her dreams all come true.

Billy snorted, sensing that attention had shifted away from him, and ambled back toward the garden gate.

He received a wedding invitation two months later, which he promptly ate.

He also ate the garland that Blossom ordered for him to wear to the wedding.

And a tablecloth. And Lilah’s bouquet, which she tossed to a waiting crowd.

Then he chewed on a journalist’s jacket and was taken home by an irate George.

All of which meant that he was featured on the front page of most newspapers the next day. Right under the headline announcing that someone had finally captured Lilah Paxton’s heart.