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thirty-seven

Penelope

I ’m so excited. That was the best interview I’ve ever had.

“No, Eloise, she’s amazing,” I tell her as I’m driving back. As soon as I got in the car, I had to call her.

“I know, Nicole is great. So tell me about the job!”

I launch into the description of how her company works differently from other online design businesses. She has been doing this forever and really knows her niche. I’ll be working with higher end budgets and also some that need thrifting. Everything we do is custom and really creative.

“I’m just so excited.”

“And you don’t have to move? I know Nicole is in Tampa, so I didn’t know ...”

“Nope! Since it’s all online, it means I can do it from Ember Falls.”

Eloise squeals. “That’s amazing. Hell, I may go back to work for her.”

“You should!”

“Not yet, but I’m so happy for you!”

It’s been such a whirlwind of life changes. I’m living with my boyfriend-slash-fiancé that I can’t tell anyone I’m engaged to. Kai is thriving in school, and I’m going to go back to working in a field I genuinely love.

All of it feels too good to be true.

“Thank you again,” I say to her as relief and joy wash over me.

“No thanks needed, Penny. All of this is great, and it means that you’ll stay in Ember Falls, which is the best news ever. I think my brother would lose his mind if he thought you were leaving.”

“I would never take the job if I had to do that.”

Leaving Miles isn’t an option. I love that man with my soul, and having almost lost him once makes me never want to experience that again.

I’d do any job if it means I stay here. Although I know he’d move if I really wanted to go somewhere else, but I’d never ask him to do that. Ember Falls is just as much my home as it is his, and I can’t see myself growing old anywhere else.

She chuckles softly. “My brother is a lucky man.”

“I think we both win.”

“You know, I always worried about Miles,” Eloise says with concern in her voice. “He loves so deeply, but always held a part of himself back. I know that losing our parents wasn’t easy. Although we never knew our mom, we knew her through Gran. He struggled so much with thinking that having a family and being vulnerable was a risk that he didn’t think was worth it, even though he knew how happy I am with Doug.”

I stay silent for a second. “Do you think he’s happy now?”

“Beyond happy, Penny. He’s ... I don’t even know what to say he is because I’ve never seen the man like this. You really changed him. You and Kai. So, what I guess I’m trying to say in a very long-winded way is ... thank you. Thank you for making Miles see that love and family isn’t a risk, but a reward that never ends.”

I’m not sure what in the world she’s thanking me for. I didn’t give him anything, but the sincerity in each word settles over me. “He’s given me the same, and I’m just thankful we found each other.”

“Me too.”

Cora wails in the background and Eloise sighs heavily. “It never ends. Give me a call tomorrow. Maybe we can grab lunch?”

“I’d love that.”

“Great. Talk soon! ”

She hangs up and I send a text to Miles that I’m on my way, but he doesn’t reply.

Strange.

He might be at the rink, though. It’s Thursday, and they always do that. He did say before I left that he had to work and couldn’t do their usual plan.

I finish the rest of the drive, bopping in the car, singing to some of my favorite songs, not caring that I look ridiculous as I pass people on the highway. Nothing can top this mood.

I pull into the driveway, and Miles’s truck is there, but I never got a text back. Oh, well, I can tell him face-to-face.

“I got the job!” I yell as I walk in the house. Only I’m met with silence. “Hello? Boys?”

What the heck?

I walk into the kitchen, no sign of them. “Miles? Kai?”

My heart starts to race and anxiety fills me.

“Miles! Kai!” I scream again. They’re probably playing a video game with those headphones on.

Then I hear a tapping on the window outside. “Mom!”

I jump, my hand flying to my chest, and I let out a breath.

Kai runs off, and I take it that I should go out there since no one is coming in.

After I get my heart under control, I head to the back door and slide it open.

As soon as I do, my chest is tight for a whole other reason.

There is the potted tree and a hole that’s surrounded by candles. Beside it stand both Miles and Kai, dressed in slacks and matching shirts.

“What’s all this?” I ask, stepping deeper into the yard.

Miles walks forward. “I asked you to plant this tree and let the roots grow, but you weren’t ready then, were you?”

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“Are you ready now?”

I smile and look over at Kai, who is grinning. “I am.”

“Then I think we should plant the tree and let it grow together.” Miles winks and then drops to his knee.

Oh God. He’s proposing. Now.

Even though he’s done this already and I’ve said yes, I’ve been hoping this would come soon. Between his finger and thumb is the ring that comes out only when he needs to be reminded that I’m with him—always.

He explained that he was going to approach it with Kai soon, and I agreed that it was time. I just didn’t know it would be today.

Miles takes my hand in his. “Penelope Miller, my life was just fine before I met you. I had a great job, home, friends, and was a world-renowned Ultimate Frisbee player.” I laugh and then suck in a breath as my tears come. “I thought I had it all. I thought I knew what true contentment felt like, and then you came into my life. That’s when I realized that I had nothing. All of those things were menial without someone to share it with. From the first day I met you, trying to lace up hockey skates and refusing to believe we were dating, the storm, our first date, to when I came to find you, I knew that you were the only person in this world I would want beside me.” He kisses the top of my hand, and then I sink to my knees with him. “You are my here, my now, my forever. Marry me?”

I look over at Kai, who is grinning so wide, and he has a sign in his hand that reads Say yes .

I laugh through my tears and nod quickly. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He slides the ring that his grandfather gave his grandmother onto my finger, where it will stay until the end of time.