Page 52 of Let It Breathe (The Can’t Have Hearts Club #1)

“Sounds like a fun read.” Jenna’s gaze shifted uncomfortably, and Reese wasn’t sure what that was about. She started to change the subject, but Kate hurried over and saved them.

“Okay, places everyone.” She jumped out of the way as Larissa swooped in with a tray. “Reese, let’s have you stand right over there by the bar. We’ve got just a couple more questions for you.”

“Right.” She walked to the corner, feeling itchy and awkward in her own skin.

Even after several of these on-camera interviews and a month of having cameras follow her around the property capturing footage, she still wasn’t used to being the center of attention.

“Do you want me holding anything or wiping down the bar or something?”

“Nope.” Kate gave her an odd little smile. “We’ll need you to keep your hands free. Just look natural, okay?”

“Um, okay.” Like it was natural to stand in the tasting room with a camera in her face, but okay. Sliding her gaze to Clay, she felt herself relax again.

Even after all these months of working together, living together, sharing their lives in such intimate ways, she still couldn’t believe how lucky she was. How many women got a second chance with the first man they’d ever loved? How many people overcame the kind of obstacles she and Clay had?

You’re one lucky bitch, she quietly told herself as she smiled at her boyfriend, then slid her gaze back to Kate. “Is this how you want me to stand?”

“That’s perfect.” Kate pointed to a guy with a gigantic bulb on a pole. “Let’s get just a little more fill light over here. That’s good, right there at waist level. Okay, we’re all set.”

All set? Reese turned the words over in her head, not sure if she was supposed to say something or do something or?—

“Reese Clark.”

She turned at the sound of Clay’s voice, then gasped at the sight of him kneeling before her. His eyes held a shimmer of hope.

His hand held a box with a ring in it.

“Oh my God.” She gasped again, looking from him to the ring, then back again. “Is this what I think it is?”

He nodded and gave her a tentative smile. “I know you’ve said you don’t need sweeping romantic gestures or some big proposal, but guess what, Reese?”

Her mouth felt too dry to form words, and her hands had started to shake. “What?”

“You deserve the big gesture.” Slipping the ring from the box, he held it out to her. “You deserve rainbows and romance and someone who sees you for the incredible person you are. A woman who loves fiercely—her family, her friends, her work—even orphaned opossums and squirrels with mange.”

Laughing, she blinked back an onslaught of tears. It was only last week that Clay helped her treat a trio of them with an anti-parasitic ointment. “Nothing says love like mange.”

He smiled and kept going, taking her hand to slide the ring onto her finger.

“I don’t know what I did to be the lucky bastard who gets to wake up each morning to a woman as smart and beautiful and kindhearted as you, but I can promise you this—if you’ll let me, I will spend every day of my life making sure your life is full of laughter and love and light and all the good things you deserve.

Reese, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

I’ve been in love with you since the first moment I laid eyes on you in that college classroom.

Through rough times and fun times, you’ve been my guiding light and the reason I’m excited to wake up each day just knowing you exist. Reese—” He paused, throat bobbing as he swallowed.

“Will you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?”

“Yes.” Tears slid down her cheeks as she clutched at his arms, hauling him up to his feet. “Oh my God, yes!” She laughed as she threw herself at him, hugging him so hard she heard his back crack.

Holy shit! She was engaged . And the way he’d just done it was so perfect, so right, so?—

Was that applause?

Drawing back to survey the room, she saw all her favorite people stepping out from behind barrels and stacked boxes of wine.

Her mother slipped out of the storage room, crying and laughing as Reese’s dad held her hand.

And Sheila—there she was with Eric’s arms around her, looking teary-eyed and truly happy for her. And Larissa with Dr. Wally and?—

“About fuckin’ time.” Axl stepped forward, grunting as he grabbed Reese’s hand. “That’s a damn nice ring. How much did that set you back, son?”

For crying out loud . “That’s rude, Grandpa .”

“What?” Axl huffed. “I’m an old man. Ain’t got time to pussyfoot around asking twenty questions when one will do fine.”

Reese gritted her teeth, then glanced at the ring.

“ Oh .” She hadn’t really looked at it before, but it was gorgeous.

Platinum, or maybe white gold—she knew zilch about jewelry.

The sparkly-but-modest diamond was set low so it wouldn’t snag on things.

Two smaller diamonds flanked it, and Reese couldn’t believe how perfect it was.

“It belonged to my grandmother,” Clay said softly. “I’ve had it all these years, hoping that someday, I could put it on your finger.”

“Oh my God, Clay. I love it so much.” Another round of tears rolled down her cheeks. Leave it to him to instinctively know much a family heirloom would mean to her. “And I love you .”

“Good.” Grinning, he embraced her again. “Because you’re about to be stuck with me for life.”

“And, cut!” Kate’s voice sliced through another quick clatter of applause. “I think we’ve got what we need.”

“Wait, what?” Reese drew back again, confused. “That was for the film?”

“Not exactly.” Clay laced his fingers through hers. “Like you said, the documentary was pretty much buttoned up, but Kate said something at that last meeting about wishing she had a happy ending to tack onto it.”

“Clay called me afterward.” Kate stepped over to join them. “He told me he wanted to propose to you, and asked if that might be the happy ending we needed.”

Reese drew a breath, glancing at him with a fresh wave of fondness. “No.”

“No?” He blinked in confusion. “We don’t have to use the footage if you want. Kate offered to film it so we’d have it for ourselves, but if you don’t want it in the documentary, she promised we don’t need to?—”

“No, I mean this isn’t the ending.” Smiling, Reese wrapped her arms around him again. “It’s just the beginning.”

Another round of applause rolled through the room, but Reese barely noticed. All she felt was Clay in her arms, the magic of the moment, and the perfect sensation that she’d gotten exactly what she’d wished for, even if she’d never dared to hope for it.

“I love you,” she whispered again.

“I love you, too.”

Behind them, Axl cleared his throat. “Someone want to let in that damn camel? He’s been butting his head at the door, trying to get in here. How about I just open the door?—”

“Stop!” Reese shouted the words at the same time Clay did, then laughed. “No head-butting crotches at our engagement,” she added. “But we’ll go outside and see Leon.”

Her family and friends moved aside, making a path for their exit. Reese drew in a joyful breath, glancing at Clay as they walked toward the door where the curious alpaca peered through the glass.

Glancing at Clay, Reese squeezed his hand. “You ready for this?” She wasn’t talking about petting Leon, and her new fiancé seemed to know it.

He squeezed her hand back with a smile. “With you, Reese, I’m ready for anything.”

***

Whooo, that scene choked me up a little. Not gonna lie, I got teary-eyed writing an epilogue nearly fifteen years after I first wrote the book. Don’t you love when things work out like they did for Reese and Clay?

Up next, you just got a peek at two major characters from the next story in the Can’t Have Hearts Club series, About That Fling .

Jenna McArthur is about to have one magical, passionate night with the one man she’ll learn is completely off limits .

. . no matter how hard they fall for each other.

Keep reading for an exclusive peek at chapter one!