Page 117 of Middle Ground

His lips twitch in amusement. “I was going to wait until later, but I suppose it isn’t a surprise anymore.”

“Wait, let me turn around. We’ll start over.” I spin again, giving him my back. He laughs, but I can hear him comingcloser. I resist the urge to bounce on my toes in excitement. “Ready?”

“Ready,” he says.

This time when I turn, I find Jackson holding something between his thumb and forefinger. The ring glints in the summer sunshine. The oval stone is a gleaming sapphire that sits on a thin gold band, small clusters of diamonds on either side of it.

And it looks familiar.

“Is that—?” I point toward the ring as my eyes shine. “That’s Cherie’s.”

Jackson nods. His throat bobs as he swallows his emotion. “It is. Along with the inn, she also left me her ring.” He shakes his head, though a wistful smile stretches his lips. “She was always scheming.”

My mother had said as much, but I didn’t truly believe it until this moment.

He looks down at the ring for a moment, then back up at me. “She knew what it took me a while to see. She sent me to Dog Days knowing that I would find you. Hoping that I would be smart enough to understand.”

“Understand what?” I whisper.

“That you and me belong together. That our strengths are complimentary. That slowing down was exactly what I needed.”

Logically, I know what’s about to happen, but I still feel a wave of shock when Jackson lowers himself to one knee on the blanket. My heart pounds harder now.

“When I came to Fraisier Creek last April, I had no idea what I would be getting myself into. How tangled up in youand this town I would become. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you, Meyer, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. It would be an honour to be your husband.”

My heart stutters as tears well in my eyes. “Jackson…”

“Marry me, baby,” he says. “Let’s make a life together.”

I nod, a couple tears now sliding down my face. “Yeah, okay,” I say through a sniffle. “I’ll marry you.”

I grip Jackson by the shirtfront and haul him to his feet. Then I drag his mouth to mine, sealing our agreement. This time last year, I never would have dreamed this would be my reality. That Jackson Vaughan, myfiancé, would be holding me in his arms. That everything would feel so right.

We eventually pull apart, and Jackson dries the tears on my cheeks. Then he takes my hand, and I suck in a breath. The ring slides over my knuckle with ease, resting at the base of my finger, the perfect fit.

“I’m not changing my name,” I warn. Ellison means too much to me to give up.

He laughs. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

I grin, letting the giddiness I tried to curb finally break free. With a small squeal, I launch myself at my fiancé, my arms snaking around his waist. His arms fold around me in turn, his chin resting on top of my head.

“I love you,” I say.

“I love you, too, baby,” he replies. “Do you want some wine?”

I shake my head, pulling back from his embrace. “There’s something else Iwant first.”

“Yeah?” His brows raise, a sly smile spreading across his face. “What’s that?”

Planting my hands on his chest, I start backing him closer to the creek. Now, he looks down at me in confusion. Once we’re close enough, I shove him with all my strength. He lands in the water, ass first and fully clothed.

When he comes up for air, shaking out his wet hair, I grin.

“Payback, honey,” I say.

And then I peel off my clothes and jump into the water after him.