Southbound
Page 13
I laughed a little bit. “So you’re building this museum, and hoping that I’ll stay to help you--or something like that?”
“I’m hoping that you’ll have a reason to stick around, to watch it being built--and maybe save some of your grandmother’s ashes to put into the foundation,” Gage said. “I think that would be a fitting tribute to her, don’t you? And maybe--since you’re a writer--you can help write up some of the museum programs, or something.”
“That actually sounds pretty great,” I said, thinking about it. “I can’t promise I’ll be here forever, you know.”
“I know,” Gage said. “But I think we both deserve to give this a real chance--and if giving you a reason to stay here for a while longer gives us that, then how bad can it be?”
Roscoe wagged his tail, thumping it against my legs as if he was trying to persuade me, too.
“I’m in,” I said, nodding and tapping the folder against my leg. “I want to stay.”
Gage reached for my hand and I gave it to him; the next moment he pulled me in for a kiss, and I kissed him back, reveling in his touch and warmth. I wanted to do much more than kiss him—my body urged me to take things further. I pulled back from the kiss as the thought occurred to me.
“Is something wrong?” Gage looked concerned.
“I was just thinking,” I said, licking my lips, still able to taste him there. “Maybe once there’s a building on the property, we could sort of...break it in? It will be private property, after all.”
Gage chuckled and kissed me lightly on the lips again.
“Until then, if you’re feeling that frisky, we should head back to the house,” he said. “I don’t want to have to deal with the cops a second time today.”
We laughed, and he pulled me to my feet. I was only too eager to follow him back toward his house.
I was sure that Grandma would completely approve of me staying put in Key West to see the project through--and to see where my relationship with Gage would go. In less than the amount of time it had taken for my whole life to go pear-shaped, it had--at least it seemed--gone in a totally different direction than I had been expecting, but one that I was more than okay with.
All because of a promise to my grandmother.
Epilogue
Gage
I looked around the little building on the property I had purchased a year before, taking in all of the touches. It looked absolutely beautiful to me, and there were only two people in the world--me and Aspen--who knew just how beautiful it was, just how significant. A few months ago, we’d gone late at night, after everything died down along Duval Street and all the tourists had gone to bed, and scattered Aspen’s grandmother’s ashes along the still-wet first layer of foundation, where they’d sink in just enough to be hidden before the second layer went down the next morning. As long as the foundation stood, the little museum we’d built together would be her final resting place, right in the area where she’d met the love of her life.
I checked my pockets to make sure the tiny box was still on me, then walked over to the windows to look at the patio area in the front. Aspen was outside, putting the finishing touches on some of the last-minute decorations before we officially opened the museum to the public. That night we were hosting a private event, invitation only--champagne, hors d’oeuvres, the whole thing--to really open the place for the island, but first we were going to let the public come in and see what we’d built together.
I stopped short of the door; just off to one side there was a set of shelves, and on those shelves were the books we planned to sell. Coming Soon: My Grandmother’s Key West, by Aspen Blake. I smiled to myself at the little sign. Aspen had gotten even more invested in the project than I had expected, taking the inspiration I’d given her by starting up the museum and running with it, working on a biography of her grandmother’s trips to the island throughout her adult life, and what had changed over time. It had been more than enough of a project for her--and something to take her mind off of having to testify against Brad in the false report case, which had wrapped up within three months. Brad was unlikely to ever want to come to Key West again.
“I think we’ll have people coming in soon,” Aspen said, stepping through the door and wedging it open to make things official.
“Then I should probably do this quickly,” I told her.
“Do what?” Aspen frowned, confused.
I slipped my hand into my pocket and took the little box out, dropping down to one knee in front of her and opening the box up to reveal the ring I’d bought--as secretively as I could--while Aspen was at the public library doing research, months before.
“Aspen Blake, you have totally changed my life,” I said, looking up at her. “I wouldn’t have built this museum if not for you, and if not for you I might never have found out that I didn’t have to push Leah’s memory out of my mind to move on with my life. Will you marry me?”
Aspen’s eyes widened as she looked from my face to the ring and back again.
“This ring had to have cost you a fortune,” she said, sounding playful and doubtful at the same time. I chuckled.
“I am not telling you how much it cost, only that it was a tiny fraction of what I have,” I said.
“That could be anything!” She shook her head, but she was smiling. “A million dollars is a tiny fraction of what you have.”
“It is not a million-dollar ring. I promise you that,” I told her.
She shook her head again and smiled. “As long as you promise me that we aren’t going to have some crazy, huge, multimillion-dollar wedding.”
“I promise you--we’ll go elope on the Dry Tortugas if you want,” I assured her.
“In that case, yes, I will marry you,” Aspen said, smiling wide and blinking back tears.
I got to my feet, tugging the ring free of the box and taking her hand in mine to put it on her ring finger. I kissed her, pulling her close to me, pressing her body against mine, and I knew that there was nothing that would ever pull us apart again.
“Excuse me?” a voice called.
I pulled away from Aspen to see that there were some curious tourists peeking into my little museum.
“Yes, we’re open,” Aspen said, smiling at them. “Sorry about that--he just proposed.”
“Oh no--we’re sorry for interrupting,” the woman in the tourist group said. “If you’d rather have privacy…”
“No, please come in, we’re open,” I told them. “You’ll be our first museum visitors. Welcome!”
“What kind of museum is this, exactly?” one of them asked.
I let Aspen take over and stepped back as she explained the function of the museum. I watched her, smiling to myself. Even six months before, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible for me to be happier than I was; but knowing that not only would Aspen be here to stay, but that she would be my wife, made me so happy I almost couldn’t stand it.
I stepped outside to let Aspen do her thing, and looked out at the property I’d bought. Only a small investment--in the grand scheme of things--but it had brought me so much more.
I couldn’t wait for the wedding, which I was already hoping we could have on these premises. I thought it would be the perfect way to honor the woman who’d brought us together, and I was sure that Aspen would agree.
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