by Chloe Morgan
Which was never necessary.
“Ashton, you ready?”
“Almost,” I said as I put in my earrings.
“We’re going to be late for the reservations,” Rhett said.
“No, we’re not. We won’t be ten minutes early like you always want, but we also won’t be late,” I said.
“You’d never survive in the military.”
“Which is why you’re in it,” I said, grinning.
It was nice to be back home, and Rhett shared my sentiment. We turned it into a road trip, and it was all we talked about. How good it felt to go back home after years of not ever wanting to be there. I smoothed my hands over my red dress before slipping into my heels. Then, I turned and faced Rhett as he stood there in the most perfect all-black suit.
“You look great,” I said, smiling.
“Don’t sound so shocked,” he said.
“Has my sister tried calling you yet? We’ve been in town for days and I haven’t heard from her.”
“If it makes you feel any better, Mom’s working some nasty shifts. So, I haven’t seen her either since we’ve been back.”
I sighed as I took his arm. He walked me out to his truck and opened my door for me like the true gentleman he was. We rode to the restaurant and we walked in, hand in hand. The restaurant was gorgeous, dimly lit with cloths on all the tables and candles that sparkled at every place setting. It was romantic. It was sophisticated. It was the last place I’d ever imagined Rhett being.
“Care to take a seat?” he asked.
He pulled out my chair for me, and I giggled. This was so out of character for him, and I ate up every second of it. I smiled as he ordered us a bottle of wine. I covered my mouth as he ordered for me, down to how I always took my steak. But then, a small plate with a little silver dome was set down in front of me.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Why don’t you take the dome off and see?” Rhett asked.
As I reached for it, I heard him shift. And when I removed the lid, I saw a beautiful sparkling diamond ring underneath it. I gasped as Rhett took my hand. I looked over at him, watching him get down onto one knee. Tears rushed my eyes as he smiled at me, his thumb smoothing over my skin.
“You’re my world, Ashton Carroll. My strength. My muse. You’re the person that fills me up before I have to go out there and deal with a bunch of testosterone-ridden men all day. I wake up to you every morning, and I have to remind myself I’m not dreaming. You complete me. From the day I first talked to you at fourteen and asked if you liked my haircut, your giggle drew me in. I thought you were the cutest thing. The most beautiful creature my little kid eyes had ever witnessed. And I want to be there for every milestone, every up, and every down.”
“Oh, Rhett,” I whispered as I wiped at my eyes.
“Ashton, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he asked.
I threw my arms around him, and I stood up with him. He planted me onto my feet, feeling me tremble as I nuzzled into the crook of his neck. He held me closely and kissed the side of my face. Rhett held me as tightly as he could, until we were both struggling to breathe.
Then, I pressed my lips against his ear.
“Yes, Rhett. I’ll marry you,” I whispered.
He picked me up and swung me around. A joyous laughter fell from his lips. Rhett held me to him with one arm and picked up the ring in his free hand. And when I stood on my feet again, he took my left hand and slipped the ring onto my finger.
“Way to go, Ashton!” Renee exclaimed.
“Wait a second, is that—?”
“Turn ’em up, boys!” Rhett yelled.
The lights of the restaurant came up, revealing those surrounding us in the darkness. Renee and her husband as they held their daughter. Lacey and some of the hospital staff she knew I had been close to. Milo and some of the waitstaff at the diner. They all stood around, clapping and whooping for us as Renee rushed me.
“I thought you were ignoring me!” I exclaimed.
“You know that’s not possible,” Renee said, sniffling.
“Congratulations, son,” Lacey said as she hugged Rhett.
“I’m best man, right? I didn’t put up with your shit all my life not to be best man,” Milo said, smiling.
“Come here,” Rhett said as he pulled him into a hug.
Everyone congratulated us. They surrounded us with love and showered us in praises. It felt good to be home. But more than that, it felt good to be making a home with the literal love of my life. Rhett looked over at me, and I looked at him, blowing him a kiss with those plump, crimson lips of mine.
He winked at me, watching a flush trickle from my cheeks to my neck.
“I love you,” he mouthed.
“I love you, too,” I mouthed back.
Our life was complete. That much I knew. And so long as Rhett stood by my side, I knew he’d never let me down again. Not now, not in the future, not ever.
He was there to stay.
For good.
The End
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About the Author
Chloe is a hometown girl from Tennessee who loves a great short romance, drinking coffee most of the day, and hanging out with family. When she's not writing, she can be found playing the piano or surfing Facebook!
Having been a reader all her life, she's hoping that you'll find yourself lost to time, laughing and falling in love all over again with her books.
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Don’t Walk Away
Copyright © 2019 by Chloe Morgan.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.
Editor: Sandra Depukat
Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn Digital Art