by Heather Lyn
“This is so good,” I mumble around a mouthful of potatoes.
“My mom’s recipe. She swears by them.”
“Yeah, well remind me to thank her sometime for teaching you to cook.”
“Oh stop.” She blushes, throwing a cloth napkin at me.
“Never.”
Lindsey laughs, taking a sip of her wine, and I smile. Closing my eyes while I sip from own wine, I realize I’ve never felt so sure of anything in my entire life.
§
“Okay, now this is amazing.”
Getting comfortable next to Lindsey in the hot tub, I have to agree with her. Facing the mountains, all you can see are stars shining and the steam lifting from where we sit. Moving so I can wrap my arm around her shoulders, she leans her head against me and sighs.
“Hey, Linds?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you ever have moments where you can just see everything right in front of you, but it’s twenty years down the road and you just know it’s all you want?”
“What do you mean?” she asks, moving so she can look up at me.
“Let me try again. Do you ever think about the future? Many years down the road, far into the future, I mean.”
“I suppose I do. Doesn’t everyone?”
“I would hope so. What do you see?” I ask. Reaching for the small box I hid under the lid of the hot tub, I slowly and carefully pop it open, sliding the contents into my palm.
“I see you, Brody. I see our life, filled with children and dogs and vacations to Disney World. Sometimes it’s three kids, sometimes it’s four. But the only thing that stays the same is you. It’s always you, Brody Walker. And it always will be.”
Cupping her face with my free hand, I kiss her gently, gliding my other under the water so I can find her left hand.
“You’re all I see too, Linds. Every day since that night we met has been pushing us to where we are now, to this beautiful life we’re sharing together.”
Her eyes meet mine, and without breaking contact, I slip the ring I bought last week onto her left hand, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise.
“You want to know the only thing I want in this world, Linds?”
“What?” she whispers, eyes sparkling with tears.
“I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me, baby?”
Lindsey starts crying as she lifts her hand out of the water. On her left ring finger is a two-carat pear-shaped diamond on a simple platinum band. Simple yet beautiful, just like the woman sitting in my arms. Through her tears she smiles, then gently leans forward to kiss me, holding onto my shoulders.
“Yes,” she whispers, the salty taste of her tears on our lips. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Brody.”
“I love you so much.”
Her arms wind tight around my neck as we kiss under the stars.
If someone told me there was nothing more beautiful in this world than a clear night with a million stars in the sky in the mountains of Tennessee, I’d have never believed them.
But now, staring into the eyes of the woman who just agreed to spend the rest of her life with me, I’d tell them they’re wrong. That’s not the most beautiful sight in the world.
Lindsey Taylor is.
EPILOGUE
Lindsey
I’ve never believed in love at first sight. And I’ve most certainly never believed in finding ‘the one.’ But if those things don’t exist, then Brody Walker can’t exist. I may not have fallen in love with him the second we met, but somehow he became a part of my soul that night. It was like fate knew we needed each other, that we would become something bigger than either of us ever could’ve imagined.
I love Brody in a way I never thought possible. I ache when he’s not with me; I don’t feel complete. And when he’s with me, I feel whole, like I could do anything in this world because I have a man like Brody Walker holding my hand and loving me.
Brody is my best friend, my protector, my confidant. He makes me strong when I feel weak, and when he’s feeling lost, I’m his northern star. His guide. We make each other better, and I plan on spending the rest of my life telling him just how much better he makes me.
Every time I see the shine of my engagement ring, I’m reminded of just how much he loves me. Of how much I love him.
I wear my ring as a symbol of us. After all, it’s just like us.
Simple, and yet so damn beautiful.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My husband: You are without a doubt the best thing to ever happen to me. You’ve been my best friend for ten years and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My betas: Heather, Janell, Nancy. Thank you for your dedication, your love, your friendship, and your hearts. I would genuinely be lost without you all and I can’t imagine doing this book thing with anyone else. Love you ladies something fierce.
Heather: I love you and my Mady more than life. Thank you for being the best friend a girl could have.
Leaona, Kathy, Heidi: You ladies are the best parts of this industry. I know that I’ve found my crew. My team. I love you!
Marcie: Such a beautiful soul, and I get to call you my best friend. Love you always.
Stacey: My boo, I love you so much. You inspire me every single day.
Tracy: One of the best people I’ve met. You’re going places, and I love you.
Kristin: You take my words and you turn them into what they are. Thank you for being the best editor ever! You rock, girl.
Teri & Renee: I love you guys so much. I cherish our friendships and you mean so much to me.
Melissa: I love you and your amazing work. My covers wouldn’t be the same without you.
Juliana: You are the best. Period. Thank you for slaying my formatting. Every time.
Christopher John: Your talent is undeniable, and I’m so proud to call you my friend. I love you hard.
Gus: Thank you for this cover. A million times over. You took my vision for Brody and you made it come to life. It was a privilege and I wish you nothing but the best.
My ARC Team: I love you all. Thank you for loving my books.
My Lovelies: You blow me away with the love and support. I adore you.
My Readers: Without you, I’m just a girl with a laptop and way too many voices in my head. Thank you for being the best of the best.
XO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in New England, Heather Lyn lives in Southern Maine with her husband and son. When she doesn’t have her nose in a book, you can generally find her listening to country music or drinking coffee. Proficient in sarcasm, she enjoys bringing as much life to her books as she can. With a lifelong love of reading and storytelling, she decided to try her hand at self-publishing in 2016, when she released her debut novel.
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