by Fiona West
“It really is.” Starla smiled back. “And it’s about time.”
“Looks like we’re both making big life changes...”
Her smile didn’t dim. “I guess so.”
Ainsley shot out the doors as her friend chuckled. How many people are going to be at this thing, anyway? She couldn’t use the word proposal. Not yet. Her mind crackled trying to figure out what spot he’d pick for the culmination. Not that she was going to try to skip to the end; she wasn’t going to miss a moment of the adventure he’d planned for her. Full of nervous energy, she decided to just run to Philip’s . . . It was only half a mile. She arrived on his doorstep, damp and sweaty, hand out.
“Did something happen to your car?” he asked, concerned, but she shook her head, gasping for breath. Cooper bounced in front of her like he was on a trampoline, and she gratefully took the box from him.
“Thanks, kiddo.”
“I love her and it is the beginning of everything.” –F. Scott Fitzgerald
You’re getting close now! Find the place we first shared a piece of wedding cake.
“Do you want a ride back to your truck?” Philip asked, putting on his shoes.
“Let me guess, you’ve got somewhere important to be, but you can drop me on your way?”
Philip grinned, bouncing his eyebrows. “Coop, get your shoes on, dude! You’re not going to want to miss this.”
Ainsley climbed into Philip’s minivan in the passenger seat, and he dropped her off at the VA with a wave. She climbed back into her truck; the church was on the edge of town, by the river, up toward the falls. It would take a few minutes to get there. All the way there, she gripped the steering wheel tight, hoping like crazy this was her last stop.
Her heart fell a little when she saw Hattie, her hat dripping from the drizzle.
“Hello, Miss Ainsley,” she called. “Got something for you!”
“Am I getting close?” Ainsley called back, starting to despair.
Hattie chuckled. “This is the last one. Promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Ainsley muttered, pulling off the lid.
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” —Zora Neale Hurston
What happened here hurt you. Find me where the memes were made.
“Why?” she sniffled, wiping her cold nose, searching Hattie’s face. “Why did he pick the football field?”
“I spoke to him about that at length,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “But he was adamant. He said he wants to help you put the past behind you. He wants to make the place of your greatest humiliation a place of joy instead, seeing all your friends and family cheering the both of you on.”
So it wasn’t just a date . . . He was really going to do this, in front of everyone, in that place. It wasn’t like Ainsley hadn’t been back there; she’d been many times since then. She’d cheered on the Timber Falls Loggers on Fridays during football season for years. But it felt different this time. She was getting rid of her own ghosts, choosing to make new memories, choosing to trust a new partner. And she did trust him.
“You want a ride?” Ainsley asked her.
“Truth be told, yes, I do. I walked for fear there would be no parking.”
“How many people are coming to the end?” she asked.
“Well,” Hattie said slowly, as she climbed into the truck, “there was an email that went around to just about everybody. So I’d say a couple hundred, easy.”
“But surely they didn’t all . . .” Ainsley’s words cut off when she turned onto the street: Hattie’s fears had not been unjustified. It was full. Cars were parked up and down the street, leading up to the actual parking lot, which was also full.
“Go ahead and pull up to the front doors,” Hattie directed. “I happen to know there’ll be a spot for you up there.” In the spot designated for the teacher of the month stood Gary Buchanan, arms crossed, looking imposing. He moved aside for her, then opened her door.
“Took your sweet time, kiddo. I had to fight them off with a stick.”
She laughed and gave him a quick squeeze. “Is this legal?”
“My buddies at the station assure me that it is. Well, saving the spot is legal. I don’t know about some of the parking jobs of these people. I think that Tahoe might be blocking a fire hydrant . . .”
“Let’s get inside,” she said, starting into the gym, when he caught her arm.
“He’s on the field.”
“Still? In this weather?”
Gary shrugged. “He said it had to be on the field. Told everyone to dress warmly. Everyone except you, apparently.”
Her face hurt. It hurt, twisted hard by too many emotions. Grief, peace, delight, amusement, acceptance, love. So much love for this man. Without waiting for Hattie and her dad, she took off running for the football field; she couldn’t wait anymore. Kyle was pacing on the fifty-yard line, looking tense even from such a distance.
When the people filling the stands caught sight of her, they started cheering, and Kyle’s head snapped up, searching for her. She pounded across the field at a dead run to him, mud flicking up the back of her jeans, trying not to fall on the slick turf.
“You could’ve let them go into the gym,” she panted as she approached, but Kyle just took her in his arms and kissed her like he hadn’t seen her in a week instead of a few hours.
“Did you like my surprise?” he asked, nervously searching her gaze, and Ainsley laughed.
“Of course I did, I loved it.” She kissed him again. “Are you going to get down on one knee in the mud?”
He grimaced. “I think they’ll revolt if I don’t,” he said, casting a quick glance toward the hundreds of people in the stands, waving signs. “I regret inviting them.”
“No, you don’t,” she said, pulling him close by his jacket, her breath warming the space between them. “I know you don’t.”
“You’re right, I don’t. I wanted you to see how many people love you, Ainsley. It’s not just me, it’s all of us. I’m the one asking you to marry me today, but I’m also asking you to really see how much you mean to us. To all of us.”
He did drop to his left knee, making a face that the crowd was thankfully too far away to see clearly. Their noise ratcheted up another ten decibels. He pulled a ring off his pinky finger: a diamond solitaire.
“Ainsley Rose Buchanan, I love you. I know there are plenty of reasons you thought me getting closer to you was a mistake—we’re not all that alike, really. But you know what’s important in life, and you teach me new things every time we’re together.” He paused. “And you’re really, really beautiful. Like, anyone you see on TV? Garbage. That’s nothing compared to you. I really want to marry you and keep you right next to me forever and try to procreate together. So will you?”
She took a beat just to soak it all in, look around at all the love that was being poured out on her right at that second. Then she got down on her knees in the mud with him and nodded. Kyle slipped the ring on her hand with a grin, then kissed her again as the spectators rushed the field. Before she knew it, their “private” moment was gone, and they were being hauled up, slapped on the back, and handed a thermos of hot cocoa and a wool blanket. Kyle did allow the party to move inside now that she’d said yes, but he couldn’t stay long because of the noise. Ainsley left with him; that’s just where she wanted to be. With Kyle, from now on.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
THE NEXT FRIDAY, KYLE picked her up for the town meeting as promised. They were still in the parking lot when the well-wishers started up.
“Ainsley!” She turned to see Councilman Park striding toward her, his hand out. She shook his hand as he grinned at her. “Heard your big news. Congratulations!”
“Oh.” She blushed. “Thank you, Councilman Park.”
“I’m sure you’ll have a lot to do for your wedding, but I was wondering if you’d consider heading up the town’s birthday celebration this year. It shouldn’t be too much work . . .
Cindy Mellerman left all her notes from last year, but we really want to make it a special event . . .”
She opened her mouth to say yes, but caught Kyle’s grimace out of the corner of her eye. She turned toward him. He’d erased the displeasure from his face, which was back to a stony neutral, but it was too late. She’d already seen it. And he’s right. I’ve got nothing to prove. Not anymore. She turned back to Councilman Park.
“Oh, I’m sorry, but I just don’t have time. I hope it’s a wonderful event, and I’ll look forward to attending.”
His posture wilted. “Oh no. The other committee members will be so disappointed. I told them they’d have a ringer to help them; they’re all new at this, they’ve never even been to the event before. You’ve been such a pillar in the life of the town all these years, I was just sure you’d say yes . . .”
Ainsley bristled a little at that, but she smoothed her emotions down before she replied. “Yes, well, I’m going to be a pillar from the sidelines for a little while. It’s a needed change. Self-care and all that.”
“We need to go inside now,” Kyle said, taking her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “Nice to see you, Councilman Park.”
“Yes, well, congratulations again. Hope to be invited to the big day!”
“We’ll be sending out invitations later this month,” he said. “It’s likely that you’ll receive one.”
The short man beamed, nodding, then hurried away.
“We may need a bigger venue,” Kyle mused as he watched him go. “There are more people who want to attend than I anticipated. You’re a very popular person. I gave your parents a budget estimate based on the preliminary research that I’d done, but if we want this many people to attend, we may need to—”
Ainsley tugged his head down to her level and kissed him. It wasn’t much, just a moment of closeness, an implied thank-you. “Don’t worry about the budget,” she murmured. “My dad’s got it covered.”
“We don’t want to bankrupt him.”
“We won’t.” She kissed him again. “But thank you for the thought you’ve put into it.” Her words pleased him, she could tell. “Do we really need to go inside?”
“No. I was just proud of you for saying no, and it seemed like a good moment to slip away before you changed your mind.”
“Smart man.” She let him stand up straight, grinning, biting her lip. “Also, when you weren’t here, I agree to make Maggie a bridesmaid to make your mom happy.”
He threw up his hands. “But that throws off the numbers, because I only have three groomsmen! You agreed, you said that you’d ask Starla, Winnie, and your sister!”
“But then I added one more.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be even.”
Kyle stared at her, mouth gaping, then finally snapped it shut. “We have very different expectations.”
“So it would seem.” She nodded. “If you want to explain to your mom why Maggie can’t be a bridesmaid, that’s fine with me.”
His shoulders slumped. “No. I don’t. But I know Maggie doesn’t want to be involved in that way. She doesn’t like dressing up. What if we made her an usher or something? We already made Coop the ring bearer, and Philip and Daniel are groomsmen. Does everyone in my family need to be in the wedding party?”
“It’s nice to be loved, isn’t it?”
“I can be loved from a distance. In fact, it’s my preferred method.”
“Even with me?” She grinned at him, and he gave her a begrudging smile.
“No. Not with you. You, I want to keep right next to me, not only so that you’ll quit messing up my wedding. But you’re the only one.”
She put her hands on her hips in mock consternation. “Messing up your wedding?”
“Did I stutter?”
“No,” she laughed. “But isn’t it mine, too?”
“You are essential, but I have dibs. I’ve been thinking about it much longer.”
“I see,” she said. “Well, in that case, I get to plan the honeymoon.”
His eyes flared with interest. “No. I should have some input . . .”
“Nope. This is great, this is perfect. You plan the wedding, I’ll show up for the dress fitting, just let me know when. And I’ll plan the honeymoon, don’t worry about it. Even division of labor.”
“Someone told me life isn’t about fairness.”
“She sounds smart. Pack a swimsuit. There will be a water park.”
“What? No, Ainsley. I don’t want to get dragged up and down the coast on our honeymoon; all I want to do is stay in and . . .” His voice trailed off, and he glanced around to see who was listening.
“Yes?” she prompted. “You want to stay in and what? Do puzzles? Play chess? Good, I already put that stuff on the list, too.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” he grumped. “You’re impossible. You cannot manipulate me with sex.”
“Pretty sure I can, actually.” She licked her bottom lip suggestively, and he pressed closer into her. “Let Maggie be in the wedding, or you’ll have to go down a water slide inside a defunct airplane in McMinnville. It’s approximately two hours from where we’re staying. Each way.” Ainsley relished the ensuing staring contest. It was the only time she really got his full gaze, when he was trying to change her mind. It was lucky for her that her dragon only used his powers for good, because his pretty brown eyes were certainly mesmerizing her.
Shaking his head, he pulled out his phone. “I guess I could ask Greg Trout in order to even up the numbers. But we’re not really that close . . . Maybe my cousin Jack would do it.”
“Or we could ask Sawyer.”
“Sawyer?”
“Yeah, you know, my cousin, Sawyer. Tall, blond, flannel, muscles.”
“Oh, right. I know him.” His gaze went distant as he thought. “Yes. That would be fine. He has a family connection, and I find his company very tolerable.”
“He hardly says anything.”
“Exactly. He’ll be fine. I approve.”
“And my mother and my aunt Rhea will be happy, because he won’t be able to find an excuse not to come.” She squeezed him around the waist. “Are you sure we can’t elope?”
“Positive. This is how it’s done. Rituals are important.”
“You’re right. About this. Not about everything.”
He kissed her again. “Now, speaking of rituals, about this honeymoon . . .”
EPILOGUE
THREE YEARS LATER
“Are you ready? Are you pumped? Are you jazzed? Are your muscles warm? Do you want me to rub your shoulders? I think that’s a thing people do before races. Do you want me to hold your sweatshirt? Is your number on securely enough?” Ainsley peppered Fawzia with questions, and the eleven-year-old girl made eye contact with her husband meaningfully.
“I know,” Kyle said. “I’m sorry. She has a lot of energy these days. Please be patient with her.” His own patience had been stretched thin the last few weeks, ever since school had let out. Now that they were done turning Daniel’s old room into the nursery, it seemed his wife had nothing to do. His impression had been that pregnancy made women tired and lethargic. He should’ve known that would not apply to his favorite go-getter. Starla had suggested that she do a daily summer story time, and he owed her big time for that. He was half-tempted to go back to working nights, just until the babies were born . . .
Ainsley rubbed her seven-month pregnant belly resentfully. “Excuse you, I’m just being supportive. Unlike you.”
“How am I not being supportive?” Kyle adjusted his red Stanford baseball hat. “I’m here, standing in the sun, ready to watch. That’s supportive.”
“You’re squelching my enthusiasm,” Ainsley announced too loudly, and several people around them chuckled. Kyle rolled his eyes.
“Back up, Miss B,” Fawzia instructed, shooing her away from the starting line. “I’ll be fine.”
Kyle gently urged her back into the stands. They sat on the metal bleachers of the high school. Th
eir engagement here seemed like ages ago. So much had happened since then. Twins. He still couldn’t quite get over the shock; they didn’t know yet if they were identical or fraternal, but they were both boys. Now he’d have to get her pregnant again to get a girl as well—not that that was a hardship. However protective he’d felt of Ainsley before they were married was nothing compared to now, with her pregnant with their boys. He would soon have three lives to care for. The very idea had his leg bouncing rapidly again, shaking the metal bench.
Ainsley put a hand on his knee. “Are you nervous for her? I know it’s her first race, but I think she’ll do great.”
He took a deep breath and let it out slow, trying to calm himself down.
“I’m sure she will,” he agreed. Ainsley had set all this up, as usual. A kids’ run had never been part of the Fourth of July before, but now it would be. See? Not all change is bad. Not all unexpected things are unwelcome. Twins will be fine. We’ll all be fine. If I can live with Ainsley’s mess and unpredictability, I can be a father. I can do this.
“Why aren’t Bilqiis and Abshir here yet? They’re going to miss it!”
Kyle scanned the crowd with her; two dark heads, one covered, were down front. “There they are.” Ainsley stood up to see better just as the starting gun went off.
She squealed, bouncing up and down, holding up her sign, which read “That’s my friend!” He’d rolled his eyes last night when she’d explained to him that it had to be appropriately “rainbow-fied” when he was trying to get her to come to bed at a decent time. But now, he had to begrudgingly agree: it certainly stood out. Kyle hugged her just to keep her from jumping. He was far more used to PDA now, but it was still mostly utilitarian out here. Behind closed doors was another story . . .
“Go, Fawzia! Run, run, run!” There was no reason for her to shout so loudly. The girl had a significant lead, and she was definitely going to win. When she crossed the finish line, Kyle braced himself for Ainsley to go nuts, screaming and clapping. When she was silent, he turned to her; she was crying, fat tears running down her beautiful cheeks. He took her face in both hands.