One and Only

Charlotte

He raised my hand to his lips over the console and kissed the back. “Want to stop at Holloway’s for a drink before we go home?”

“Sure, why not? We can sit in our booth and reminisce. Nostalgia doesn’t feel bad anymore, not when I have you back in my life.”

He turned and winked at me. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way.”

“Good. I want to make you happy, Cade.”

“You do.” He swung into the Holloway’s parking lot and found a space up front.

I followed him inside to our spot. Savannah waved to us from behind the bar as we slid into the back corner booth where so many of our memories together had been made.

Our eyes met and he smiled as he reached into his pocket then slid a black velvet ring box onto the table, opening it to reveal an emerald cut engagement ring. It twinkled in the light, and I burst into tears.

I’m not a big crier. But anyone would cry over this.

This man.

This ring.

This perfect moment that I was lucky to share with him twice.

“Oh, you!” I burst into tears. “Cade . . .”

“Stop crying so I can ask you.” He chuckled and wiped my tears away with a thumb.

“Can’t do it. Ask me anyway. I’m sure I can choke out a yes.”

“Charlotte Keli Cassidy-Barrett for life—will you make me the happiest man on the planet and marry me again?”

I opened my mouth, and a huge ass sob came out of it instead of a yes. I fluttered my fingers in front of my face and nodded my head while I tried to answer him again. But I had no words. I sputtered out another sob and covered my mouth with my hand.

I, Charlotte Cassidy, an author who wrote words for a damn living, couldn’t manage to say the one word that would change my life in all the best ways.

“Baby . . .” He pulled me close and kissed the crown of my head. “I love you so much.”

“Yes,” I whispered against his broad chest as he held me. “Yes. I love you!”

He pulled back and took my hand, and as my shoulders shook and the tears flowed, he slid the most perfectly gorgeous emerald cut ring on my finger.

And I lost my damn mind, I couldn’t see through the tears, I couldn’t talk through the lump in my throat. I couldn’t even think, I was so happy.

Something had broken inside of me. Like a dam had burst and all the feelings I’d been denying over the years I’d spent without him came flooding out—relief, joy, happiness. But mostly, it was the simple gratitude that I was able to follow my heart home to Sweetbriar and let it lead me back to him.