By the time I made it to my next hotel stop that evening at eleven, I was less than five hundred miles away from Seattle. I couldn’t believe how many miles I had covered in the past three days. The god of road trips must also be on my side because I had managed to avoid highway patrols and state troopers the entire way, which was good considering I hadn’t exactly been paying attention to the posted speed limits. I spent a few minutes talking to Justin on the phone before giving him the excuse that I was feeling a little under the weather to get off the phone. I felt like a kid in a toy store, eager to get what I wanted. Tomorrow I would claim my prize.
The next day I was less than fifty miles away when Justin called, and I couldn’t decide if I should answer. Choosing to wait one more hour for the big surprise, I let it go to voice mail again. I was pulling into the parking lot of his building when he called again. Gleefully, I answered the phone this time.
“Hello,” I said, climbing from my car.
“There you are. You’ve been hard to reach,” he said, sounding stressed.
“Sorry, it’s been a crazy couple of days,” I answered, climbing the steps to his condo.
“Anything I can help with?” he asked as I located his door.
“I think so,” I said, raising my fist to knock on his door. “I’m wondering about what you said to me the other night,” I added, knocking.
“I’ve been worried about that. Just a sec, someone’s at the door,” he said.
“I was wondering if you were serious about the love part?” I asked into the receiver, grinning broadly at him. He looked like he might pass out before gathering himself.
“Hell yes,” he answered, dragging me into his arms.
“That’s good, because I love you too,” I said, seconds before our lips came together.
Epilogue
“You ready, babe?” I called, closing my suitcase.
“Just about,” Justin said, looking up from the painting he was working on.
“Um, hon, you know we have to leave for the airport in twenty minutes?”
“I know. I just wanted to finish this,” he said, turning the painting so I could see. “What do you think?”
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, taking in the painting of the land we had purchased that week. It would be several years before we could afford to build the house of our dreams on it, but for now at least, the land was ours.
“You can see yourself growing old here?” Justin asked, sliding his arms around me.
“Only if you promise to mow all that grass,” I teased, looking down at the ring sparkling on my finger.
Justin had proposed on a cliché date, despite his vows not to. I had to admit though, it made for a memorable New Year’s Eve. At least he bucked the traditional route of a romantic dinner with onlookers. Instead, he popped the question just as the clock struck midnight beneath the stars while we sat in his jeep. Even though it was the middle of winter, he had removed the roof and doors for me and filled the jeep with heavy blankets. Wine and fine cuisine was traded for steaming cups of coffee and pizza from our favorite place. In the parking lot of Olympic Sculpture Park, with the stars shining down, I had just declared it the perfect way to spend New Year’s when Justin handed me a cup of coffee with something taped to the side. I had laughed with glee when I saw it was a ring.
Now, admiring the ring on my finger, I couldn’t believe how much my life had changed since leaving Woodfalls. I was engaged. I loved the school I was working at. Things had managed to come together after all.
“Ready?” Justin asked, pulling me back to the present.
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to see everyone.”
“Do you have your mom’s gift?” Justin asked, locking the door behind us.
“Yep, it’s packed in my suitcase,” I said, following behind him.
“Do you think she’ll like it?” he commented, loading up our bags.
“I told you a hundred times while you were painting it. You are a brilliant artist. Of course she is going to love it.”
“Well, brilliant might be a strong word. Masterful works though,” he replied.
“There’s the ego I know and love.”
The five-hour plane ride passed quicker than I expected, and before I knew it, we were driving past the Welcome to Woodfalls sign. I guided Justin down Main Street to Mom’s house. She had insisted we stay with her while we were in town. I conceded graciously, since our relationship had changed so much these past six months. It was ironic that I had fought the trip to Seattle for Melissa and Rob’s engagement party, and in the end it had changed so many aspects of my life.