Southern Devotion (Southern Heart 4)

“It is.”

“You bought me a gazebo?”

“Well, I built it. Me and the guys.”

“I wanna see it,” she says, then takes off running down the hill, her laughter following her. I go after her and reach her just as she stops in front of the new gazebo lit up with battery-operated lights.

“Wow,” she breathes as I wrap my arms around her from behind.

I take in the scene before us, seeing what she sees. There are pink and white roses and wildflowers decorating the railing. Small strings of lights hang from the roof, giving off a romantic glow.

“You did all this?” she asks.

“I did.”

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“I had another idea.”

“Oh yeah? You seem to have a lot of good ideas this evening.”

“Well, I was thinking we could get married here.” She sucks in a breath and I know she’s picturing it in her mind. “Tomorrow,” I add.

She immediately turns in my arms to face me.

“What did you just say?”

“Will you marry me? Here, tomorrow evening, just as the sun sets?”

She studies me. “You’re serious?”

I nod. “I have the guest list, all of our closest friends and family, just like you wanted. I have the food, just as you asked, pulled pork barbecue and some sides. I have a small wedding cake, big enough to feed our guests and for us to have a small top tier for our one-year anniversary. I have a bouquet of wildflowers with pink and white roses. I have a pair of dark jeans with a button-down shirt, and my cowboy boots are already shined.” I pull her closer, needing more of her. “Now,” I say softly, “I have a fiancée, who I know has a dress. I even arranged for her hair and makeup to be done. Everything is all taken care of. I just need you to give me that three-letter word one more time tonight.”

“Dave, I—” She stops and places her hands on my cheeks. “Yes.”

One simple word causes my heart to beat so hard in my chest, I feel it may burst.

“I love you so fucking much.” I press my lips to hers.

“It’s bad luck to spend the night together before our wedding,” she informs me.

“Yeah, that’s the only bad part about this. I knew you would say that. You’re staying here, in your old room. Jamie is coming to stay with you. In fact”—I look down at my watch—“she’s probably already there waiting on us.”

“You did all of this?”

I nod. “You said to surprise you.”

“You went all out.” She smiles, her eyes still wet with tears.

“There is no other way for me to be when it comes to you.”

“Do we have to go back right now?”

“We can stay out here as long as you want.”

“Just a little longer. Will you dance with me?” she asks.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I hand it to her. She unlocks it and scrolls through my music until I hear Brantley Gilbert singing again.