Tumble (Dogwood Lane 1)

In his hand is a little black box with a ring in it.

“I wanted to do this somewhere more private, but Mia had definite issues about that. And if I’m guessing, Haley is probably spying through the window right now too.” He shrugs. “But it’s all because we love you, Neely. But nobody more than me.”

Tears don’t even warn me this time. They just fire away down my cheeks and drop onto my shirt. I can’t move. I can’t see the ring or kiss his face or even say yes again because my legs promise me they’ll let me fall if I try.

“Did she say yes?” Mia shouts.

“The house is my engagement gift to you. I got you a ring, too, because that’s what people do. Maybe because I’m a carpenter, I think a house means more. It’s a place we can build our future together. Home is where your loved ones are, and I want a place where we can live together and love each other forever.”

“Did she say yes yet?” Mia shouts.

“Will you give me a second?” he fires back.

“If you wouldn’t have made me hide upstairs, I wouldn’t be yelling.”

My laughter comes out in the middle of sniffles and sobs. He places the ring on my finger, and I can’t even see it. But what I can see, what I know, I don’t need eyes for. I can feel it in my heart.

“Yes,” I say, tugging him to his feet. “I would be honored to marry you, Dane Madden.”

He kisses me through my snot and all, laughing as he wipes both of our faces after.

“She said yes, Mia,” he says, but his words are hung up on a lump in his throat.

Mia squeals as she tumbles down the stairs and launches herself at us. We stand in the kitchen, next to the Malone’s sign, and celebrate the first day of the rest of our lives.