Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 133688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Dad gives me a big hug. “You ready, son?”
“As ever,” I say, meeting everyone’s eyes. I’m so thankful Katie’s parents, Belinda, Elliot, Loretta, the boys, and my and Katie’s best friends are here to celebrate this special moment.
After everyone takes a step closer, I suck in a deep breath. “Do y’all have your letters?”
I glance around, and they nod, holding their silver envelopes.
“You do know this is gonna make her bawl like a baby?” Everleigh says, tapping hers against her palm.
“You weren’t supposed to read it, Ev,” Gemma whisper-hisses over the stroller.
She snorts. “I literally just peeked a little. I needed to know what she was gonna be reading so I’d be aware of how to react.”
Gemma groans and crosses her arms over her chest, eyeing Everleigh. “I passed them all out and instructed them not to read them. Some people just don’t know how to listen.”
“It’s fine. If anyone was gonna break the rules, it would be her.” I look at her and smile.
“That’s very true,” Everleigh admits. “It’s almost like you know me better than your sister.”
Before Gemma digs in, I speak up. “Okay, so y’all know the order, right?”
Gemma steps forward. “Yes, I’ll get Katie, hand her the letter, then bring her to Tyler. Then it goes Tyler, Everleigh, so on and so on. I’ve got this, bro. Have faith in me. I did just plan a pretty incredible grand opening and deliver a baby. I’m a pro at this point,” she tells me with a lifted brow and a smirk.
“You’re right.” I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. “Just a little nervous. That’s it.”
Loretta speaks up. “She’s gonna say yes. This is your destiny.”
“She better!” Owen pipes up, and it makes Anthony giggle.
Everleigh snorts and squeezes his shoulder. “She will. There’s no doubt about it.”
I suck in a deep breath, trying to calm down, then feel inside my jacket pocket for the box. It’s almost time, and I know Katie’s probably growing impatient that I haven’t returned with her snacks yet. The thought has me chuckling to myself.
Katie’s parents give me hugs, and I can tell how overjoyed they are. I asked them a month ago after I asked Owen’s permission. They were more than thrilled that I wanted to make things official with their daughter. They’ve always treated me like a son and respected me even after everything that happened.
“Excited to have you officially be a part of the family,” Katie’s mama tells me.
“I promise to always protect her and love her,” I say.
“We believe you,” her dad tells me.
“It’s almost time, y’all. I need you to start lining up,” Gemma instructs. She’s a sassy little thing, and I’m glad I put her in charge of the people part. Takes a sliver of the stress away.
My sister was such a big help with planning this. When I was reminiscing about our past, all the letters we used to write to each other in high school came to mind. At that moment, I knew exactly how and where I wanted to propose.
I stand at the end of the pumpkin patch and know Katie has a long way to walk. She’ll be reading each of the notes I wrote to her about our past and our future. It will take her some time, and I’m okay with that, but I know my heart will be racing until I see her, and she says yes.
I expect tears of happiness because she’s been so emotional lately, but by the end of it, I hope she agrees to be my wife.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
KATIE
As I’m sitting on a bale of hay with my feet propped up to stop the swelling, I wonder what’s taking Noah so long. Maybe that number one turned into something more serious. The thought has me snickering to myself, then I go back to admiring the pumpkins.
I’ve always looked forward to this little festival. Well, ever since Noah brought me here when I was fifteen. I knew I had feelings for him then, but I was also too young to really understand. I guess it’s true, though—when the heart knows, it truly knows. It might’ve taken us some time to get to where we are now, but I don’t have any complaints, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve thought about if I could go back in time, whether I’d erase some of the heartache, but I realized maybe things wouldn’t be the same between us. My heart flutters thinking about it.
“What’re you grinning about?” Gemma asks.
My mouth falls open when I see her, and I immediately stand to give her a hug. She’s pushing Scarlett in a stroller, and I bend down to catch a peek of her sweet cheeks.
“Come on,” she tells me with a wink. “Let’s look at the pumpkins.”
“I’m waiting for Noah,” I explain, not wanting him to get worried or have to search for me.