Page 76 of Bittersweet

“Hey!” he waved, recognizing him.

“Logan! Buddy!” It was his friend, Sal, with the barbecue truck. “Welcome back!”

“How’s it going?” Logan asked.

“Can’t complain,” he replied.

Logan looked over at Harper, whose smile was so big he laughed out loud. “What is with you today?”

Harper stopped in the center of the row of trucks. “Look around.”

He glanced at the trucks and back at her, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s a lot of food trucks, Harper.”

“They’re here for you.” The twinkle was in her eyes again.

His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean they’re here to raise the money to fix your truck or get you a new one.”

Logan’s mouth fell open, and his knees suddenly felt weak. “What?”

“I put the whole thing together. For you.” Her face lit up with a smile.

He’d never been one to show his emotions, but his throat felt thick and tears were burning his eyes, threatening to fall. “You did this? For me?”

“I love you, Logan. And I want you here in Grand Rapids. With me.”

He stared up at the bright blue sky and puffy white clouds floating along on a breeze, giving thanks the good Lord in Heaven above. A tear escaped and slipped down his temple, and he knew this was the moment. This was it.

He looked at the woman before him, the love of his life, and lowered himself to one knee.

31

Harper gasped and nervous butterflies flittered about in her stomach. This was it. The moment she had imagined and dreamed of since the day they met.

Kayla hugged Logan like she usually did when he got down to her level.

“Can you hold Harper’s hand for a minute, Kayla? I have to ask her a question.”

“Okay, Daddy.” She moved back to Harper’s side and grasped her hand again.

Logan reached up and took Harper’s other hand. “I came here this weekend with a plan, to find the perfect moment to ask you the most important question of our lives.” He glanced from left to right then straight into her eyes. “I think I just found it.”

Her eyes were brimming with tears.

“I want you to know that I’m coming back here. Coming back to you. That I couldn’t stand being away from you again. That leaving wasn’t the right decision. I’ll come work at your shop. I’ll sweep the floor or wash tables or whatever you want me to do. It doesn’t matter, as long as I’m with you.”

“Logan.” Her chin began to quiver.

He squeezed her hand. “We’re forever, Harper. I knew it the moment I met you.” He pulled a ring box from his jacket pocket and opened the lid to reveal a sparkling round diamond ring with three small diamonds along the band on each side. “It was Marsha’s mom’s ring. She wanted us to have it.”

Harper pressed her lips together to keep from breaking down.

“Ooooh!” Kayla reached for the ring. “Pretty!”

Logan snapped the lid closed, and she jumped, then squealed with laughter. “It’s for Harper, Kay Kay,” he whispered as he stared up at the beautiful woman before him. “If she’ll have me.”

Harper began nodding enthusiastically before he even got the question out.

---