Page 108 of The Fate of Us

I lean against the wooden railing on the boardwalk as I take in the vivid purples and bright oranges of the flowers, pinks, whites, and reds, popping up against the other colors. Daisies, baby blue eyes, and Black-Eyed Susans writing a melody in my head.

I turn toward Noah who is smiling at me with a goofy grin. A tear slides down my face as I jump on him and wrap my body around his. His hands cup my thighs as I cry tears of joy into his neck. “This is the most beautiful place in the world. How did you find it?”

He cups the back of my head and pushes my sunglasses off my face so I can meet his eyes. “I would search the entire world to find beauty. Luckily I already have you.”

I laugh as I press a chaste kiss to his lips then climb off him. “Suave, Romeo.”

He grabs my hand as we walk along the boardwalk. There is a break in the field, a path of grass between both sides of the wildflower sea. He climbs the fence and gets Brutus to slide between the rails.

“What are you doing?” I shriek.

“Breaking the rules.”

I look around hoping there is no one around but it’s still early in the day and the park is nearly empty.

“You know you took me on private property once. I could have been shot. We will just get scolded here.”

I take one last look around before sitting on the rail and swinging my legs around. Noah grabs my hips and helps me down. He jogs down the pathway and I run to catch up. “Why are we running?”

“Don’t want to get caught.” He laughs.

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see them. As the pathway turns, we get closer to the tree line. Once we are out of the vision of passersby on the boardwalk, Noah takes the backpack off and pulls out a blanket. He sets the fruit and cheese containers down and I sit next to him, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers.

“Are you happy?”

I look over at him and smile. “You make me happier than I’ve ever been.”

He shakes his head and looks down. “Not what I meant. Are you happy here? In a new field of flowers that can be ours?”

“I couldn’t ask for more, Noah.”

He shifts on the blanket until he is kneeling in front of me. “Are you sure?”

I take my eyes off his face as I look down at his hands. He is cupping a handful of flowers but that’s not what stops my breath. It’s the sun reflecting off the diamond ring nestled between the blooms.

I look up at him, shocked.

“Anna May, Mayberry, my wildflower. You’ve given me my life back. You’ve let my heart bloom in ways I never thought were possible. I thought it was forever wilted. That I could never love again. But every second I spent with you, you brought it back to life. You gave me hope and the promise of happiness. I keep telling you that you are the song to my soul. Will you let me be yours?”

Tears are streaming down my face as he pours his heart out. He didn’t need to give me a speech. He could have just asked me the four simple words. Because I could never say no to this man.

He picks the ring up out of the flower display and holds it in front of me. “Will you marry me?”

I nod my head as he slides the ring onto my finger. The diamond set on a silver band glistening in the sunlight surrounded by two aquamarine stones. I grip his hand before he can let go. “Noah, you are the song of my heart and the soundtrack to my soul. I don’t need to marry you to know you are my forever, but I’ll do it anyway because I love you.”

He grabs the back of my neck and kisses me fiercely. We mumble I love you as we strip our clothes, not caring we are making love in the middle of a field of wildflowers, not caring if we get caught.

Because our love is wild and fierce and will continue to bloom like the flowers surrounding us.

And I know without a doubt this love is forever.

Epilogue

Eight Years Later

Noah

I tossa football to our five-year-old, Cypress. He catches it and runs deep, bypassing Hunter’s son before crossing the end zone.

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