Page 105 of Back To You

"Annie girl," he whispers, bringing me back to focus on him. "There's something I've wanted to ask you from the moment I saw you."

There’s a slight blush to his cheeks, his blonde hair looking more golden in the candle light. He keeps his eyes on mine as he slowly drops down to one knee, and my hands go to cover my mouth. My eyes start to prickle as I see him pull his hand out of his apron, and the first tear falls when I see the little blue box.

“It probably wouldn’t have meant much at the time, seeing as though we were only six, but it’s true. I’ve always known you were it for me, Annie girl, and I plan on spending the rest of my life proving it to you.” In disbelief, a small laugh escapes from me and another tear trails down my cheek—and I let it, no longer afraid of letting them fall.

He really is going to do this right now.

This is happening.

“You’re the anchor that keeps me grounded, the moon in my sky. I want nothing more than to be yoursforever.” I watch as he opens the small box in his hands, pulling out a ring I can’t even take a moment to look at because he’s already slipping it on my finger as he asks, “Will you marry me?”

This helps me find my voice, “You can’t even wait for my answer?” The sentiment makes his eyes sparkle even more. He knows my answer, knows that he’s it for me too. After all we’ve been through, all our history and what we’ve overcome, we’re inevitable in the very best way.

I look down at where Luke holds my hand, and I’m rendered speechless again.

“Luke,” I manage to say.

“Just like the one I gave you, all those years ago,” Luke says, but I still feel his eyes on me. “When you let me be your boyfriend. The first time,” he adds, making me let out another small laugh.

The ring he chose has a band made to look like a vine, with little diamonds as the leaves, making the largest diamond in the middle the rose.

“It’s perfect,” I whisper as I meet his gaze.

I have more to say to him—I want to tell him how much I love him, how much I can’t wait to be his wife, how grateful I am that we made it here.

I want to tell him how proud of us I am, so proud that we finally made it—we did it.

But I don’t have to.

He knows—he always does.

Extended Epilogue

Three Years and Three Months Later

Luke

She did it.

After a crazy rotation year, a three-year externship at the zoo, and passing the North American Veterinary Licensure Examination and the Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Examination, she fucking did it.

Annie is officially a licensed veterinarian, specializing in exotic animals.

She did it, just like I know she could, and I’m so proud of her.

It’s been just over three months since her graduation, and she wakes up every day excited to go to the Milwaukee Zoo and work with the animals in her care.

She’s worked her ass off, and it feels like it’s been forever since she’s slowed down. I’ve made it my mission for this week following Christmas to take some much-needed rest.

Especially because our baby boy is due in less than two months.

I’ve watched my best friends become parents over the last four years—Emmett and Drew now having a four-year old Lennon and two-year old Knox, and Mia and Eddie with their three-year old twin girls, Nadia andNaomi. Our Lenny’s crew has just gotten bigger and bigger, and I’m Annie and I are finally adding to the mix.

Jackson Bennett Owens will be here to wreak havoc with the second generation of the crew in no time.

We’re headed over to Mia and Eddie’s house for our Christmas Day tradition of holiday movies in our pajamas, and it’s safe to say that the tradition looks much different than it did the first time we did it.

Now, we have two dogs and four kids with a fifth on the way that make the day so much more magical—and chaotic.

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