Page 133 of The Things That Hold Us

“What is this?” I ask him.

There’s candles lit everywhere, a table with two plates of food, two glasses of wine, and freshly picked flowers in the middle.

“I wanted to surprise you.” Logan says behind me, his voice deep in my ear.

“Logan, this is beautiful.” I turn and wrap my arms around him.

He squeezes me back, then kisses my forehead.

He pulls my chair out for me, then pours me a glass of wine. As he sits across from me, I notice he seems nervous.

What's he planning here?

“How did you pull this off? I was with you all day.”

He chuckles, “Cassie and Garrett set it all up for me before they left.”

Of course they did.

“Well, it's beautiful.” I tell him again, hoping he realizes how much I love it.

This man goes above and beyond to make sure I’m happy and taken care of, and I am beyond grateful for that.

I am beyond grateful for him.

Logan reaches across the table, grabbing my hands in his.

“Charlie,” he starts, and I feel my heart start to race.

“I’m not asking you to marry me, because I know that’s not in our cards just yet, and I am perfectly ok with that. I’m not asking you to replace Sam with me. I’m not asking you to pretend like everything is ok.” he pauses, and I swallow hard.

“What I am asking, is that you give me your heart and your days. All the broken bits and pieces. All the bad and all the good. The days where you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, and the days where all you can do is lay in bed and cry.” he smiles, “I want all your days. And I want to spend all of my days with you.”

I laugh-cry, but before I can say anything, he pulls a small box out from under the table.

My heart starts to beat faster.

“Charlie girl, will you be my forever?” He opens the box, and there's a small gold band, with small flowers engraved all the way around. It’s so simple, but it’s absolutely stunning.

“I got this ring, because I feel like you deserve it, and because I love you. I love you so much, Charlie.” his eyes start to glisten and I reach my hand up, wiping at them.

“Logan, you are one of the most amazing men I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.” I sniffle, “Forever with you sounds like heaven.”

Logan slides the ring on my finger, and I smile down at it.

“Promise me you’ll never leave.” I whisper. “Promise me this is it, because I don't think I can take losing you.”

Logan holds out his hand, sticking his finger out.

“Pinky promise.”

We eat our meal, and finish the night tangled in each other's arms. A hot, sweaty mess. I wake up lying on Logan’s bare chest, both of us still completely naked under the sheets. I stay like this for a moment, just soaking it all in.

Him. This house. How happy I am.

I never thought I would be able to love again, and then Logan walked into my shop, and swept me off my feet. I didn’t stand a chance.

My eyes start to grow heavy again, and then I hear my phone vibrating on the table next to the bed.

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