Page 83 of Just Desserts

Isla

Wes spent a week in the hospital and he had to be the world's worst patient. If it was up to him he'd be back at work already ignoring the chunk of intestines missing from his insides. I knew having all of us around hovering wasn't helping but his obstinacy wasn't going to help speed up the healing either!

Thank goodness for Sarah and Grams the two of them seemed to keep him settled. When he was released at the end of that week, he refused to stay with anyone or let any of us stay with him. The only time he seemed able to sit still was when Sarah came by. They usually played cards or watched a movie but somehow it didn't have the same effect when I tried it.

Sarah wound up arranging a schedule for all of us where we rotated cooking meals and stopping by to check in on Wes and took turns walking his dog Rosie. That way he could have his space but we would know he was eating and resting. Satisfied with the compromise, Wes reluctantly agreed with the right to refuse us entry if he wasn't in the mood for company, but we needed proof of life for those drop offs.

I had a feeling a lot of my Pyrex were going to be left outside the door but as long as he took them in at some point I'd have to be happy with that. Part of me was curious about the relationship developing between him and Sarah and other times I thought I was imagining it. I tried bringing it up withGrams and Myles and they both shut me down rather brutally.

"Sarah is a wonderful girl and Wes would be lucky to have her as a friend or a girlfriend. What happens there isn't our business right now his recovery is. So don't go nosing around stressing him out. Maybe he's more comfortable around Sarah right now because she wasn't there that night. You have to realize seeing you and I is tough for him and might be for a while." Grams scolded me. I was shocked, usually she was always down for gossip especially any love life meddling.

I turned to Myles looking for support, "What about you? You've known them both the longest, do you think something is happening there?"

"Sure, I think Sarah is bossing everyone around and Wes is doing the wise thing and isn't fighting it. Grams is right, it doesn't matter what's going on and Wes is stressing himself out enough without our help. We don't need to add to it right now. Don't you trust Sarah?" He tacked on causing me to shut down any retort and pout at their lack of engagement.

I sensed something when I was in the room with those two, I was sure of it. Wes had been home from the hospital for about two weeks now, and we had finally gotten settled into a routine. Tonight was our night to drop food off and walk Rosie, then we went back to my place instead of Myles. I couldn't help feeling unsettled here.

We had spent increasingly more time at Myles house recently. This apartment still felt so empty and sometimes filled me with panic. It brought me back to that state of mind where I felt like I would forever be caught in the weird world of starting over, of living in the aftermath of failure. As if he could sense my distress, Myles pulled me into his lap and I curled into him. Shoving my face into the crook of his neck I breathed him in for comfort.

"What's wrong darlin, Wes is doing ok and we can check in on him tomorrow." He pulled back to study me, running his finger delicately over my furrowed brow.

"Talk to me." I sighed, both annoyed and warmed by his persistent questions.

"I don't like it here anymore." I said, hating how pouty I sounded.

"What do you mean by here? This apartment, this state? Can you be a bit more specific?" He asked and pressed a kiss to my head.

"The apartment, I don't want to leave the state but it's hard being so close to where everything happened. I like your house, it feels like a home, this place feels like a poorly staged set. It has all the pieces of a home but it doesn't feel like one."

"Is that your way of asking to move in with me Ms. Graham?" He asked.

Although he kept his tone light, I could see the seriousness in his eyes. Was that was I asking? Was that what I wanted? It took less than a minute for me to realize the truth in that. I didn't want to spend another minute away from Myles. I wanted to be surrounded by people and places that brought me joy and that wasn't here.

"I think I am, if you'll take me that is. Mr. Bennett can I move in with you?" I asked, using his same trick of levity to hide my deeper concerns.

"Under one condition." He said standing up from the couch and retriggering all of my earlier anxiety and concerns.

I was so busy spiraling down in my own thoughts I didn't realize Myles was getting down on one knee. I snapped toattention when he pulled my hand into his and I looked up to meet his steady gray eyes. They were bright with emotion, love shining through so aggressively it was almost painful.

"Will you, Isla Graham, do me the great honor of moving in with me, as my fiancé and future wife?" He asked as he held out a beautiful ring in front of me. I was at a loss for words. A million different things came to mind until I cracked and started crying. I grabbed Myles and kissed him, sobbing the word yes into his mouth.

"Yes?" He asked with a smile breaking across his face. I nodded as he slid the ring on my finger. He stood up pulling me with him until there was no space between us.

"I can't wait to make you my wife. My Isla. You are the light of my life, I never saw you coming and I can't see a life without you, now I never have to." Tears ran down my face and I reached for him again, trying to convey just how much I loved and needed him with my body. We spent the rest of the night on the couch, in the kitchen and finally in my bed.

"If you're gonna move out of the apartment, we should make most of the space while we have it." I had laughed when he first brought it up but something was unleashed that night. Seeing the ring on my finger, knowing we were in this together had set loose something ravenous within me.

We couldn't get enough, I couldn't get enough. I need to feel Myles everywhere. I need to know when we were apart he was still embedded in me. He had weaved his way so deeply into my heart and soul, I was just as eager to leave my mark on him.

The next day my head was in the clouds, part of me was making a list of things to do to move, the other part was still looking down at my ring and getting butterflies. I didn't know who to tell first about the engagement, turns out I didn't haveto worry about that. While I was lost in thought I didn't realize that Myles wasn't taking me to the bakery but to my Moms house instead.

He shook his head when I sent him a questioning look and ignored me as I pouted while he exited the car. He pressed a hard kiss to my mouth before lifting me out of his truck and pulling me behind him. The door to my moms house was unlocked and he let himself in. As I was about to reprimand him I was shocked by the yells of “Congratulations!” that surrounded us.

My mom, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Susie, Grams, Sarah, Sully, Jen, Aiden and Wes were all there in party hats and noise blowers. I looked back at Myles in shock and he shrugged sheepishly.

"He's had the ring forFREAKINGever let me see!" Sarah yelled before pulling me into the gaggle of women huddled together.

The men retreated to the far corner, deeming it a safe enough distance to gather and watch us with bemusement. I looked up, worried they were giving Myles a hard time but was filled with warmth when it was clear that both Uncle Charlie and Wes had given Myles their stamp of approval. I looked up to find Myles gray eyes staring at me, so strong and clear despite the stormy color. He mouthed I love you and I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face. This is what true love felt like.

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