Page 122 of Now That It's You
Kyle’s dad put his arm around Sylvia. He didn’t say anything, but the gesture spoke of a deep, easy affection between them. It was something Kyle had always admired.
On the other side of Meg, Patti walked hand in hand with a tall man sporting a gray beard and a gentle smile. Meg’s mom had only been dating Glen a few weeks, but he’d seemed delighted when Patti had asked him to join their dual-family Thanksgiving celebration.
Patti caught Kyle staring at her, and gave a small wink. Right. She knew what was about to happen.
They were approaching the spot now. Kyle looked up at the overhead wire. It was bare now, but he remembered the shape of that dove. The lonely shadow teetering above while its mate lay cold on the ground below.
But Bindi pranced happily beside him, reminding him of new life, new beginnings, new paths to joy.
Kyle dug his hand into his pocket. His fingers closed around the metal circle, warm from being pressed against his leg. He felt his heart start to gallop as he stopped walking and let go of Meg’s hand. She took another step, then turned, surprised by the movement or by the sound of his voice.
“Meg Delaney.” Her eyes flashed with astonishment, then joy as he dropped to one knee on the cold, dry asphalt.
“I love you,” he said, reaching for her hand again. “The last year with you has been amazing, every single day, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He caught the tip of her mitten in one hand and gave a tug, sliding it off as she gasped in wonder. He dropped the mitten on the ground and slid the band onto her finger—a perfect fit, beautifully snug. She looked down at it, and he watched her eyes as she recognized the layers of Damascus steel, the glimmer of the blue sapphire at the center.
“My grandmother’s birthstone,” she murmured, her eyes meeting his. “You remembered.”
“I remember everything,” he said. “Maybe not names and celebrity gossip, but I remember the things that matter. And I want to make a million more memories with you for the rest of our lives. What do you say, Meg?” Kyle grinned, pretty sure his heart was about to burst. “Will you marry me?”
“I will.” She laughed as a tear slid down one cheek. “I’d be honored.”
Kyle felt his mother step closer and place a hand on his back. He looked up to see she was touching Meg’s shoulder, too. She moved the palm on his back in small circles the way she used to when he couldn’t fall asleep as a young boy.
Then his mother turned and smiled at his fiancée. “Welcome to the family, Meg. Again.”
* * *
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Thank you so much for following The Can’t Have Hearts Club to the end! I’d love to hear which book you loved best if you read all five in this series. Did any side characters jump out at you as deserving a story of their own? Find me on social media or shoot me an email at [email protected] to let me know who you’d love to see again.
If Now That It’s You fired up your appetite for culinary-themed romantic comedy, I’d love to introduce you to Show Off. It’s a part of my Juniper Ridge rom-com series starring six famous siblings fed up with Hollywood drama who buy a quirky piece of property in middle-of-freakin’-nowhere Oregon to start a small town with a mishmash of medics, chefs, and teachers seeking a fresh start—and maybe a shot at love. It’s half social experiment, half television hit, and one hundred percent heartwarming and hilarious.
While Show Off and grumpy chef Dal Yang land later in the series, you can hop in here if you like, since all the books in the series are standalone.
Keep reading for a peek at the first chapter of Show Off !
Your exclusive peek at Show Off
Amber
CONFESSIONAL 1079.5
Judson, Lana (Public Relations Director: Juniper Ridge)
What’s it like being the youngest of six? [dramatic eyeroll]
I mean, my siblings are great. Mostly. Our mother still introduces me as “the baby.” Yeah, I know. I’ll be twenty-eight next year.
[sips from mug that reads “It’s too peopley here”]
You know what a director said on my last big PR gig before I left Hollywood?
“If I want some little girl to shove sunshine up people’s butts, I’ll give you a call, creampuff.”
Yes, I’m serious.
