Page 17 of Melting the Grump
Her smile is all the answer I need. Whatever storms come next, we'll weather them together, in this town that's somehow become big enough for both her dreams and mine.
Under the ancient oak, with lanterns glinting overhead and the pulse of Whitetail Falls beating around us, I've never been more certain of anything in my life.
Epilogue – Abigail
Three years later
The ancient oak tree in Acorn Circle stands draped in a canopy of twinkling lanterns, their gentle glow turning ordinary evening into enchantment. I pause at the edge of the square, my heart swelling at the sight.
Tonight marks our second wedding anniversary, and as I approach our special spot, I can't help but marvel at how perfectly the setting captures our story… the practical strength of the old oak combined with the whimsical magic of lantern light.
Just like Scott and me.
He stands beneath the branches, his back to me as he adjusts something on a small table. Even after all this time, the sight of him—broad shoulders, dark hair now touched with the faintest silver at the temples—makes my pulse quicken. He's traded his usual flannel for a crisp button-down, though I notice he's still wearing his favorite worn jeans.
Some things never change, thank goodness.
My footsteps on the cobblestones alert him to my presence, and he turns, his face softening into that smile he reserves only for me. The one that still makes my knees weak.
"You're early," he says, crossing the distance between us in a few strides.
"Couldn't wait," I admit as his arms enfold me. I breathe in his familiar scent of cedar and clean soap, with hints of sawdust that never quite wash away. "When Meredith said you wanted to meet me in the square, I knew you were up to something."
His lips brush my forehead. "Can't surprise you anymore, can I?"
"I didn't say that." I tilt my face up for a proper kiss, which he delivers with a thoroughness that leaves me slightly breathless. "I love surprises. Especially yours."
He takes my hand, leading me to where he's created an oasis of intimacy in the public square. A plush blanket covers the ground beneath the oak, surrounded by pillar candles in glass hurricanes. A bottle of wine chills in an ice bucket beside a picnic basket, and soft music drifts from a small speaker tucked among the roots of the tree.
"Scott," I breathe, taking in the scene. "It's perfect."
His smile holds a hint of pride. "I had help. Jade from The Enchanted Bean handled the food, and the lanterns were all Walt and Meredith."
"Our conspiracy of matchmakers," I laugh, remembering how the entire town seemed determined to push us together from the beginning.
"They were right, weren't they?" He helps me settle on the blanket before pouring two glasses of wine, except I notice mine is actually sparkling cider. He's thought of everything.
"About us being perfect for each other? Absolutely." I accept the glass, clinking it gently against his. "Though I seem to recall someone fighting it every step of the way."
"I was being cautious," he protests, but his eyes crinkle with amusement. "Someone had to consider all the risks before jumping into the most reckless, wonderful idea I've ever agreed to."
"Are you talking about the festival or marrying me?" I tease, leaning into his side as we sit together beneath the canopy of light.
"Both." He presses a kiss to my temple. "Best decisions I never wanted to make."
I laugh, resting my head on his shoulder. The evening air carries the scent of autumn—crisp leaves, distant woodsmoke, the promise of frost by morning.
Above us, the lanterns sway gently in the breeze, casting kaleidoscope patterns across the cobblestones. The same cobblestones where Scott first announced that Martin Construction would support my festival, publicly declaring his feelings for me in the process.
"Remember our first Fall Festival?" I ask, tracing patterns on his palm with my fingertips.
"How could I forget? It poured rain for the first two hours. I thought you were going to cry when the lanterns started drooping."
"But then the sun came out—"
"And we had double the attendance we expected," he finishes. "Because apparently this town loves nothing more than proving me wrong."
I smile against his shoulder. "You're impossible to live with sometimes, you know that?"
