Page 81 of Back in the Country
“Yes. A thousand times, yes,” she whispers as I slide the ring onto her finger and then crash my lips to hers.
Every single promise I’ve ever made comes true in that moment, and I promise a thousand more to keep that smile on her face.
“We’re gettin’ married?” she asks, awe in her voice. I chuckle.
“Yeah, baby, whenever you want.”
Jumping into my arms, she laughs loud and free as I spin her around the bedroom. Our bedroom. Sorren and I agreed that he’d move into my trailer—sans my old mattress, of course. He’d grumbled and cursed the entire time we moved it out of there.
Marlee plants a hard kiss on my mouth and then slides down my body before taking my hand and running back through the house. We emerge onto the front porch where our family waits with genuine smiles and shit-eating grins.
Holding our joined hands high in the air, Marlee yells, “We’re gettin’ married!”
Whoops and hollers sound, followed by handshakes and hugs. Love and happiness flow around us, but when Marlee’s moss-green eyes meet mine, I am home. I’ve never been happier in my entire life, and as I look at my girl, I know that I am exactly where I was always meant to be.
EPILOGUE
MARLEE
Ilook down at my fingers intertwined with Waylon’s as they rest in my lap. My engagement ring sparkles in the sun, and my breath catches in my throat just like it does every time I take a minute to think about it.
The round diamond is modest, but the fire inside matches my own. The setting is as gorgeous and intricate as it is delicate with its woven gold band. It’s antique and feels whimsical in a way with the tiny diamonds dotting the sides. It shines as bright as my smile in the cab of the truck.
Waylon’s hand squeezes mine, and I meet his gaze with watery eyes. He looks at me with adoration and love, and it’s the same way that Pop always looked at Gran. My heart glows with the memory of them.
It didn’t fully register when Waylon proposed what he had slid onto my finger. He had gotten Gran’s ring from Sorren, and that had a whole new wave of tears filling my eyes.
“You okay?”
“I’m just really happy, Way.”
He brings our joined hands to his lips and presses a lingering kiss to my knuckles.
“So you’re sayin’ I coulda just given you the ring and skipped the chickens?” I scoff as I try to pull my hand from his. He grips it harder and laughs as I stick my tongue out at him.
“Thechickenswere your savin’ grace that day.”
“Don’t I know it.” He winks as we pull into Miss Thelma’s drive. Her house is this cute little red-sided ranch with white shutters and marigolds lining the window boxes. The truck isn’t even in park before the little white-haired firecracker is on her front porch waving at us.
“Yoo-hoo!”
Waylon chuckles and squeezes my hand one final time before we climb out and go meet Clementine Creek’s resident busybody.
“Mornin’, Miss Thelma,” I say and let her wrap me in a bone-crushing hug. For a tiny old thing she sure is strong.
“Let me see that ring!”
I hold out my hand, and she cradles it gently in her wrinkled ones. “Oh my dear, your Gran would be over the moon seein’ you wearing her ring.” Her voice is watery, and I frantically wipe away at the tears running down my face with my free hand.
“Thank you,” I whisper because I don’t trust my voice not to shake right now.
“You did good, Waylon Jacob,” she yells at the man standing behind me, and the moment is over. With one final squeeze of my hand, she releases me and then ushers us onto the porch.
“Thank you, Miss Thelma,” he says as he kisses her cheek. She blushes and I bite my lip to rein in my smile.
“I have cookies and mules for us before Archer gets here.”
“Miss Thelma, it’s only”—I look at my phone— “ten-thirty in the morning.”
