Page 91 of Feels Like Falling
“I like that we’ve always just been us, and I want to spend the rest of my life bein’ what you need. A partner and a cheerleader, a lover and friend.”
“Best friend,” I amend, making her smile.
“Best friend. I want to be your wife, and I want to give you babies and help Grandad get the tractor stuck so you can come rescue us. I want early-morning coffees and sneaking moments in the barn. I want a lifetime with you, Max, because that’s how long I’ve loved you. I love you, Montana Greene, and even though I didn’t get to marry you at eighteen,”—she pulls a ring from her pocket before dropping to one knee—“I hope you’ll marry me now.”
“Hell yes, I’ll marry you,” I say on a laugh before hauling her up and swinging her around.
“The ring!” she squeals but I don’t stop—I can’t—not until my hand is tangled in her hair and my lips are slanted over hers.
Cheers erupt from around us, and I pull my mouth from Ellison, taking in our friends and family—everyone we love offering congratulations as I give Ellison my hand so she can slide on the smooth gold band.
“I love you, Ellison, and I’m damn proud to wear your ring.”
“That’s my boy,” Grandad says, tears welling in his eyes as he takes Ellison’s and my hands in his wrinkled ones. “You’ve made Nan and me so proud.” His hands shake as he presses something into my palm, the moment so much bigger than an engagement.
“We love you,” Ellison murmurs as she places a kiss on his cheek, his eyelids falling closed as a single tear slides down his face.
My breath catches in my lungs as I stare down at the ring in my hand.
Nan’s ring.
“Grandad.” His name is just a whisper as Ellison gasps.
“She’d want you to have it.” He looks between us. “Both of you.”
“Marry me?” I ask, not able to make a speech as eloquent as hers, but there will be time for that later.
“Yes, please.”
With a little laugh and shaking fingers, Ellison holds out her left hand and I slide the antique ring into place. It’s perfect.
“And we love you too!” a familiar voice yells a split second before my sister Aspen throws her arms around me, Vienna squeezing in next to her, enveloping us in a group hug.
“Oh my God, y’all are making me cry, and this mascara isn’t waterproof,” Vienna complains.
“I told you to borrow mine,” Aspen snaps back but it’s all in jest.
“What in the world?” My question is directed at Ellison, but it’s my father who answers.
“Think we’d miss our son getting engaged?” His smile is warm and he nods toward Ellison who beams at him.
“Good thing he said yes, huh?” Vienna asks as she pulls Ellison in for another hug.
I snort because there wasn’t a chance in hell I was sayin’ no. Not today and not any other day.
“Hey y’all!” Celeste yells as a laugh burst from my lips. Even from across the crowd I can see the winks she throws my way, and I just shake my head because Ellison thought of everything. “Supper is at five o’clock so don’t be late!”
Cheers erupt around us as I untangle myself from my family before pulling Ellison against my chest, her hands fisting my shirt as I kiss her again like every person I know isn’t watching—her father included. He might be shuffling his feet along the periphery of this celebration, but he’s here and that feels right too.
“Behave yourself, Max.” She pants, her back arched, and she presses her body against mine in a way that has me completely out of my mind for her.
“That’s not what the sign says,” I murmur back. “And now we got all these people here with you lookin’ like you do.” My hands find her lower back when all I want to do is grab her denim-covered ass, squeezing it tight as I drag her up my body. I want her legs wrapped around my waist because there’s just something about havin’ her cowboy boots digging into my back that makes me lose it a little more.
“I thought the sign came out nice,” she teases. “And if we hurry, I bet you can get three,maybefour orgasms out of me before it’s dinner time.”
“Then what are we waiting for, Eddie?”
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