Page 125 of One Little Lie
Ash pats me on the shoulder and points behind me. Turning, I find Rylan exiting the yoga studio with Lexi and Ari, and I smile.
“Good luck,” Ash whispers, taking Sadie by the hand and leading her to his car.
I’m so mesmerized by Rylan I’m not even sure if I said good-bye, but the closer she gets, the broader my smile becomes.
“Hey, you. What are you doing here?” she asks, flinging her lithe body into mine.
I catch her on instinct and drag her into me. “I was running an errand with Ash, so I thought I’d see if I can give you a ride home?”
Ari and Lexi mumble their good-byes and quietly fade away. We’re in Vermont for Sadie’s dance recital, and as soon as I decided I wanted to ask Rylan to marry me here, I knew I’d need some help. These two women jumped at the chance, and now we’re about to find out if our planning worked.
“That’s great!” She turns to tell the girls and frowns when she realizes they’re already gone. “That’s weird.”
“Nah, they probably just knew I couldn’t wait to get you alone.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup.” Holding out my hand, I drag her toward the car and closer to our forever.
The road up the backside of GG’s mountain was paved recently, but it’s still a mountain road that requires slow speeds, and right now, that’s freaking brutal.
When we finally pull into the tongue and groove log cabin we’ve been slowly making our own, a thrill goes up my spine. Ash and Sadie have the lights dimmed just the way I asked for, and my palms sweat as Rylan climbs the front steps.
“I can’t believe we left all these lights on,” she sighs. “That’s unusual.”
“Mmhmm.” I don’t trust myself to speak as I push open the front door.
Rylan glides past me and comes to an abrupt stop as my first sketch comes into view.
“Oh my God, Hatty. What did you do? Look at this,” she whispers through tears.
Her delicate finger traces the charcoal lines of two sad faces partially hidden by raincoats.
“Hatty?” Her voice breaks off as she notices the second one down the hall. It’s of us at her birthday party sitting on the stairs.
Tears fall freely down her face as she enters the great room and makes her way from easel to easel. Us in the hammock. Us on the street at my failed art show. Us on prom night. Camping. Her fashion show. Us on the couch of our home in Waverley-Cay. Sitting on the porch of this log cabin.
Her shocked gasp tells me it’s go time. Dropping to my knee behind her, I wait as she takes in the drawing of this exact moment. It seems to go on forever, and just as I’m about to lose my nerve, she turns.
Trembling hands cover her mouth as a sob escapes.
“Words have never been my thing, sweetheart. I’m trying to get better because I refuse to lose you again. But I realized something the other day. Even if I can’t find the words, I can express what I’m feeling through these.” I wave my hand around the room. “Sometimes, they might even be better since my communications skills are obviously lacking.
“I won’t promise to be perfect, but I will promise to try. I’ll try to be the best version of myself for you every day. I’ll try to be a friend when you need one, even if I have to kick Colton’s ass to be that friend. I’ll try to be the partner you deserve in life and love. The only thing I’ll never have to attempt, though, is loving you. That’s as natural as breathing to me. Sometimes loving you is actually easier. I promise to love you with all that I am. I promise to find the words when the need arises, and I promise to make you happy for all of our days. You’re my sunbeam in a dark sky. You make me a better man every day, and I want to prove to you for the rest of your life that I’m worthy of you. Please let me do that, Rylan. Marry me, and let me show you all the ways I’ll love you, sempiternal.”
Rylan drops to her knees beside me. A second later, her lips are on mine. It’s a possessive kiss. One that bonds us together for all time, but I need words. I need to hear her say yes.
Pulling away, I cradle her face in my hands. “Is that a yes, princess? Will you marry me?”
Through sobs, Rylan nods her head, and a broken yes comes out on a cry. “Yes, Hatty. A million lifetimes of yes.”
She stares into my eyes as an ugly cry takes over her beautiful face. I can’t help but laugh through my own tears.
“Can I make one request?”
Rylan nods frantically.
“Please don’t ever make me listen to you shit again. I think a little mystery in a marriage is okay.”
