Page 20 of Winter in Kentbury
“You know the whole town’s going to hear about this, right?” I murmur, still catching my breath.
A slow grin spreads across his face, his eyes lighting up with that mischievous spark that makes my heart skip. “This is Kentbury, after all. Of course they’ll know. But I don’t care. We don’t have to hide this, Jenna. I don’t want to hide this. I want everyone to know I finally have you.”
Hearing those words makes my heart feel like it’s soaring, and I smile back at him, unable to keep the joy from showing on my face. I lean up, pressing my lips to his again in a soft, lingering kiss, savoring the way he holds me like he never wants to let go. I’ve dreamed of this, imagined what it would be like to finally be with him, and now that it’s here, I can’t believe it’s real.
And for the rest of the night, the smile doesn’t leave my face.
Chapter Sixteen
Holden
I lie awake,watching Jenna sleep peacefully beside me, her face soft and relaxed, the morning light casting a warm glow across her features. It’s hard to believe how much my life has changed in just a year. I never thought I’d have her back in myarms, that she’d be here beside me like this, tangled up in my sheets, a part of my life again. After everything that happened during that winter storm, I was sure I’d lost my chance.
A little sigh escapes her lips, and she shifts closer, a small smile on her face even in sleep. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her as close as I can, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She snuggles against me, her warmth grounding me, calming every part of me that had once been so restless. Her eyes flutter open, sleepy and full of warmth, and she gives me a soft, lazy smile.
“Hi,” she murmurs, her voice still heavy with sleep.
“Hey, princess,” I say, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”
She blinks, nestling deeper into my side, her voice a soft whisper. “Why are you awake?”
“Just a little leftover anxiety, but I’m okay,” I tell her, meaning it this time. After a year of staying at a few centers and working with different therapists, I can finally say it and believe it. “Just . . . go back to sleep.”
She nods, her eyes closing again as she curls into me, her breathing evening out as she drifts off once more. I run my fingers along her shoulder, feeling grateful beyond words. She doesn’t know how much her being here means to me, how she’s become my anchor in ways I hadn’t thought possible.
I used to worry I’d never find someone who could see through the darkness, who would stay. But I didn’t need to find anyone. I just had to come back home, to Kentbury, to Jenna. The woman who was meant for me and brought so much light with her.
Two weeks later,I find myself pacing back and forth inside the jewelry store, my heart racing as I wait for the jeweler to bring out the ring. My hands are practically shaking with nerves, and the reality of what I’m about to do hits me harder than any mission I ever went on in the military. I never thought I’d be here, not after everything I’d put her through, not after thinking I’d lost her for good.
Landon leans back against the display counter, watching me with an amused grin, his arms crossed. “Will you stop pacing around like a caged tiger? You’re making me nervous, man. You’re not proposing here and now—we’re just picking up the ring.”
“I know that,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “But tonight, I could either be an engaged man or just . . . heartbroken. And I don’t know which one it’s going to be.”
Landon chuckles, giving me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Holden, it’s going to be fine. Jenna loves you. You know it, I know it, everyone in this town knows it. She’s going to say yes. Stop torturing yourself.”
Before I can respond, the jeweler comes out from the back with a small gift bag in hand, his face lighting up when he sees me. He’s known me since I was a kid, watched me grow up, and there’s a warmth in his eyes as he hands me the bag.
“Holden, seeing you this happy . . .” He shakes his head, smiling. “If anyone deserves it, it’s you. You picked a beautiful ring. She’s going to love it.”
Landon nudges me. “Come on, man, open it up. Let’s see what you got.”
With shaky hands, I pull the ring box from the bag and open it. The ring gleams under the store lights—a platinum band with a solitaire diamond at its center, surrounded by smaller stones that catch the light from every angle. It’s elegant and classic, just like Jenna. Landon lets out a low whistle, and I can’t help but wonder if Jenna will have the same reaction when she sees it.
“Do you think she’s going to like it?” I ask, my voice quieter than I expected.
“She’s going to love it,” Landon says, grinning. “And she’s going to say yes. This ring is just the icing on the cake.”
I shoot him a look, pretending to scowl. “Are you saying she’ll only say yes because of the size of the ring?”
Landon laughs. “No, man, she’d say yes no matter what. This just shows her how much thought you put into it. She’s going to love every bit of it.”
With one last look at the ring, I close the box and put it back in the bag, taking a steadying breath as we leave the store. The closer the evening gets, the more real it feels, and I can barely contain my nerves. I’ve faced plenty of terrifying situations, but nothing has ever felt as big as this. If she says yes, everything changes. And if she says no . . . I’m not sure how I’ll handle seeing her every day, knowing we could’ve had something more.
Later that evening, I drive over to her place, hands clammy on the steering wheel as I think over what I want to say. I’ve planned it out a hundred different ways, but I’m not sure which way is right for Jenna.
When she opens the door, looking beautiful and soft in the winter evening light, all the rehearsed words slip away. I take her to our favorite restaurant, the same one where we’d had so many moments together. I barely eat, my stomach is in knots, and my hands fidget under the table.
The hostess seated us in a quiet booth toward the back, giving us the privacy I wanted. Jenna looks at me, her brows furrowing slightly. “Are you okay? You seem . . . on edge.”
