She blinked. “Are you proposing?”
“Please. Without a ring? And still being a mental patient?”
“Would you stop calling yourself that?”
He laughed. “I’m pre-proposing. Life with you is what I want. But I still have a ways to go to get better.” He brushed more dirt from her hair.
She hoped she looked better than she thought she did.Pre-proposing? Yes!“So, um, don’t you want my answer?”
“Not if it’s a no. If it’s a no, just wait until I can ask again, with flowers and a ring and maybe a degree in exercise science. I’m going back to school. I had a talk with Mark, and we have some really cool ideas for therapy through exercise. Like, mental therapy, not physical therapy. Stuff especially for veterans.”
“You’ve been talking to Mark?” She blinked.
“Well, after I jacked him up to make sure he left you alone, I realized I’d been fed some bad intel. So then I apologized, explained I wasn’t right in the head, and he got it. We talked. I played more racquetball and then realized his aunt owns this place and asked him for a favor. But somehow Hope got involved, and—”
“Surprise!” Hope, Mark, and an older woman walked out onto the porch. “So are you back in love now?” Hope asked.
“Well?” Mark checked his watch. “Hurry it up. I have things to do. Sorry, Aunt Peggy, I have to run. But I’ll call you later.”
“Yes, dear. Thanks for bringing me home.” Aunt Peggy held up her thumb, then turned it down. “Which one?”
“Up,” Zoe yelled and laughed when Gavin lifted her and whirled her around. “Oh, man, I’m getting dizzy.”
“Love will do that.” Gavin smiled.
“So will little to eat and going in circles.”
“Oh.” He set her down.
“Hey, Mark, are you single?” they heard Hope ask.
They didn’t hear his answer as she followed him back into the house.
But Gavin shook his head. “No way.”
“I agree. No.” Yet, Mark wasn’t a bad candidate for a break in Hope’s supposed streak in dating losers. What could it hurt?
Then Zoe didn’t care, because Gavin was kissing her and making plans for their happy reunion. And her pink yoga pants.
