“I’m sorry if I scared you, baby. I love you so much. I wanted to give you a proposal you’d always remember. Sunny T, will you marry me?” Alex holds up a small velvet box containing a beautiful diamond ring. The setting almost looks vintage. Like an heirloom piece.
Bending forward, I cup his cheeks. “Yes. Yes. Yes!’ I squeal.
The crowd begins to hoot and holler around us as the alarm goes silent.
It dawns on me as I’m kissing him, that Scooter was likely who set this plan in motion. As I turn to look for him, my eyes land on my brother, my mother, and father. “Oh my god! What are you doing here?”
“Alex invited us. We wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” my mother exclaims.
“It’s not every day you get to see your daughter get engaged,” Dad adds.
Tears are rolling down my cheeks as they pull me in for a group hug. And to think I was worried Alex was taking me for granted. This man truly is the man of my dreams.
Chapter 5
Quinn
“Hey, Quinn. How are you?” Ellie leans in for a hug.
“I’m good. Jason had to be at the station bright and early this morning. So, I decided to drop by here for some breakfast before heading out of town.”
Waving me over toward a small table by the window, Ellie drops into the seat across from me as she hands me a menu. “I don’t know how you do it. On the go all of the time. Aren’t you exhausted?”
“Yes. So, keep the coffee coming.” I giggle.
Ellie motions to one of her wait staff who brings over a fresh pot. Wow. They must speak in some type of morse code around here.
“Okay, that was impressive.”
She laughs. “You have to anticipate everyone’s needs in the restaurant business. I’m blessed to have such a great team.”
The server pours the rich dark blend into my cup as Ellie slides the pretty silver bowl containing creamer in my direction. “Where are you headed now?”
I blow across the top of my mug before taking a cautious sip of the hot liquid. “Wilmington. An old college friend of my father’s lives there. Once he found out about the promotions I ran back home in Magnolia Point he called wanting to discuss trying to get a similar festival going there.”
“Oh, that’s on the water. All sorts of opportunities there.” Ellie’s cheeks blushed a rosy glow of someone who remembered waterfront life well. I’d never stopped to consider how different living in Sycamore Mountain must be for her after living in Candy Cane Key for all of her life.
“Yes. I just wish there were more opportunities here. It’s nice that I’m not tied to an office from nine to five, but there’s almost no prospect for work here.” My face falls having said the words out loud.
I’m so proud of Jason. He’s climbed the ranks of the fire department through hard work and perseverance. He deserves to have a woman by his side who’ll support him. But this town is so small. There isn’t honestly much need for public relations services here. If I want to keep my PR company thriving, I have to constantly be on the move. Away from home.
Away from him.
It hasn’t escaped me that he’s not brought up marriage in a long while. I mean, I’m never here. And when I am, I’m usually exhausted. Has he considered that maybe the two of us aren’t the perfect fit he initially thought we were? That maybe all we’d felt was undeniable physical chemistry?
Yet that alone can’t sustain a lifelong commitment. And what happens if we want to have children? Do I put my business on hold? My family will always be my top priority. But I’d had a front row seat to what happens when a marriage can’t withstand life’s bitter storms. My father and brother have had to juggle life on their own. I’d promised myself I would never allow the rug to be yanked from under me. Having a career I’m proud of would give me the security I needed to face an uncertain future. And it would allow me to show my children that following their dreams is important. As much as I love Jason, I needed this. Taking a backseat to his career would eventually eat away at me.
“Babe. You seem a million miles away. This is really weighing heavy on you, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” More than I even realized until this very moment.
“Have you talked to Jason about it?”
Placing my coffee mug down, I drop my face into my hands. “I don’t know, Ellie. He’s so busy now. And his job is stressful. The last thing he needs is to worry about me. I mean, he’s the Captain of the fire department now. His job is all about public safety. No one’s going to die if I don’t manage to get enough publicity my client’s way.”
I felt a comforting hand on my back rubbing gently up and down. “Listen, if anyone can relate to what you’re going through, it’s me.”
Lifting my head, I peer over at my sweet friend. Her angelic face now heavy with troubles I’m certain she doesn’t share with her fire fighter either.
