"I mean, we're done with it, and I know you're crafty."
"Yeah, okay, I'd love it," I said, walking with him in the moonlight.
"And I have other agendas in the wagon," he said.
His words made me feel giddy and shy, and I grinned as we walked. He reached out for my hand and held onto me until we made it to the wagon, circling around the end of it. Alex unzipped the outer canvas and held it to the side while he opened the door. I was climbing in as he spoke again.
"My other agenda is to talk to you about something."
"Oh," I said, trying not to sound disappointed that it wasn't about kissing me.
"What is it?"
He climbed into the wagon behind me, and he turned on one of the lamps. He chose a different lamp this time. It was smaller, and it was behind a box, making it still pretty dark in there. My eyes didn't need to adjust because we had been in the darkness walking over.
He pulled me into his arms. "We're done filming in Montana," he said.
"I know. It's crazy. I saw Amelia and Ty crying. I'm just so proud of you. So many people are proud of this project. I'm proud of it, and I had nothing to do with it."
"Now, that's just not true. You had so much to do with it."
"How?" I asked, genuinely confused.
He stood in front of me, holding my hands in his. "How? Me. I needed you. I'm different with you.Better. That's what I wanted to talk about. I don't know how we did it. I don't know how we let it get to this point without confronting the fact that I will be going home soon. I still have a few days here, packing up, but that's obviously not going to be enough. I have to have you for longer. Please, Josie."
"Yes," I said, answering him with an easy nod.
"Yes, to what? Anything I want?"
"Yes," I said.
He kissed me. His mouth pressed to mine in a relieved kiss. He stamped his mouth on mine and then wrapped his arms around me.
"What about coming to California? Wait. Don't answer that yet. I got you something that might help talk you into it."
Alex dug in his pocket and came up with a ring.
It was a loose ring, no box, and I wasn't expecting it, so I pulled back to focus on it. I put my hand on top of his, touching the small, circular object. It was silver and simple, and there was a heart with a tiny stone.
"It's a promise ring," he said.
My heart was pounding so loud in my own ears that I almost didn't hear him.
"I wanted to buy you the one with the diamond, but I wasn't sure if you were ready for that."
"This is a diamond."
"Yeah, but that's tiny."
"It's perfect and wonderful," I said in a choked voice. I glanced up at him and was unashamed that my eyes were full of tears.
"I'm hoping you can wear it and come with me to California. I'm sorry it's over, and I'm just thinking about working this out. Can you come with me when I go back? I'll get you somewhere to live and we'll make it a good situation for you."
I took the ring from him and tried it on. I wasn't sure what finger it was supposed to go on, and I instinctively put it on my right ring finger. It fit, and I stared at it on my finger, so simple and beautiful, before looking up to meet Alex's gaze.
"Yes."
"Yes, you'll come to California?"
