That thought makes me laugh as I crawl over to my spot, and Callum shoots me a curious look.
“Have you ever read theMagic Tree Housebooks?”
Callum’s eyes brighten with nostalgia as he laughs, “I used to read those books in this treehouse. I used to think if I just followed the directions and wished it hard enough, I’d climb down from this Tree House and... be where I wanted to be.”
“Where would you want to go?”
“I used to loveLittle House on the Prairie,” Callum admits with a shy chuckle. “I liked the idea of homesteading... with my wife and kids.”
“And can I be the wife in this scenario?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows.
Callum’s eyes shift at that, melting into that warm chocolate I always love as a mix of emotions flashes across his face. He clears his throat and smiles at me, replying softly, “I’d like that.”
I lean forward and press a kiss to his bearded cheek before grabbing the wine chilling in the cooler and the two glasses. Before I can pour, Callum’s gentle voice stops me.
Callum gestures behind me and says, “Sweet girl, can you grab that book for me? Just reminded me that I wanted to show you something.”
Turning to where he’s pointing, I see a small stack of books in the corner. I grab the one at the top and go to hand it to Callum, before I freeze.
A Happy Ending,the book’s title engraved in gold with two little gold otters under it. At the bottom are our names in a delicate cursive—Sophie + Callum.
Frowning in confusion, I open the book and suck in a quick breath. On the pages, aren’t the words. It’s our pictures, starting at the beginning. A perfect chronological timeline ofour relationship. Callum and I at my birthday party, and on the boardwalk, watching our sunsets, and candid pictures of us taken by the book club. Birthdays, Boston, Christmases, and holidays, and... love.
Life.
The life that we have built together.
Then I get halfway through and my hand shoots to my mouth to cover my gasp.
“Callum..."
The entire back of the book is carved out, a little ring holder holding an absolutely gorgeous oval moonstone ring on a gold band. My hand goes to the moonstone that still hangs around my neck, my gift from Maeve. This stone always grants me the strength I need to face anything, and the fact that Callum skipped the diamond and decided to choose a stone that means more to me makes me somehow fall even deeper in love with this man.
When I turn back to Callum, he’s on one knee and is looking at me with such affection it makes me breathless.
“I love you, Sophie,” Callum’s voice cracks in half, before he clears it and continues on, his voice a deadly combination of firm yet still so tender. “My mom always said to be patient, and that love would find me. You found me. The day you walked into that shop was the greatest day of my life, and every moment with you since then has been nothing but joy. You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met. You remained kind and compassionate through cancer. You accept me as I am and still love me for it—”
“I do,” I crawl closer to him and reach out to brush a tear tracking down his cheek.
He briefly closes his eyes and leans into my touch, reveling in it. He lifts up his hand and holds mine to his cheek, pressing akiss to the palm, and I realize how the scratch of his beard is so familiar and so comforting to me.
When those warm eyes open again, they’re practically blazing with passion as he swears to me, “I will love you, trust you, honor you, andchooseyou every single day for the rest of our lives. When it’s hard, when life really tries us, if cancer... if it comes again, we will fight and come out on the other side. Every single day. And then even when we’re not on this Earth anymore, my soul will still choose you, Sophie.”
I choke out a sob, tears falling without restraint now as Callum leans down to kiss the back of my hand.
“Will you marry me, my otter—”
My lips are already on his, arms around his neck, and his back hits the floor with a thump that I can’t feel bad for in this moment because he just asked me to marry him.
“Yes.”
???
September
When you have a lot of hands, it’s surprisingly easy to put together a wedding.
Granted, it’s in our backyard, thanks in part to The Salvatores. They have enough money, enough influence to throw around and get people moving. The night Callum proposed, I called Bailey. She squealed so loudly I think I heard the echo all the way from Boston.
