She frowned, then spun to face him. “I thought you said that Tate and Jason were too protective to ever let any of their friends date their sisters.”
Shrugging, Tripp flashed her a wild smile. “I think we might be able to change their mind. What do you think? Want to play matchmaker this summer?”
A slow smile tugged at her lips. “I think that sounds fun. It’d be a good way to get Brent out of his own head during the season.”
“My thoughts exactly.” They shared a knowing look that ended with Wendy sneezing. “Tissues are in the glovebox.” Tripp realized his slip up a second too late when she reached for the compartment.
And just like that, his romantic plans were shattered. Wendy pulled out a small, square book. It was tied with a ribbon and was embossed with the words, ‘Our Story’. The most incriminating thing about it was the name at the bottom.
It was his name.
Wendy stared at the book, first with confusion then curiosity. Her eyes flitted up to meet his. It wasn’t a long book because he didn’t have the knack or talent to create the sort of prose a real author could.
Tripp held his breath, waiting for her to move. She could put it back. She could ask him a million questions. She could open it and just read. Would he stop her? At the rate his racing heart thundered in his chest, he wasn’t sure he’d be capable of anything but watching.
She was the first to act.
Wendy flipped the book open and started to read. She gasped and her eyes lifted to meet his. “Tripp…” she whispered.
“I…” He didn’t have the words. The first domino had fallen and they’d continue to fall until she reached the last page. There wereabout ten pages of their story ending with today’s events. And she was a quick reader.
He glanced up for a split second to where his brother still chatted with their friends. This was not where he’d planned on proposing. But it wasn’t the worst place either. Someone honked behind him and he moved forward in line.
Brent turned his way for only a moment, but he couldn’t see the desperation in Tripp’s eyes from where he stood.
When Tripp forced himself to watch Wendy again she brushed a tear aside. She was already nearing the end of the story.
Or rather, their beginning.
Then the book dropped out of her hands and onto her lap, open to the last page. There was a hole cut out of several glued-together pages. And in that hole was the ring he’d painstakingly chosen. He’d wanted this to be romantic like in the books she loved reading. He’d wanted it to be special and a complete surprise.
Now, he was wondering if he’d picked wrong because she was covering her mouth with both hands as she stared at the ring he’d settled on.
“Wendy?” he rasped. “Please say something.”
She blinked several times, and another tear spilled down her cheek. Then she reached for the book and untied the ring from it’s case by tugging on a white, silk ribbon. Wendy held the ring with her pointer and thumb then turned her eyes on him. “It’s… beautiful.”
He exhaled with relief only to remind himself she hadn’t said yes. He opened his mouth only for his brother to jump in the back of the truck.
“Hey! You did it without me? I was supposed to take pictures!”
Wendy startled as Brent pushed his head forward over the center console. There was a wide grin on his face as his eyes bounced from Wendy to Tripp and back.
“You love it, right? I knew you would. Tripp was so worried. I swear we spent three hours in that jewelry store?—”
“Brent,” Tripp ground out between clenched teeth, “she hasn’t answered me yet.”
His brother stilled. Then he sucked in a breath and fumbled for his phone. He muttered an obscenity when the phone landed on the floor. Then when he had the phone ready and pointed at the both of them, he chuckled. “Sorry.”
Wendy laughed. Tripp smiled nervously.
“Well?” Tripp murmured, a slight tremor to his voice. “I might not be the last man on?—”
Wendy leaned over the console and placed a hand to his cheek. “Only you, Tripp. It’s only ever been you.”
“Is that a yes?” Brent asked.
Tripp’s groan was cut off by Wendy’s kiss. She put her whole heart into this kiss. But then, she usually did. Somehow, this one felt different. They’d found each other. They’d found love.
