"Dylan," Rebecca says patiently. "This is Valentine. We knew she was staying before she did."
I shake my head, but I'm smiling. "Fair enough."
As the sun starts to set, the live music begins. A local band takes the stage and plays covers of classic rock songs, and couples start dancing in the street. The lights strung overhead flicker to life, casting everything in a warm golden glow.
I find Piper near the cake, filming the way the lights reflect off the sugar work.
"Dance with me," I say.
She lowers her camera and looks at me. "There is a whole dance floor over there."
"I don't want to dance over there," I say. "I want to dance here. With you."
She sets her camera down carefully and takes my hand. I pull her close, and we sway gently to the music drifting across the square.
"Thank you for today," I say.
"You already thanked me."
"I'm thanking you again."
She laughs and rests her head against my chest. "You are welcome. Again."
We dance in silence for a while, and I feel the weight of the day settling into something softer. Something peaceful.
"Piper," I say quietly.
"Yeah?"
"I meant what I said the other night. About marrying you someday."
She pulls back to look at me, and there is something bright and hopeful in her eyes. "I know you did."
"I don't have a ring yet," I continue. "And I want to do this properly. But I need you to know that this is not temporary for me. This is forever."
Her eyes fill with tears. "This is forever for me, too."
I kiss her then, slow and sure, and I don't care that half the town is probably watching. I don't care that we are standing in the middle of the square with a hundred people around us.
All I care about is this woman and the life we are building together.
When we pull apart, Maddie is standing beside us with a huge grin on her face.
"Are you guys getting married?" she asks.
"Someday," I tell her. "Is that okay with you?"
She throws her arms around both of us. "Yes! Can I be the flower girl? Can I wear a princess dress? Can we have a cake with sprinkles?"
Piper laughs through her tears. "You can have whatever you want, sweetheart."
"Even a puppy?"
"We will talk about the puppy," I say.
Maddie cheers and runs off to tell her friends, and Piper and I are left standing there, wrapped in each other's arms.
"Did we just get engaged?" she asks.
