"I think we just got pre-engaged," I say. "Is that a thing?"
"It is now."
I kiss her again, and this time I don't pull away until the song ends and a new one begins.
Later that night,after the festival has wound down and we have driven a very tired Maddie home and tucked her into bed, Piper and I sit on the back porch under the stars.
"Today was perfect," she says.
"It really was."
"Your speech made me cry."
"You were not the only one," I say. "I saw at least a dozen people with tissues."
She laughs and leans against me. "I'm so proud of you."
"I'm proud of us," I correct. "For taking the risk. For choosing this."
"For choosing each other," she adds.
"Yeah," I say. "For choosing each other."
We sit in comfortable silence for a while, and I feel the enormity of what we have built settling around us like a blanket.
Three weeks ago, she walked into my bakery and turned my entire world upside down.
And now I can't imagine a world without her in it.
"Dylan," she says softly.
"Yeah?"
"When you are ready to do this properly, the answer is going to be yes."
My throat tightens. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she says. "Absolutely, completely, definitely yes."
I pull her closer and press a kiss to her temple. "Good. Because I already started planning it in my head."
She laughs. "Of course you did."
"I've a spreadsheet and everything."
"Of course you do."
We sit there under the stars, and I feel something I've not felt in three years.
Not just hope.
Not just happiness.
But certainty.
The certainty that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
With this woman.
