The license plate spells ‘You’.
By the time the camera pans to the ‘Marry’, April figures out it’s a proposal and starts crying and nodding.
Riley twists her neck to look at me, her lips inching up.
As Chance and April officially become an engaged couple, I stare into Riley Carter’s eyes and feel a certainty that—just like Chance with April—I’ve found my person too.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
RILEY
I give April a big hug. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you so much.” She beams from ear-to-ear, already boasting that bride-to-be glow.
Nat and Chance exchange manly chin-up gestures while I chat with April about the vintage cars that are in her garage.
May, April’s energetic, college-aged sister, drags April and Chance away to greet other guests and Nat and I are left standing alone.
We make eye contact.
His lips curl up in a devastatingly handsome smile.
My heart trips over itself.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah.” His eyes slide over my face. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
Shyness steals over me, and I lower my gaze in response.
Put me in front of a plane’s turbine engine or a car’s wiring system and I have zero fear or nerves. But let Nathan Campbellpin me with those hypnotizing green eyes and tell me I’m beautiful and I have no idea what to do with myself.
Nat briefly places his fingers on my waist and bends lower to speak in my ear. “Want something to drink?”
I shake my head. It hasn’t been that long since the ‘heavy-on-the-tipsy’ Tipsy Tuna incident. I’m not eager for round two.
Nat accepts my answer with a smile and leaves me to my thoughts, bobbing his head to the music.
Come on, Riley. Stop overthinking this. It’s Nat!
I tug on his shirt sleeve to get his attention.
Nat looks at me immediately, his eyes rapt on my face as if he’s ready to do whatever I ask.
“I think all the other guests have checked out the garage already. There shouldn’t be a crowd now.” I speak a bit louder since the music, laughter and buzz of conversation around us is so strong.
Nat points to himself and then the door.
I nod.
My heart kicks up a notch as if I’ve jolted it with electricity when his fingers enclose around mine. Confidently, he leads me through the crowd and out the door.
Nat has been by my side all night and I’ve been struggling not to let my over-eager fangirl escape. Now, I can stare at him all googly-eyed from behind to my heart’s content.
From the front, Nat is model-level stunning.
