They paid the check and walked out together, standing on the sidewalk in the cool evening air.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” Lila said, hugging Nora tightly. “For being happy for us. For being you.”
“Always.”
Nora drove home with a smile on her face and warmth in her chest. Her best friend was getting married. Her business was thriving. Her relationship with Carson was solid and healthy and real.
Life was good. Really, truly good.
And as she thought about Lila’s question—when would Carson propose—Nora realized she wasn’t in a rush. They’d get there when they got there. The proposal would come when it was right.
She trusted him. Trusted them. Trusted the life they were building together.
That was enough for now.
More than enough.
***
Carson was cooking when Nora got home.
She could smell garlic and tomatoes as soon as she opened the door. Could hear him humming along to music playing from his phone—some classic rock station he’d discovered recently.
“Hey,” she called out, hanging up her coat. “What are you making?”
“Pasta puttanesca. Thought I’d try something new.” He appeared in the kitchen doorway, wearing an apron that said “Kiss the Cook”—a gag gift from Finn that he’d actually started using. “How was dinner?”
“Amazing. Lila and Jake are engaged. She wants me to be maid of honor.”
“That’s great. When’s the wedding?”
“Spring. They’re thinking outdoor ceremony, small reception. Very them.” Nora moved into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “She asked when you’re going to propose to me.”
She felt Carson stiffen slightly. “Did she now?”
“Yep. I told her we’re not in a rush. That we’re focusing on building something solid.”
“And is that what you told her? Or what you actually believe?”
Nora moved to face him. “Both. I mean, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it. About marrying you. About building a future together. But I’m not in a rush. We’ll get there when we’re ready.”
Carson studied her face. “And if I’m ready now?”
Her heart skipped. “Are you?”
“I’ve been ready for months. I’ve been waiting for the right moment. The right way to ask. The right—” He stopped. “The right time to prove I’m worthy of you saying yes.”
“Carson, you’ve proven that. You’ve been proving it every day for six months.”
“Have I? Because I still mess up sometimes. Still get too focused on work. Still have moments where I slip back into old patterns.”
“But you catch yourself. You apologize. You adjust. That’s not failure. That’s being human.” Nora slipped her arms around his waist. “You’re not perfect. I don’t need you to be perfect. I just need you to keep showing up. Keep trying. Keep being the man who loves me enough to do the hard work of change.”
“I am that man. I want to be that man for the rest of my life.” He moved his arms from around her shoulders and cupped her face. “But I need to do this right. Need to plan it. Make it special. Not just blurt it out in the kitchen while I’m making dinner.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you did.”
“I know. But you deserve better than that. Deserve romance and thought and effort.” He kissed her softly. “So give me a little more time. To do this right. To show you how much this means to me.”
