“Okay. I can wait.”
“You won’t have to wait long. I promise.”
They finished making dinner together, and Nora felt a flutter of anticipation in her chest. Soon. It would happen soon.
And when it did—when Carson asked her to marry him—she already knew what her answer would be.
The same answer she’d give him every day for the rest of their lives.
Yes. Always yes.
Chapter 28
Two weeks later, Carson was still trying to find the perfect moment.
He’d bought the ring three days after his conversation with Nora in the kitchen. Had spent an entire Saturday visiting jewelry stores until he found the right one—simple, elegant, with a single diamond that caught the light just right. The kind of ring Nora would actually wear. The kind that saidI know youinstead of trying to impress.
But finding the moment? That was harder.
He’d considered a dozen scenarios. Taking her back to the cabin. A fancy dinner downtown. The lake where they’d had their first real conversation after she’d left him. Even proposing at The Brew & View where they’d first met, though Finn had vetoed that idea immediately.
“Too weird,” Finn had said. “Don’t propose where she asked you for help with a stalker. That’s not romantic, that’s traumatic.”
Valid point.
So Carson had been carrying the ring in his jacket pocket for two weeks, waiting for the moment to feel right. For the universe to give him a sign. For—
His phone rang. Captain Holloway.
“Black, I need you to come in. The Eugene trial starts tomorrow. DA wants to go over your testimony one more time.”
Carson checked his watch. Five PM. He’d promised Nora he’d be home by six. They had plans—nothing special, just dinner and a movie. But plans nonetheless.
Old Carson would have said yes immediately. Would have stayed at the station as long as needed. Would have put the job first.
New Carson? New Carson had learned to set boundaries.
“Can it wait until morning?” Carson asked. “I have plans tonight. I can come in early tomorrow, seven AM, and we’ll have plenty of time before court.”
Silence on the other end. Then, “Yeah. That works. Seven AM tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Captain.”
Carson hung up feeling proud of himself. He’d set a boundary. Protected his personal time. Prioritized Nora.
Dr. Carpenter would be proud.
He left the station at exactly five-fifteen, stopped at the grocery store for ingredients, and made it home by six.
Nora wasn’t there yet. Her car wasn’t in the parking lot. She’d texted earlier that she had a late meeting with a client but should be home by six-thirty.
Perfect. He’d have time to cook. To make something special.
Carson put on music and started preparing chicken piccata—one of Nora’s favorites. He’d made it three times in the past month, perfecting the recipe. Getting the sauce just right. Learning how to cook the chicken so it was tender but not dry.
Normal domestic things. Things that a year ago would have bored him. Now? Now he found them meditative. Relaxing. A way to show love that didn’t require words.
He was plating the food when he heard Nora’s key in the lock.
