"It might matter."
"It doesn't." Brian looked at the saleswoman. "I'll take it."
He walked out of the store with the ring in his pocket and a plan forming in his head. The Copper Moon Holiday Market was this weekend. Tessa had been talking about it for weeks, excited to see the town decorated, the vendors, and the tree lighting in the square.
It would be perfect.
"You've got that look," Hank said as they walked back toward the shop.
"What look?"
"The look that says you're planning something. Bree gets the same look right before she rearranges all the furniture."
"I'm thinking the holiday market. Saturday night, after the tree lighting."
"Public proposal?"
"No. Private. There's that spot on the bluff, past the market. You can see the whole bay from there."
Hank nodded slowly. "Under the copper moon."
"Under the copper moon."
"She'll love it."
"She better. I'm not good at this stuff."
"You're better than you think." Hank clapped him on the shoulder. "And for what it's worth, I'm glad you found her. You've been different since she showed up. Better."
"Different how?"
"Less angry. Less closed off. Like you finally stopped punishing yourself for something that was never your fault."
Brian didn't have a response to that. Mostly because it was true.
The next few days crawled by. Brian threw himself into work, both at the shop and with EMS, trying to keep his mind off the ring burning a hole in his dresser drawer. Tessa noticed something was up; he could tell by the way she looked at him, curious and a little amused.
"You're being weird," she said Thursday night.
"I'm always weird."
"Weirder than usual. You keep checking your phone and then looking disappointed."
"I'm waiting for a parts order."
"Must be some order."
He kissed her to avoid answering. It worked.
Saturday arrived cold and clear, the kind of December day that made everything look like a postcard. Frost had dusted the town overnight, just enough to coat the rooftops and the bare tree branches. The holiday market sprawled across the town square, booths selling crafts and food and ornaments, Christmas music playing from speakers strung between lampposts.
They walked through the market together, hand in hand. Tessa bought a knitted scarf from a woman who recognized her from the clinic. Brian got them cups of hot cider that steamed in the cold air.
"This is perfect," Tessa said, looking around at the lights and the snow and the people. "I can't believe I almost didn't come here."
"To the market?"
"To Copper Moon. I almost canceled that rental, you know. A week before I was supposed to leave, I almost backed out."
