EPILOGUE
Josie
I spun in a circle, my gaze arcing around the top of the ski slope. Looking below, I had a clear view of the ski resort construction. I smiled over at Tate. “Wow! This looks amazing. I can’t believe how much work they’ve gotten done.”
Tate had told me they finally had a new ski lift running. This wasn’t the first time I’d come skiing here since I’d moved home. Up until today, we’d been using the old tow rope lifts. We’d just skied off the brand-new lift.
His smile was wide. “I thought you’d like it.”
“The tow rope lift was a good upper body workout, though,” I teased.
He chuckled. “Archer told me they think construction is on track to be done for next season. There’ll be a grand opening.”
“I know. I’ll be there with bells on.” I glanced down the slope and back at him. “Are you going to ski down with me?”
Wewerestanding on skis, after all. It was nearly impossible for me to be at the top of a snowy mountain and not feel the urge to plunge my poles into the snow, curl forward, and zoom down the slope. I was an adrenaline junkie when it came to skiing.
“There’s only one way down, Josie,” he teased.
He lifted his chin, his gaze sobering after a moment. My heart began to thump harder and faster as emotion began to rush inside. He took a step closer, reaching for my hand.
“I was going to wait until we got to the bottom,” he said.
“Wait for what?”
“Well, sweetheart, there’s only one person I can imagine spending the rest of my life with. That’s you. I think we’ve had enough time to know how we feel. I sure do. I love you. I want to wake up every day with you. I want you to look annoyed if I forget to wash the dishes. I want to stop by the café and see your face at least once a week even though you no longer have to work there. I want to come home to you and Kara baking cookies and help clean up later. And I do want to ski down that slope with you, but maybe you could tell me if you’ll marry me before we do.” His earnest gaze held mine, and I could barely breathe.
Startled into silence for a moment, I couldn’t even speak. The rush of emotion was almost a sound, a force inside my body. I curled my hand tightly around his.
“Josie?” His tone was soft.
“Yes!” I shouted so loud that the single word echoed back to us. We were on an empty mountaintop high in the clear air.
Tate started laughing as he swung me into his arms. We almost stumbled and fell with our skis tangling for a moment. Only after he stepped away and swiped his thumb under my eyes did I realize I was crying happy tears.
“I have a ring,” he added with a grin.
I giggled. “You do?”
His answering chuckle spun around my heart. “I do. The plan was for us to ski down and for me to ask you there, so now I have to get it out.” He slid his hand into his jacket pocket before pulling out a little fleece bag.
“Isn’t that for…?” I began.
“A candle lantern for camping,” he filled in with a grin. “Don’t make fun. I had to make this work.”
The ring was a beautiful white gold band. With my heart doing cartwheels in my chest, I smiled up at him. “You did this perfectly. Just like you do the dishes.”
TATE
Three months later
“Really?” Josie teased.
Plate in hand, I glanced over my shoulder to see her walking into the kitchen. I chuckled and quickly rinsed the plate in the sink before putting it in the dishwasher, a step I’d been about to skip before she walked in.
After I closed the dishwasher, I turned and rested my hips against the counter, crossing my arms. “I’ll have you know I researched this.”
She stood across from me, resting her hips on the opposite counter and crossing her arms in imitation. “Really?”
