Page 172 of Let Me Show You

Gemma steps forward. “Yes, I’ll get Katie, hand her the letter, then bring her to Tyler. Then it goes Tyler, Everleigh, so on and so on. I’ve got this, bro. Have faith in me. I did just plan a pretty incredible grand opening and deliver a baby. I’m a pro at this point,” she tells me with a lifted brow and a smirk.

“You’re right.” I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. “Just a little nervous. That’s it.”

Loretta speaks up. “She’s gonna say yes. This is your destiny.”

“She better!” Owen pipes up, and it makes Anthony giggle.

Everleigh snorts and squeezes his shoulder. “She will. There’s no doubt about it.”

I suck in a deep breath, trying to calm down, then feel inside my jacket pocket for the box. It’s almost time, and I know Katie’s probably growing impatient that I haven’t returned with her snacks yet. The thought has me chuckling to myself.

Katie’s parents give me hugs, and I can tell how overjoyed they are. I asked them a month ago after I asked Owen’s permission. They were more than thrilled that I wanted to make things official with their daughter. They’ve always treated me like a son and respected me even after everything that happened.

“Excited to have you officially be a part of the family,” Katie’s mama tells me.

“I promise to always protect her and love her,” I say.

“We believe you,” her dad tells me.

“It’s almost time, y’all. I need you to start lining up,” Gemma instructs. She’s a sassy little thing, and I’m glad I put her in charge of the people part. Takes a sliver of the stress away.

My sister was such a big help with planning this. When I was reminiscing about our past, all the letters we used to write to each other in high school came to mind. At that moment, I knew exactly how and where I wanted to propose.

I stand at the end of the pumpkin patch and know Katie has a long way to walk. She’ll be reading each of the notes I wrote to her about our past and our future. It will take her some time, and I’m okay with that, but I know my heart will be racing until I see her, and she says yes.

I expect tears of happiness because she’s been so emotional lately, but by the end of it, I hope she agrees to be my wife.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

KATIE

As I sit on a bale of hay with my feet propped up, I wonder what’s taking Noah so long.

I’ve always looked forward to this little festival. Well, ever since Noah brought me here when I was fifteen. I knew I had feelings for him then, but I was also too young to understand. I guess it’s true, though—when the heart knows, it truly knows.

It might’ve taken us some time to get to where we are now, but I don’t have any complaints, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve thought about whether I could go back in time, or whether I’d erase some of the heartache, but I realized maybe things wouldn’t be the same between us. My heart flutters thinking about it.

“What’re you grinning about?” Gemma asks.

My mouth falls open when I see her, and I stand to give her a hug. She’s pushing Scarlett in a stroller, and I bend down to catch a peek of her sweet cheeks.

“Come on,” she tells me with a wink. “Let’s look at the pumpkins.”

“I’m waiting for Noah,” I explain, not wanting him to get worried or have to search for me.

“We’re just going into the patch. Text him and let him know,” Gemma says.

I snicker. “Oh yeah. Text. Forgot about that one. Baby brain.”

I send a quick message to Noah, telling him that I ran into Gemma and we’re gonna walk around.

He sends me a kissy face emoji back.

Katie

Hope you didn’t fall in!

Noah