Page 66 of Only Ever You

I laugh. “Are you sure you don’t want to go for a walk with Lucas instead? I’m pretty sure you had more places to hang out with him than me.”

He raises his head and places a kiss under my ear. “No, Pippa. Only you.”

Standing, he holds out his hand, and I take it, letting him pull me up.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“You’ll see.”

After walking out into the sunshine and down the driveway, we turn to the left and stroll the very short distance to the nearby reserve.

“What are we doing here?” I laugh.

“Well, I remember having to climb this tree to rescue a cat who probably didn’t need rescuing because a little girl decided she would go after him and she got stuck.”

I chuckle. “Oh, Roger.”

“It’s still the weirdest name for a cat.”

I place my hand on the trunk. “You know, this is where I decided I was in love with you.”

He grins. “And you were what, five?”

Nodding, I look up at the branches. “I was. You were the much more grown-up age of twelve. You and Lucas got me to jump and the two of you caught me.”

When I shift my gaze back to him, he’s down on one knee.

“What are you doing?” I whisper.

“Pippa Chapman. I have loved you for your whole life. Maybe it wasn’t the same kind of love when I rescued Roger from the tree as it is now, but it was love nonetheless.”

I laugh, covering my mouth with my hand. This is madness. I never thought that I’d ever find love with Deacon—not really. I’d always thought I’d watch from afar as he fell in love and married someone else.

“You loving me makes me the luckiest man in the world. Will you marry me?”

My heart races. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“Pippa? You’re scaring me.”

Deacon never doubts himself, but in that moment, all I see is doubt reflected in his eyes. Does he think I’m not going to … Oh wait … my brain’s saying yes, but my mouth …

“Yes. Yes. I want to marry you very, very much.”

He takes the ring out of the box, and I get a closer look. It’s a simple white gold band with a large princess-cut diamond.

He slides the ring onto my finger as tears roll down my cheeks. I thought the best moment of my life was when he said he loved me, but this? This will never, ever be topped.

“It’s so beautiful.”

“You’re so beautiful. I thought my princess deserved a princess.” He rises to his feet. “I love you.”

I sob as he gathers me in his arms. “I love you too.”

He chuckles in my ear. “Can you say that with a little less crying?”

“I’m just so happy,” I whisper.

“Me too, Pipsqueak. Me too.”

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