Page 151 of Free to Fall

When it was over, I wasn’t certain if my stomach was churning because of the amount of delicious desserts we’d consumed or because of the look on Laura’s face while we were dancing. But that eased when I spied a mini three-tiered cake designed to look like a field of buttercups had been placed in the center of our table.

I couldn’t help but notice the shape was a wedding cake. But I had no idea what it meant.

That’s when the song changed.

My heart flipped over in my chest when Laura stood up and glided gracefully around the table. It was as unsteady as the down beat of the timpani drum featured in the song playing.

When Laura reached for my hand and asked, “Liam, would you like to dance?” I couldn’t answer her, not verbally. All I could do was bypass her extended hand, slip my arm around her waist, and tug her flush against my body before I sent a prayer to whatever god was working the sound system that they’d play the song on repeat.

For eternity.

Laura picked out the perfect song for us to dance to. Chaotic emotions entwined with a love so strong neither time nor death could pull it apart. Harsh words, separation, they slipped away from us as I held on for dear life. Pulling her even closer to my body, I dropped my head and whispered, “This is exactly what you’ve made me feel since the day we met.”

Her head tipped back and I was shocked to find my own emotions reflected back at me. “I’ve felt the same way.”

“Laura, do you trust me?”

“For what, exactly?” she hedged.

“To love you. To cherish you. To take whatever steps I need to, to avoid making the same stupid fucking mistakes that broke us. To support you, to be by your side every moment of every day.”

She was quiet for just a moment. “Those sound an awful lot like vows.”

“I’ll keep every one of them.”

That’s when Laura stunned me. She pulled out of my arms. Right before dropping to one knee, taking my left hand in hers.

Shock rendered me immobile, but my mind was racing. I’m dreaming. This can’t be happening.

The music lowered to a low buzz, or maybe that’s the buzz going on in my head.

“Liam, I want you to think carefully about what I’m going to ask you.”

I open my mouth to shout my answer to the entire town of Collyer, but Laura squeezes my fingers to stop me. “This isn’t a small change, I’m proposing ...”

“You’re not proposing anything,” I pointed out, what I believed to be helpful.

She glared up at me. “That’s because you’re interrupting.”

There were giggles from the table. I twisted my head in time to see Bailey standing on a chair supported by Cassidy—who winked at me, approval stamped across her every feature. My head swivels back to Laura wearing the same expression I’m certain is on my face—love. Love for each other, love for our family, her family. She cleared her throat. “You, Bailey, life is different without both of you. Don’t get me wrong, I could go it alone ...”

The growl that erupted from the back of my throat makes her laugh. “But I don’t want to. I could be satisfied with safety—never worried about being hurt—”

I finished for her, hauling her up against my body. “Or you could tell me you love me and take the fall, knowing I’ll be right beside you there the whole way down.”

“See, that’s the problem with you rushing me.”

My fingers stroked her cheek. “Oh?”

She nuzzled her face into my palm. “I don’t think we’re going to fall if we leap together. Together, we’re going to fly—you, me, and Bailey.”

My forehead crashed down to hers. “You’re absolutely right.”

Just then, we pull into the driveway at my house with the car that’s been following me pulling in behind us. Bailey’s words slurred as we approached the house, so it was no surprise to find her conked out. Carefully, so I don’t wake her, I lift her from the back seat.

Laura approaches from the side with the goodie bags her Aunt Corinna prepared for us. “Do you need help with her?”

A glint reflects off the platinum band I’m now wearing on my left hand. “No, fiancée. I’ll put her down.”

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