Page 56 of Everything I Need

“Hello, Scarlett, may I escort you?” He holds out his arm to me.

“Escort me? Where? Where is Preston?”

“You’ll see.” Colton leads me to the path that goes to the wildflower field. It’s lit up with lanterns and flower petals covering the path. The butterflies in my stomach are somersaulting.

What is going on?

As I reach the end of the path where it opens into the field, I see Preston, in a suit, and Duke sitting next to him.

Duke is excited, but containing himself and sitting next to Preston like the good boy he is.

Preston checks his watch and goes back to wringing his hands. He’s obviously nervous.

As I get closer I see that Duke is wearing a bow tie as well. I melt thinking that Preston dressed Duke up for me. Duke can’t contain his excitement anymore, he runs to me, jumping up for hugs and kisses. “Hey, handsome guy, what is your dad up to, huh?”

I walk side by side with Duke up to Preston.

“Scarlett, I -“

Cutting him off, “You hurt me, Preston.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. All those old feelings came rushing back and I jumped to conclusions I shouldn’t have.” He looks me in the eyes with sincerity shining back to me.

“You believed someone completely untrustworthy over me, Preston. You chose someone else.” I did too, once, but I learned from it. I thought we both did.

“Scarlett, I didn’t. I promise you. My emotions may have gotten the better of me, but I didn’t choose anyone over you. It’s always you, Scarlett.”

“I don’t know, Preston. You should have come to me.” I say, stepping closer.

“Do you love me?”

“Of course I do, Preston. You'd be dumb to think I didn’t, which, we both know you are far from.”

He steps toward me and grabs my hands. “I love you, too, Scarlett. More than anything. Please say it again.”

He stares deep into my eyes and I can see the love shining in them this time.

“Say what again? I love you?”

“Yes, Scarlett.” He looks so desperate. Which I suppose fits with our relationship. It’s always been a need between us. We’ve always needed each other without knowing what it was, but the universe knew.

“I love you, Preston West, even when you’re pulling shit like that.” I say quietly.

He takes another step closer.

“Scarlett, I have loved you since the day your eyes met mine. I loved you in college when I was just a kid, and I love you now. I’ve waited years to get you again. But that love was there all along. For years, no other woman compared to the idea of you. I spent five years hoping fate would give me a chance to prove to you the man I am. I finally got that chance and here I am, screwing up a second time.”

“Preston -” He places his hand to cup my cheek gently.

“No, let me finish. I screwed up, and I will spend the rest of my life making that up to you. Every morning I woke up and didn’t have you with me, and after you ran out of my office and I thought you were gone forever, my heart shattered. The thought of being without you makes me feel empty. You complete me, Scarlett. You make every part of me better. Without you I am a shell of a man. I never want to be without you again.”

I have tears streaming down my face and pray that Addy has chosen waterproof mascara. From somewhere else Mom and Dad’s wedding song starts playing. I look around and see that Mom, Addy, Colton and somehow, Lacey and Oliver are in the field with us.

“Promise we’ll always talk to each other first?” I say through the tears. Preston gets down on one knee, “Promise, Scarlett Harper. I would like to spend forever showing you just how much I love you. Will you please marry me and let me love you everyday, forever?”

The tears are coming faster now. Big fat tears running down my cheeks and splashing onto Preston’s hands. “You want to marry me?”

“More than anything I’ve ever needed in my life, Scarlett.”

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