Page 34 of A Miracle for the Reserved Flyboy

Krista laughed along with them, her heart warming at the sight but still feeling a little hollow. She couldn’t help but remember the brief, uncertain calls from Gary and the letter that had come with no real explanation, just vague promises of “talking when he got home.” The silence that followed had left her with an ache, wondering if things were okay between them.

Beary reached out, touching her arm with gentle understanding. “Krista, come with us. Let us spoil you tonight—you deserve it. And besides,” she added with a wink, “you can’t spend Valentine’s Day alone. Not when you’ve got friends to make you laugh.”

“Thank you, but… I just need to clear my head,” Krista said with a faint smile. “Really, I’ll be okay.”

Ten minutes later, Krista found herself following Shelby and Beau out toward the airstrip at the edge of town. Shelby had mentioned something about picking up Deacon’s boss, and she’d insisted Krista come along. As they reached the small, dusty runway, she noticed a small plane descending, its engines roaring as it came down quickly on the short landing strip. Sheheld her breath, nerves prickling at the edges. Watching those tiny planes always made her anxious.

The plane touched down smoothly, rolling forward until it stopped just a few yards in front of them. As the engine hummed to a stop, Krista noticed the colorful streamers fluttering from the back, spelling out the words “Just Married.”

She blinked in surprise, glancing at Shelby. “I thought Harley was already married?”

Shelby smiled but said nothing, only glancing back toward the plane with a mysterious twinkle in her eyes. As the door opened and a familiar figure stepped out, Krista’s heart thudded. Gary climbed down, looking slightly rumpled and road-worn, but unmistakably there, with that familiar grin. Yet, Krista’s eyes darted to the woman beside him. Her chest tightened as a wave of shock and confusion washed over her.

“Gary,” she whispered, her voice catching in her throat as she tried to piece together what she was seeing. Had he really gotten married? Her heart plummeted as she clutched the promise ring on her hand, the one he’d given her so many months ago.

But before she could speak, Gary strode toward her, his eyes warm and brimming with something she couldn’t place. He took her hand, glancing at the ring she wore. “Hey, darling,” he said softly, squeezing her fingers. “Miss me?”

“Don’t you ‘darling’ me, Gary!” she snapped, blinking back tears. “You got married?What is this?” She lifted her hand, her heart pounding as she searched his face for answers.

Gary’s expression softened as he sank down on one knee, holding up a ring she hadn’t seen before, its diamond catching the light. “This…” he murmured, “this is the real deal, Krista. That ring you’re wearing was just a placeholder. A promise. But this one— this is forever. Willyoumarryme?”

The world seemed to melt away as Krista stood there, her mouth opening in disbelief. Tears prickled her eyes, but thistime, they weren’t of sorrow or frustration—they were the joyful, heart-soaring tears of a dream finally coming true.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice a soft gasp as she reached for him, her hands trembling as she laughed, overcome by the sheer shock and wonder of it all. “Yes, Gary, I’ll marry you.”

The cheers around them went unheard as she threw her arms around him, a smile blooming on her face as she clung to him, savoring the moment she’d waited for. And in that moment, the world was right—single’s awareness day or not, this was exactly where she belonged.

With him.

Here.

Together in Sweet Bloom.

Epilogue

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!”

Gary and Krista flinched as their thirteen-year-old daughter, Meredith, screamed at them, her voice cracking with the kind of fury and heartbreak that only a young teenager could muster. Her small fists were clenched tightly at her sides, her face flushed, and thick tears streamed down her cheeks as she stood there, momentarily frozen in anger, before whirling around and storming off to her room. The slam of her door shook the walls.

“NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME!”

Gary blinked, processing the sudden explosion of emotion. “I sure freakin’ don’t,” he muttered under his breath, casting a sidelong look at Krista. His bewildered expression was almost comical, and despite the tension, Krista couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“All right,” she sighed, placing a gentle hand on Gary’s shoulder. “You get Trevor from baseball, and I’ll handle Jolly-Holly-the-Hormone-Queen…”

“I HEARD THAT!”Meredith’s voice pierced through the walls.

“Good!” Krista called back, trying to inject a little humor into the tense atmosphere. “You didn’t get it from the neighbors, you know!”

An indignant wail echoed down the hall. “I HATE MY LIFE! I HATE BOYS… AND I HATE?—”

“If you finish that sentence, Meredith Ann Rutlinger,” Gary’s voice boomed down the hall, “I’m taking off my belt!” The firmness in his tone was tempered by an underlying exasperation, a mix of frustration and concern that Krista knew well.

Turning back to her, he shook his head. “Are you sure you’re up to this, Krista? I don’t want either of the kids thinking it’s okay to talk to us like that.”

Krista gave him a gentle smile, a mix of affection and understanding. She reached out, brushing a hand against his cheek. “I’ve got this, babe,” she said softly, touched by the protective streak that never seemed to fade, even after fifteen years of marriage. “I remember what it was like to be her age. Believe it or not, I was once that sobbing little girl who felt misunderstood. I don’t remember shouting quite like that, but I’m sure my mom would tell a different story.”

Right on cue, her mother’s voice drifted from the kitchen, laughing softly. “Oh, honey, you were a handful,” she teased. “Go do your thing, Krista. I’ll start some coffee for your dad and me so we can watch the fireworks.”

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