Page 81 of Sometimes You Fall

Shauna and I both stand from the couch and follow everyone down the porch and across the sand to the white tent that covers a wide square of space, chairs and tables stationed underneath, covered in white linen tablecloths and vases full of yellow flowers. The sun is inching toward the horizon in the distance, lighting up the sky in oranges and yellows that are breathtaking.

God, I missed this place. Carrington Cove was once home and it’s starting to feel that way again.

Clutching my water bottle to my chest, I watch intently, eager to see what Dallas has planned for the woman he so clearly adores. Suddenly, two strong arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me into an unexpected embrace.

“Jesus, Grady.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to scare you, but…”

“You have to stop touching me like this,” I whisper as Dallas leads Willow to the front of the tent, a group of people gathering around them.

“I can’t,” he whispers in my ear, pressing a kiss to the skin just under my earlobe, sending a shiver down my spine as his hands move over my bump. “And I don’t want to.”

I tell myself it’s just from the breeze wafting off the ocean, but he and I both know the truth. “Grady…”

“Shhhh…Dallas has something big planned—I just know it.”

I don’t bother arguing with him because Dallas calls everyone’s attention to where he and Willow are standing, his hand holding hers.

“I want to take a moment to thank everyone for gathering here today to celebrate the life of this amazing woman standing next to me.” Cheers and applause ring out. “Many of you know how Willow and I got our start, and it wasn’t an easy one.” Laughter fills the space, leading me to believe there is much more to their story than I know. “But I didn’t realize what I was missing in my life until she waltzed into it.” He turns to her and murmurs echo through the crowd.

“Oh my God. He’s going to propose, isn’t he?” I whisper.

Grady squeezes me tighter. “He’s in love.”

My heart lurches at his words, hammering wildly as if I’m the one who’s about to be asked one of the most important questions of my life, and all I can envision is Grady being the one to ask me.

I didn’t get a proposal from Andrew. It was more of a declaration.“We’re getting married, Scottie. Our kid deserves that.”

What our child really deserved was a father who cared.

A tear streams down my cheek.Ugh, stupid hormones.

Dallas drops to one knee, Willow gasps, and the crowd pulls out their phones to start recording and taking pictures.

“You are the love of my life, Goose.” She laughs at the nickname. “Fate is more powerful than we’ll ever truly know, but I think you and I can both attest to that given how we ended up in each other’s lives.” She nods. “I don’t want to live another day without knowing that you’ll be my wife. I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. You are my future, my best friend, and the woman I was made for.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a ring without a box. “Willow Marshall, will you marry me?”

“HONK! HONK!”

Everyone’s attention shifts to the right as a gaggle of geese interrupt one of the most important moments in Dallas and Willow’s lives.

“Oh my God!” Astrid shrieks and Willow shakes her head, laughing.

“I told you that you’d attract the geese!” Willow shouts at her best friend before dropping Dallas’s hand and marching toward the birds. “Listen up, you heathens…” But she doesn’t get very far before Dallas pulls her back to him, laughing along with everyone else.

“Come on, Goose. It’s only fitting that the geese want to be part of this moment.”

Willow rolls her eyes before Dallas drops to his knee again, just as Grady presses another kiss to my temple and pulls me in closer.

“Do you want to fight off geese with me for the rest of our lives, baby?”

She covers her mouth, giggling as tears flow down her cheeks before finally shouting, “Yes!”

Dallas launches himself from the ground and everyone goes crazy, clapping wildly and shouting cheers of congratulations as the geese continue to honk in the background. They seal their engagement with a kiss, and then Dallas slides the ring onto her finger, admiring how the diamond looks on her hand.

I wipe under my eyes and nose, so emotional over someone else’s happily ever after, but hating that I can’t just let myself have my own.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I say as I shift out of Grady’s arms and head back to the house.

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