Page 54 of Inevitable

“Brady, you can’t make something move faster any more than you can slow something down. Let’s just enjoy the journey and not worry about the destination.”

“If you say so, Claire. Just know that I like to get places fast, so slowing me down is going to be hard.”

“I think you and I understand the brevity of life. We understand that things can be taken away in the blink of an eye. Maybe we have to trust that what is happening between us is going to last and we can let it be.”

“But you’re going to marry me someday…right?”

Claire stopped under the canopy of trees and slid her hands onto her hips. “Is that a proposal, Brady Landry?”

“Only if you say yes. Otherwise, it’s just an exploratory conversation.”

“That is the saddest proposal in all the world.” Shaking her head, she turned away.

Brady stepped in front of her and picked up her hands. “I know that you’re the one for me. Our happiness is inevitable. The family we’re going to make is inevitable. You and I hand-in-hand until the end of our days is inevitable. I just want to get started as soon as we can. I won’t ask you today to be my wife and let me make you happy. But I might ask you next month to let me be the one to protect you, cherish you, and kiss you until the day we leave this earth.”

Claire raised their joined hands and kissed his knuckles. “When you ask me properly, then I can just about guarantee that I’ll give you a resounding, absolute, unequivocal hell yes.”

Lifting her up again, he embraced her tightly and buried his face against her neck. “Get ready, Claire ’cause I’ll be satisfied with nothing less.”

“Didn’t think you would be.”

“I love you, sweet darlin’, and I always will.”

“Love you more, Brady.”

Looking up into the canopy of trees, Brady heard the haunting call of the loons out on the lake. He remembered something he’d learned back in grade school about the male of the species having a yodel that marked his territory. He swore the sounds he heard were just that, which he totally understood. He wanted to claim Claire as his very own and it seemed that she wasn’t going to mind when the time came. Which he was going to be satisfied with…for now.

Dastardly plans to knock her up and bind her to him were beneath him, but accidents happened and who’s to say what would occur down the road?

“Let’s go get those dogs of ours,” he said.

“We have to be a bit crazy to take on two puppies, but what the heck? Go big or go home.”

“Couldn’t agree more, Claire.” He took her hand, headed them back toward the picnic area, and thought about the plans he was hatching. Going big didn’t even begin to describe what he had in mind. Letting out a little chuckle, he knew it was his best plan yet. After all, his and Claire’s happiness was inevitable.

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