Page 76 of It's Only Ever Been You

“Trust me,” I reply, my voice steady but my heart pounding in my chest.

She hesitates for a moment before slipping on the jacket. “This better not involve mud or me ruining my shoes,” she teases.

“No mud, I promise,” I say, grabbing the keys and leading her out the door.

The drive is quiet, comfortable, the kind of silence that feels natural after years of knowing each other inside and out. She doesn’t press me for details, but I can tell her curiosity is growing. When I finally pull into the park’s small parking lot, she looks at me, her brow furrowed.

“A park?” she asks, her tone laced with intrigue.

“Not just any park,” I say, stepping out of the car and walking around to open her door.

She takes my hand, letting me guide her along the path. The string lights I’d set up earlier glow softly in the evening light, casting a warm, golden hue that makes her stop in her tracks.

“Ethan…” she breathes, her voice full of wonder as she takes it in.

I smile, squeezing her hand. “Since we don’t live near the park we used to go to, I thought this one might work instead.”

Her eyes shimmer as she looks up at me, and I see it—the love, the history, the future we’ve been building together.

We reach the swing set, and I gently guide her to sit. Her laughter is soft and full of warmth as I give her a light push, the swing moving in a steady rhythm.

“I can’t believe you did all this,” she says, her voice tinged with awe.

“There’s more,” I reply, stepping in front of her and gently stopping the swing. I drop to one knee, pulling the small velvet box from my pocket.

Her gasp is soft, her hands flying to her mouth as her hazel-green eyes fill with tears.

“Emma Blackwood,” I begin, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions surging inside me. “You’ve been my best friend, my anchor, my everything for as long as I can remember. There’s not a single part of my life thatisn’t better because you’re in it. You make me want to be the best version of myself—not just for you, but for us. For the life we’re building together.”

A tear slips down her cheek, and she lets out a shaky laugh, her hands trembling as they lower from her mouth.

“I’ve known for years that you’re it for me, Em. And I’m done waiting. I want to spend every single day reminding you how much you mean to me. So, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Her laugh is watery, and she nods furiously, sliding off the swing and dropping to her knees in front of me. Her hands cup my face, her tears mingling with the wide, radiant smile on her lips.

“Yes,” she whispers, her voice breaking as tears spill freely now. “Yes, Ethan. Of course, yes.”

Relief and joy crash over me, and I slide the ring onto her finger—a delicate band with a solitaire diamond that catches the light perfectly. Her hands tremble as she stares at it, then back at me.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re beautiful. I can’t believe this is real.”

I pull her into my arms, my lips finding hers in a kiss that’s soft and full of promises. When we finally pull back, I press my forehead against hers, my hands cradling herface.

“You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Em,” I murmur, my voice raw. “I swear, I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy too.”

Her smile is blinding, her hands sliding down to rest against my chest as she whispers, “You already do.”

We stay like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading away. This moment, this promise, is ours. Forever.

Another Year Later

Sarah stands beside Emma as her maid of honor, her smile wide and full of pride as she adjusts the hem of Emma’s gown one last time. On the other side of the altar, Jace grins at me, the perfect best man despite all the teasing he’d subjected me to leading up to today.

The warm buzz of anticipation hums in the air as Emma walks down the aisle, her arm linked with her mother’s. My chest tightens at the sight of her, radiant and breathtaking, like she’s lit from within. I don’t even try to hide the tears burning at the corners of my eyes.

When she reaches me, I take her hands, my thumbs brushing over her knuckles. The officiant begins the ceremony, but all I can see—all I can feel—is Emma. This is the moment we’ve been working toward, the culmination of every obstacle we’ve overcome.

The Minister starts talking, I’m listening but mostly I’m looking at Emma. I’m captivated by her. Then it’s time for our vows.

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