Page 62 of Stuck with Doctor Grump

The rooftop exploded with cheers. I caught Brandon’s low whistle and Hazel’s tearful clap. But again, I only saw her.

Ruby’s eyes met mine, wide and glassy with disbelief. And something else.

Pride.

I stepped back and handed her the scissors for the ribbon.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she took them. “You didn’t tell me you were going to say all that.”

I leaned in close. “Some things are better as surprises.”

She shook her head, laughing softly. “You’re really staying.”

“I’m really staying.”

She turned to the crowd and lifted the scissors high. “Cedar Springs, welcome to Hearts in Bloom.”

The ribbon fell.

Confetti flew.

And somewhere beneath the twinkle lights, with the town cheering and our fingers intertwined, I felt it fully—settled, whole, exactly where I was meant to be.

Right beside her.

The celebration carried on behind us—laughter, clinking glasses, Eleanor’s booming voice corralling people into group photos. But Ruby and I slipped away, past the garden arch and toward the far end of the rooftop, where the fairy lights dimmed into a soft golden haze.

She didn’t say a word. Just reached for my hand, warm and calloused from digging in flowerbeds, and pulled me into thequiet. A breeze stirred her hair, and I could still smell lilacs on her skin.

I pulled her close, settling one hand at her waist, the other slipping into hers.

“Music,” she whispered. “We forgot music.”

“We don’t need it,” I murmured, swaying with her under the stars. “You hum off-key anyway.”

She gasped in mock offense. “That’s slander.”

“Truth.”

She shook her head, laughing, and then—before I could see it coming—she plucked a tiny white blossom from the nearby planter and tucked it behind my ear.

I blinked. “Really?”

“Perfect,” she declared, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “Now you’re a daisy in disguise.”

I deadpanned, “If anyone finds out about this, I’m moving to Alaska.”

“Too late,” she said with a smirk. “Hazel definitely took a photo.”

I caught her around the waist and pulled her in again. “Then I guess I’ll have to stay and redeem my reputation. One flower at a time.”

Her eyes sparkled as we moved slowly in our little corner of the night. There were no speeches here, no expectations—just us, hearts beating in sync beneath the strings of lights.

She rested her cheek against my chest. “You realize all this… happened fast. The garden, the gala, the wellness center… us.”

“I know,” I said softly, my voice low against the crown of her head. “And it’s good. But fast doesn’t have to mean fragile.”

She lifted her gaze to mine, searching, always searching.

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