Page 111 of The Potter

She swallows, noting the houses as we top the hill. “Vance…” Her tone is wary. “Why are we on Frat Row?”

“I need to do one last thing before we go home.”

This might be the worst idea I’ve ever had, but Halle once told me that sometimes, in order to move on, we need to create good memories atop of the bad ones.

I can’t guarantee this will help her like it did me, but I’m hoping it won’t make things worse. We pull up to the three-story colonial, with peeling paint and broken siding, and park.

Getting out, I walk to the passenger side and open her door, squatting down so I’m eye level. “Will you trust me?” I hold out my hand, waiting for her to start crying and tell me to fuck off.

But she doesn’t.

Instead, she nods and places her hand in mine. With all the gentleness I have, I ease her from the car and walk us around to the center of the driveway and kneel.

Halle’s eyes widen as tears start to fall.

“This place holds a memory—one that I can never erase.” I swallow hard, not wanting to fuck this up. “But I can mold this memory into something different. This very driveway took the old Halle from a man who never deserved her.”

Halle chokes on a sob and squeezes my hand.

“But this place also gave me that same beautiful soul…”

I pull the black box from my coat pocket and open it. “I’m completely selfish for taking you away from someone more deserving, but I’m too in love with you to care.”

Taking the ring from the box, I hover it over Halle’s finger. “I want the last memory of this place to be you promising me your future. I want it all, Ms. Belle. From weekend visits to see Remington to fucking right here on this very driveway. I want the opportunity to change every memory you have of this place into something beautiful.”

I slide the ring on her finger. She really has no option of saying no here. “Because, Peach, I’ve never seen someone more beautiful on the inside and out. Marry me. Marry me, and let me make you happy. I promise, I can.”

Sinking to her knees, Halle grabs my face. “On one condition.”

“Anything,” I promise.

She grins, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “Admit that you and Remington were the ones who bashed in Caleb’s car and set it on fire last year.”

Technically, it wasn’t just me and Remington. Astor found his address—I didn’t ask how, and Duke suggested we all take a trip to Georgia to help Halle’s parents move into their new home.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I can’t help it Caleb was easy to find. He shouldn’t have stayed in his hometown.

“You’re lying, Dr. Potter,” she threads her fingers through my hair, tilting my head back, “and it’s never been sexier.”

“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”

I could be reading the whole situation wrong here.

“I’ll marry you, Dr. Potter.” She kisses me hard, taking us to the ground, where we make new memories out of the scars that brought us together in the first place.

“Seriously,” Remington interrupts us. “I thought you said it was a G-rated proposal.”

I don’t know how I missed the sound of his loud ass Impala coming down the street. “It was until Halle decided to make you a little brother out here on the driveway.”

We were just kissing. Rest assured, no one received a free show, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to see Remington gag at the mention of a little brother.

He helps Halle from the ground and kisses her cheek. “Congratulations, Ms. Potter.” He hands over his lighter. “Do you want to do the honors, or would you like me to?”

Halle’s head volleys back and forth between us. “What are you talking about?”

Remington shrugs. “We thought a cake was too cliche to celebrate, so Vance bought the house instead.”

---