Page 210 of No Limos Allowed
As if I could forget.
Yesterday was Christmas, and Griff had surprised me with the biggest, sparkliest ring I'd ever seen – and the four sweetest words I'd ever heard.
Will you marry me?
He'd asked me right there, under the Christmas tree in the cottage he's renting for now – a surprisingly roomy place with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and just enough creaky floorboards to feel charming instead of haunted.
His new home – or more accurately,ournew home – is still being dreamed up and designed on a glorious piece of land within view of the Mackinac Bridge and easy biking distance from the shop.
And even though Griff hadn't proposeddirectlyin front of his mom, she'd heard my happy squeal all the way from the guest room – or more likely, from just outside the guest room door.
Two seconds later, she'd come bursting through it with mascara already running and a bottle of champagne she justhappenedto have chilling on ice.
In her bedroom.
I smiled.Yeah, right.
Griff's mom – she was crazy in the best possible way, and I was counting my lucky stars that she was soon to bemymom, too, in a wonderful, roundabout way.
Now, Griff and I were clomping through the snow to take yet another peek at the site we'd soon be calling home. During the past few weeks, we'd been peeking a lot, and it still hadn't gotten old.
Today, we'd taken a different route, cutting through the woods on a familiar hiking trail that looked like a postcard in the falling snow.
It was beyond beautiful. And yet, I couldn't stop staring at the ring.
Next to me, Griff gave a low chuckle. "You're not even looking at the scenery."
I smiled. "Thisisthe scenery."
"Your finger's turning blue, you know."
"Oh, stop it," I laughed. "It is not."
"Yeah, but itwillbe. And let's say you lose it, what are you gonna do then?"
I dropped my hand and turned to face him. "You don't seriously think I'd lose the ring, do you?"
"I wasn't talking about the ring." His lips twitched. "I was talking about the finger."
"Oh, fine," I laughed, reaching for my mitten and tugging it back into place.
As we resumed walking, Griff said, "You know I'd still love you with nine fingers, right?"
I snickered. "Then why'd you insist on the mitten?"
"Because you'd loveyourselfbetter with ten."
I couldn't argue with that, so I didn't. Instead, I reached for his gloved hand and gave it a little squeeze as we crunched along in the snow –together, like a dream come true.
As we walked, I thought about everything that had brought us here – the bet, the bike shop, and sandwiches, too. None of it had gone the way I expected. And thank goodness for that, because somewhere in the chaos, I'd found the one person who made my life complete.
Behind us, the island was quiet, with the snow mostly untouched. Come spring, the ferries would start up again, the tourists would return, and life would get crazy all over again.
But for now, it was just us – two hearts, one island, and a future full of possibilities. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The End
