Page 88 of That Stranded Feeling
“…I’d like to take my foot off the gas a bit. Elliot says he’s happy to pick up the slack. There will be some work Ihaveto do. Like, if things work out with this new investor, I’ll have to see things through with him. And I might have to go into the New York office every now and then. And possibly to San Francisco a couple of times. But other than that, I’d like to hang out with you.” He lets go of my hands, and holds up his palms. “If you’ll have me?”
It doesn’t sound entirely like a year off, but it’s more of a step away from work than I thought Owen would ever take. And he wants to do it to be with me.
It’s like a part of me I didn’t know was empty is now full. I throw my arms around him. “That’s probably as close to not working as you’re ever going to get, so I’ll take it.”
He buries his face in my hair and rests his lips against my ear, sending goosebumps down my neck. “One other thing.”
I pull back. “What?”
“Look.” He sweeps his hand across the vista in front of us. “Wouldn’t this be a great view for a wedding?”
What’s he talking about? “Who’s getting marri—”
He slides off the bench and kneels in front of me.
My stomach does cartwheels and everything inside my head goes all spinny. Is he…?
Oh God, he is.
He gently takes my trembling hands again. “You’re everything, Summer. You fill my heart and my soul.”
I gaze at him, unable to comprehend what I’m seeing and hearing. Completely overwhelmed, my body doesn’t seem to know what to do, other than produce a steady flow of tears that stream silently down my face.
“I need nothing other than you. I don’t need a billion-dollar business, a cool office and a penthouse. I just need you, your cozy cabin, your deaf dog, and your socks that won’t stay up.”
“Hey.” That’s enough for me to find my voice. I poke him in the chest. “They stayed up much longer last time. I’m almost there.”
He smiles, reaches up, and strokes my damp cheek. “I don’t know how the rest of our story goes from here. How we figure out the future, or how we work, or where we live. But as long as the future has us together, I know we’ll find our way.”
I nod. “We will.” The words come out squeakier than I would have wanted.
“Please say you’ll light up every day of the rest of my life with your spark, your fire, and your joy for all things—except olives. Please say you’ll marry me.”
Words I never thought I’d hear. Not from anyone, least of all someone smart, funny, and with a huge, warm heart. And a butt as hot as hell.
“Of course. Yes. Yes. Of course, I will.”
He scoops me off the bench and gathers me into his arms. In that moment, all my old fears vanish in a puff of spring air, andI realize I’d do anything for him. I pull back for a second and look into his moist eyes. “I’d move to San Francisco.”
He looks at me like I’ve told him I know how to change the hard drive in his laptop. “What? You would?”
“If it’s the best way for you to run your business, I absolutely would. I can work from anywhere. You’ve put years of your life into building the company, and if you need to be there to keep on building it, well, then San Francisco it is.”
“That’s the most generous, selfless thing, I’ve ever heard.” He scoops me back into his arms. “We can figure out the details, but thank you for even being willing to consider it.”
I’m about to tell him I love him when I’m drowned out by whoops and hollers careering down the slope toward us.
Owen plops my feet back on the ground. I reach into my pocket to text Izzie, but Gwyneth is almost upon us. Max, Elliot, Connor, and Walker are close behind.
“Holy hell! Were you just on one knee, Owen?” cries Gwyneth as she rounds the end of the bench and crashes into us, arms wide, gathering us both into a giant hug.
Over her shoulder Max stands, hands on hips. “I didn’t think you’d be the first of us to fall, Owen.”
Owen extricates himself from me and Gwyneth and shakes Max’s extended hand. “Well, it was never going to be you, was it?”
Elliot, Walker, and Connor move in and offer Owen a mixture of high fives and fist bumps. I get a slightly awkward embrace from Elliot, a full-on warm hug from Walker, and a “Congratu-fucking-lations” from Connor, accompanied by a thumbs up.
Maggie and Jim jog up behind them, both a little out of breath and each holding one of Braith’s hands. Elsa trots beside them, tongue lolling, tail swinging.
