Page 99 of Fight Or Flight

Right beside the enormous old weeping willow was a shiny wooden bench with two throw pillows resting on a small flagstone patio surrounded by bushes. In front of it was a little firepit, and next to that was a covered rack holding dry logs.

“Oh my God, Ethan. Did you make this?”

He took her hand and tugged her toward it. “Yes. Adam helped, though. I thought you’d like to have a place to sit off the ground when you’re watching your waterfall.”

She reached up on her tippy toes and kissed him before trying her new bench. “It’s beautiful. I love it so much.”

He smiled and set down the bag. “I’ll make us a fire.” He took some kindling, newspaper, and matches from the bag, pulled some logs from the stack, and knelt by the pit. In no time, they had a warm fire burning. With the waterfall in the backdrop and the last of the summer flowers brightly blooming, it made for an absolutely stunning picture.

“Thank you, Ethan. It’s perfect.”

“You haven’t even seen the best part yet.”

He stood, then came around behind her, unlatched the armrests, and folded the back of the bench down flat. “It converts to a bed. Here.” He moved a pillow and helped her lean back. “Now you can look up at the leaves, and you won’t get attacked by the snakes.”

She lay back and stared up at the soft blue sky in wonder. The hanging green leaves were just ever so slightly showing signs of colouring up gold for the fall. This was, without a doubt, her favourite place on earth. And her favourite person on earth had made it even more perfect for her.

She hadn’t imagined she could love him more than she already did, but each day was better than the last. She never wanted it to end.

“Ethan,” she said, sitting up from the bench. “I love you so—”

The sight before her stopped her midsentence. Ethan was kneeling on the flagstone in front of her, holding out a blue velvet box.

“Natalie, I love you. I know it’s soon, and if you want to wait awhile, that’s fine. But I didn’t want another day to go by without telling you that I want us to get married.”

Natalie stared, shocked, at him and the box. She actually had to order herself to breathe. She’d never imagined he’d do something so . . . rash. “Ethan, are you sure? It’s very sudden.”

“I have never been more positive about anything in my life. And a sudden decision isn’t necessarily a bad decision.”

“Don’t fools rush in, and all that?”

He shook his head. “Fools, in my experience, sit on the sidelines waiting for the right moment. Wise men can recognize the best thing that’s ever happened to them. I’m never going to think marrying you is a bad decision. You’re my home. And I’m yours. Marry me, Natalie.”

Natalie looked into Ethan’s determined blue eyes and felt the full depth of the love she had for him. Marrying him was something she secretly dreamed of, hoped one day would happen. She just never imagined he would ask so soon.

She almost couldn’t believe how far she’d come. Only a few months ago, she didn’t belong anywhere, and now, she was exactly where she was meant to be. At home. With Ethan. And she couldn’t wait for whatever came next.

There wasn’t a single doubt in her mind that Ethan would forever be her home. She wanted to spend the next sixty years with him, living with him, holding his hand, hearing his voice, and weathering whatever storms may come, together. And he wanted that, too. So why wait?

She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him, smiling against his lips. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

She nodded and laughed. “Yes. I’ll marry you right this minute, if you want.”

His handsome face split into her favourite crinkly smile as he pulled the diamond ring out and slipped it onto her finger. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Then he let out a breath and sat down next to her, stretching his long arm around her shoulders as he kissed her temple. “How do you feel about eloping? Niagara Falls?”

She laughed and kissed him again, then snuggled into the side of his warm body.

“Sounds perfect.”