AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hope is bursting in my chest because this feels right, and it feels like we can rebuild what we had before, even if it takes time. Especially without the threat of homelessness and bankruptcy hanging over my head. I swear that there are moments when it feels like those eight years evaporate and we never stopped. Like two parts of a machine that click back into sync after being apart for so long.
We make it down to the river bank, and we sit on the sandiest part of it, below one of the bridges. There aren’t many people here now, though during the day this is a popular place for people to slip into the river to float down it. Everyone, it seems, has gone home or to dinner, and there’s just a few stragglers pulling their tubes out of the water.
“Nashville’s pizza has nothing on this,” he says.
“I could have told you that when we lived there,” I say, taking the last bite I have before folding up my paper plate. “But I think everyone loves their hometown pizza. There’s nothing that ever compares to it, really.”
“That’s true.”
I watch as the sun starts to set the sky on fire, and lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. After this afternoon, just being close to him makes my body ache to touch him. But this moment is perfect, and as much as I want to tackle him to the sand and kiss him till he pins me down and fucks me, I’m not willing to go that far on the bank of the river.
Looking over at Frankie, his face seems off. Like he’s deep in thought. “You okay?”
“I’m more than okay,” he says. “This—you—it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
I blush, and he keeps going before I can say anything.
“I love you, you know. I don’t think I ever stopped. I pretended like I didn’t, because it hurt too much. But I’ve always loved you, Annabelle Hughes.”
I duck my head to hide the tears that come unexpectedly. “I know how that feels,” I say, voice thick. “I never stopped either.”
He leans over and presses a kiss to the top of my hair, and then pulls me to my feet, bringing me over to the bridge. We throw our paper plates and napkins away before we climb on top of the bridge to watch the sun set.
“I want to ask you something,” Frankie says, and he doesn’t sound like himself. It’s hesitant, and nervous.
“Okay? You sound weird.”
He laughs. “I’m not weird, I’ve just never done this before.”
I blink, shake my head. “You’re starting to freak me out. What’s going on?”
He takes a breath and smiles before reaching into his pocket, and while he does that, he sinks down onto one knee. It takes me a few seconds to recognize the gesture and what it means. “Frankie—”
“Annabelle, I would have—should have—done this a long time ago. I was an ass in every possible way, and I’ve spent the time we’ve been apart making myself into the man that I thought you would want me to be. Someone that you could be proud of, and proud to be with. I’ve always loved you. You were my first, and I want you to be my last. There’s never been anyone else that I could imagine spending my life with, and now that I’ve found you again, I can’t let you go.” He takes a breath, and pins my gaze with his. “Will you marry me?”
My thoughts and emotions are flying a million miles a second, and I can’t breathe. What’s happening? Is his real? There’s joy and fear and disbelief. It’s only been three days; can we really do this? Could I forgive myself if I said no, after all this time? Is it way too fast, or has it been the longest time coming? Is my judgement impaired because he just saved me from my father’s debts?
“Is this real?” I ask out loud, because I’m honestly not sure.
“It’s very real,” he says.
I look down, and in his hands is a ring that’s stunning. Silver and twisting metal circling a diamond that’s nestled into other diamonds. It’s at once simple and not traditional and everything I would have wanted, because Frankie knows me like no other person. Ever.
Pure, radiant joy wells up in my chest and I lean down and kiss him, practically tackle him, showing him that I love him and that I love this. He stands, keeping his arms around me, deepening our kiss.
“Is that a yes?” he asks.
I hold out my hand and allow him to put the ring on my finger, pressing my lips together to keep from speaking. It sparkles in the setting sun like a star in the night, just so fucking gorgeous that I can’t believe it’s real. But I don’t say the word yes. I need to breathe, I need to take a minute, and yet I can’t bear to not wear this ring.
