Page 110 of Mountain Pine
I scan the area for Conner again but see Bennet instead. I think I float to him.
“Leaves,” he says, twirling one between his fingers.
I pluck it from him and drop it in. Then gather the small pile by his feet that’s waiting for me.
Brushing my hands off on my dress again, I glance around, desperate to find Conner.
Nick waves subtly under the big tree. I hurry over to him and my face feels numb. My limbs are tingling. He looks into the bucket and grins. “Almost done. I think it just needs one more thing.”
He hands me a stick to stir it.
Covering my mouth, more tears spring from my eyes. I can’t even see the damn bucket anymore. Everything in it is a blurry mess. But you best believe I stir it.
“Where do I dump it?” I ask, hiccupping as I quietly cry.
“I think you’ll find the perfect spot.” Nick winks and steps back, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
I scan the park over and over and everything gets blurry, and noises are muffled, so I walk to wherever my feet take me.
Where the shade trees are clustered.
There, Conner is holding a bouquet of wildflowers and is on his knees in the dirt because the grass doesn’t grow in this spot since there isn’t enough sunlight.
A shaky breath rattles out of me when I reach him.
His brown eyes are big and beautiful, and his voice is so calm when he says, “You have to dump it out for the fairies.”
Nodding because I can’t make words, I pour out the bucket slowly and something sparkly catches my eye. I quietly sob as I get on my knees and spread the leaves and sticks out of the way to retrieve it.
And because I can’t stop crying, I can’t find it again!
“Here,” Conner says softly. He plucks the ring out of the magic potion and holds it up to me. He’s not shaking like me. He’s not crying like me. He’s not a mess like me.
“Taylor Rose Larson, will you marry me?”
I cup my hands over my mouth and try to pull myself together so I can respond.
“This is the part where you say yes,” he whispers playfully. “Otherwise, you’ll probably piss off the fairies.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and I nod and grab him and hug him so hard I might pop his head off. “Yes!”
Our family and friends cheer and clap. Conner looks like he could fly to the moon. I think I’m floating through the Milky Way.
This is the best day of my life.
So why can’t I shake this bad feeling?
Chapter 31
Conner
I hope everyone gets to experience this kind of happiness at least once in their life. As for me, I’ll have it every single motherfucking day because I get to grow old with the love of my life.
Taylor can’t stop staring at her ring.
We’re in my truck, heading to my place because I completely forgot my damn wallet in my rush to make today go as planned. Me and the others have been planning it for a month, including the phone call Taylor got from Carly, and I was so nervous I left the house without my wallet, which has my credit card, and I can’t pay for dinner without that very important thing.
“It’s so beautiful,” she says, gawking at it.
