Page 150 of Endless Summer Nights
“I thought so too.”
“I can imagine the cutest little tattoo shop right here,” she says softly.
“I hoped you might love it for that.”
“It’s available?”
“If you want it, it’s all yours.”
“It’s perfect, Tully.”
She kisses me.
“Thank you,” she says, pulling back. She looks around, her smile growing. “I love it. How soon can I get in?”
“As soon as you want. Percy owns The Cozy Palette but wants to sell this side of the building to cushion their love for travel.”
She lifts her eyebrows. “Okay! Sounds like a good setup for both of us.”
“We can finalize it tomorrow, if you want, tonight even…but I have one more thing I wanted to show you.”
“Well, you’re on a great roll, so lead the way,” she says, laughing.
We get back in the car. It’s a gorgeous day. Spring has decided to come early. Around here, it could change its mind and snow a foot—you just never know what March through May will do in Minnesota. But for today, it’s spring.
I turn on the road to my plot of lakeshore, and Lola looks at me and grins. I’ve brought her out here before, and she loves it, but she hasn’t seen the new addition.
We come through the tree line, and she gasps when she sees it.
“Tully! It’sgorgeous!”
We get out and walk toward the dock, which leads to a beautiful new gazebo. Noah’s worked on it for the past three weekends, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. His craftsmanship blows my mind.
We walk down the wooden dock, and when we reach the gazebo, we move to the railing and look at the vast expanse of water.
“Noah built it for us,” I tell her.
“It’s so pretty,” she says.Us?is on her lips as she turns and smiles at me.
I’m down on one knee.
She gasps. The ring catches the light. She glances at it, her mouth parting, and then she looks at me, her face going through a multitude of expressions that I will try to remember for the rest of my life.
“I’ve been in love with you,” I say, “since our first dance. Probably before that even…when I first saw you.” I smile up at her. “I love you completely, Lola. I know what life is like without you, and I never want to face that again. I’m done going anywhere that isn’t toward you.” I take a deep breath. “Lola Donavan, will you marry me?”
She doesn’t hesitate for a single second. She leans down within an inch of my face and puts her hands in my hair.
“Yes,” she says. “Yes, yes, yes.”
We’re both laughing, and I put the ring on her finger and kiss her hand before standing and kissing her mouth.
“I love you so much,” she whispers when we break apart.
“I love you.”
“We’re going to have such a beautiful life here. I can see it. Family get-togethers, bundling up before walking to your dad’s house, shopping at Cox Trading Post and getting grilled by Erin, laughing at Papa Hector and Uncle Hal’s antics, a cute, fluffy dog—” She leaves it hanging, and I laugh.
“Absolutely,” I say.
“Endless summer nights out here looking at the stars, making love until the sun comes up…and if we’re lucky, our kids growing up with their cousins.”
“I love it all,” I tell her. “I can see it too, and it’s everything I want.Youare everything I want.”
We watch the sun set and then go tell the family the good news before going back to our apartment and making love until the sun comes up.
With some plans, there’s no need to wait.
Tully has a big surprise for Lola! And it’s probably not what you’re thinking.
