Page 99 of A Hard Habit to Break

“Oh, Noah,” she whispered, her fingers tracing the delicate lights. “This is amazing.”

“So are you,” he whispered, gripping her hand.

She sucked her lower lip between her teeth, before brushing a single tear from her right cheek. “Wow. This is… wow.

“Come on, I have a surprise for you.”

“There’s more?”

She looked embarrassed, but he noticed the excitement lighting her eyes.

“I’m still over-the-top Noah, Six,” He grinned, lifting her from the truck cab. He presented her with a bouquet of wildflowers his mama had sworn would make any woman smile. And smile she did. Clusters of butterflies performed a silent dance, a fanciful flight of figure-eight patterns, adding to the charged atmosphere.

“Noah.” She buried her nose in the petals. “They’re beautiful.”

“That’s the reaction I was hoping for. And to complete our happy family…” He crossed the deck and slid the glass door open.

“Come on, ClamClam,” Noah chuckled, scooping up their fluffy tricolored kitty. ClamClam looked particularly feminine in a tiny pink lace skirt with matching ankle cuffs; it had taken Noah the better part of twenty minutes to fasten the snaps. The cat purred contentedly in his arms, seemingly aware of the importance of the occasion.

“Oh, my goodness, you didn’t,” Rachel cooed, taking the cat from his arms.

He shrugged, feeling a flush creep up his neck. “I did promise a cat and a cabin, right?”

“You did. And a Calvary man keeps his word,” Rachel said, repeating the promise he’d made to her at six years old, thenscratched ClamClam behind the ears. The cat leaned into the caress, her purr intensifying.

“Aw, Mommy’s little girl looks so cuddly, it’s an awesome disguise.” She sighed, lowering ClamClam to the deck, careful not to ruffle her lace. “You’ve outdone yourself, Noah. What can I say?”

“That you’re happy?” he ventured.

She smiled at him then. “Without question. I never needed the letter jacket or a crown, you know,” Rachel murmured against his chest, her breath penetrating his shirt, heating his skin. “Just you.”

Noah’s heart swelled at her truth, a reality he’d overlooked in his immaturity. “I know that now. You deserve a man better than I’ll ever be, Six.”

“I can’t believe you did this for me.”

Noah met her eyes, hoping they reflected the raw need inside him that burned for her. “Imagine what I’d do if you gave me a lifetime.”

He heard her sharp intake of breath. Was this moving too fast, considering the week’s events? The question threatened to derail Noah’s plan until her next words emboldened him forward.

“If I did”—she swallowed, her throat working—“I imagine a love forged in steel, enough to carry us through storms, ropes that anchor us when the winds rage—”

Noah interjected, “A forever built not just in a lifetime of years… but in devotion, loyalty, of being at your side, holding your hands while you hold mine.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Rachel,” Noah began, his voice husky with emotion. He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. Rachel’s eyes widened as he opened it, revealing his old high school class ring.“I’ve been holding on to this for years, hoping for the right moment.”

He took her hand, his calloused fingers gentle against her soft skin. “I know you have a life away from here. You’re everything I want and need in a woman, Six. You have to know—I’ll follow you anywhere. Anywhere in the world… if you’ll have me.”

Slowly, he slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, as if it were custom-made for her return home to him. “Rachel Lydia Johnson, here’s the ring I promised you on the day you said you’d be my mine. So, I’m asking… will you be mine? Forever and always, no more wasting time or doubting ourselves.”

Rachel’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, her lower lip trembling slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but he pressed a finger gently to his lips.

“You don’t have to answer now,” he said softly. “The wedding’s in two days. And today… is about you seeing how I feel. I love you more than a job, a location, or any trophy, Six.”

Rachel nodded, a mix of emotions playing across her face. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against Noah’s. “I don’t need more time,” she said.

He froze, and she didn’t move. They stood, heart-to-heart, suspended in a moment as the cool air carried the scent of renewed hope in forgotten promise. “Alright, I’m listening.”