Bonus Scene
JP
The chilly autumn breeze swept over the beach, carrying the tang of lake water and the rustle of dry leaves from the nearby dunes. But even under the wide-open Michigan sky, my gaze was locked on Hazel. She sat by the beachside bonfire, the light flickering over her face as if it were kissing her goodnight. The ring I’d placed on her finger a few weeks ago glinted faintly in the light, a quiet reminder that this woman had said yes.