28. Piper
Piper
Months Later…
I t was finally cold enough for a fire. The house was filled with the comforting scent of burning wood, and every corner of the living room felt warm and inviting.
I thought of the last few months, from the ones that took my breath away to the quiet ones. All of it had led me to this moment.
Dana and Richard had moved to her hometown, where he helped her open her own bakery. Good riddance, I mean, yay.
Something Sweet was thriving, and I was over the moon happy with it. I also acquired a new hobby—recipe testing and development. Something Sweet, my new cookbook, was due out next year.
I wasn’t the only one with new hobbies. Ren was now good friends with Hunter, they went fishing or skiing with Jake, and sometimes Spencer or another of the Cassidy brothers would join them. Ren had settled into small-town life and loved it.
But tonight was all about being home with a warm blanket and the cozy fire blazing in the fireplace. And Ren, here to share all of it with me—this house, the cats, Cody, and now Rocket, the new puppy we had adopted together.
I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders, a smile playing on my lips as I watched the flames dance. Ren was in the kitchen, feeding the pets and grabbing wine and the charcuterie board I’d made earlier this evening.
He walked in with our goodies, his eyes meeting mine as he set them on the edge of the fireplace and sat next to me.
“Pour the wine?” He asked.
I turned to grab the bottle and glasses.
As I turned back around with the wine, I froze. Ren was down on one knee, holding a small, elegant ring box. My heart raced, and I felt a surge of emotion that made my breath catch. The fire cast a warm glow on his face, illuminating his sparkling eyes that were filled with love and anticipation.
He was down on a knee, but I was about to get up and jump for joy. Instead, I quickly put the glasses on the fireplace and burst out with an enthusiastic, “Yes.” Followed by an “Oh crap.” When I realized he hadn’t even asked me yet. I slammed my eyes shut as embarrassment coursed through my body.
“God, I love you so much. Open your eyes, sweetheart.”
With a deep breath, I opened my eyes. His face was etched with both hope and reassurance, making my heart soar even more.
His eyes met mine, sparkling and full of love as he slid his hand around the side of my neck, tipping my face up to his for a kiss.
“Will you marry me?” He whispered against my mouth.
My eyes brimmed with tears of pure happiness as I nodded vigorously, unable to form words.
Ren, still holding the box, let out a relieved laugh. “I guess that’s a yes, then?”
“Yes, absolutely yes.” I managed to find my voice, albeit shaky.
His smile grew even wider as he gently slipped the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, much like the way we fit into each other’s lives.
I held my hand up, admiring the round brilliance of the diamond shining in the firelight.
“Beautiful, just like you,” he murmured.
“I love it. I love you. I’m going to make you so happy.”
“You already do.”
This is how we would always love each other—honestly, without limits or fear.
Time stretched out, endless and beautiful, filled with the kind of joy that I used to believe was not meant for me.
For the rest of the evening, we sat by the fire, wrapped in each other's embrace, dreaming about our future together. The world outside seemed to fade away as we shared our hopes and plans, the ring on my finger a constant reminder of the love that we never expected to find.