Chapter 14
Jennie
Finn takes me to the trail-head near Kimannewah Falls.
He leads me the short way to where the water hits the small basin before it runs further downhill.
The April air is filled with scents of the moist earth and flowers.
The sound of the rushing water doesn’t completely drown out the buzzing of insects nor the trilling of birds.
Soft afternoon light shines through the trees.
I haven’t been here often, but I like it.
I stand and look up at the falls for some minutes.
Immersing myself in the moment, watching the water fall, clears my mind and helps me to accept a truth I’ve known for a while, but never, not even after moving in with Finn, dared to put into words: I want to marry him.
A deep breath fills me with reassurance, and I know I will have to find a way to break the news to my mountain man.
I turn around and find Finn on his knee, holding a ring. Warmth spreads through my chest and I take a deep breath. For how long has he been carrying that ring with him?
“Jennie,” he says, “I still haven’t gotten my one-hundred I-love-yous in.
We’re down to a dozen though and I thought I might give it a chance.
I love you. And I love that little nugget inside of you.
I want to be your husband and will never stop proposing until you accept.
So, please, would you marry me? Would you accept my love, and my hand in marriage? ”
I laugh loudly, happily. “It’s zero.” I’m almost sad that we’ve run out of numbers.
“Huh, what?”
“You told me that night at least twenty times. So we’re good to go.”
His eyes are beaming with happiness. “Are we?”
“We are. I love you, too.”
He hums happily.
“Would you finally kiss me?”
“Yes, milady.”
Finn kisses me tenderly. His tongue brushes over my lips and I can feel that feathery touch in all my body.
He pulls back. “I’ve got another proposal: What if we got married right now?”
“Your mother would have a heart attack.”
“No, she’s one tough cookie. This is about us, not her. And I don’t want her to meddle with the wedding. Remember how crazy she drove Grace?”
I do remember. “There was nothing wrong with the napkins.”
“They were just fine.” Finn shudders. Apparently, thinking of the chaos his mother created and how much pressure she had inadvertently put on Grace as the bride, makes him just as uncomfortable as myself. That’s why I dare to suggest, “We could have a secret wedding at the courthouse.”
Finn’s eyes light up. “And we could have it today.”
“This is crazy.”
He dismisses that notion, giving a one-sided shrug. “Is it what we want though?”
“I want it.” I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything this much.
“Let’s!” Finn puts the ring back into his pocket.
“Hey! That’s supposed to be mine now!”
“Nuh-uh,” Finn tosses over his shoulder as he struts to the truck. “It was meant to be an engagement ring and you would have gotten it. Now we’ve changed plans and that turns it into a wedding ring.”
“Wait!” I call after him.
He laughs. “You better hurry up or you’ll miss the ceremony.”
???
We leave the courthouse by the back entrance as secretly as we sneaked in, just now we are married.
I’m Mrs. Finn Winslow! I laugh giddily, not able to contain my happiness.
I lean into my husband, and he wraps his arm around me.
Like that, we round the corner of the building to where the truck is.
“Ba dam da dam!” Suddenly, the wedding march blares loudly from speakers, and the parking lot is full of people we know.
Patty comes running and hugs us fiercely.
“You didn’t think you’d get away with a hush-hush wedding, did you? ”
Thomas is the next to wrap me into his arms. “Welcome to the family, Jennie. You know you’ve been a part of us for years, but now you’re stuck with us for good.”
Grace grins. “We saw you skulk in and put two and two together.” She hugs me, too.
And the line of people congratulating and hugging just won’t end.
Robin presents us with two muffins, with the words Mr. and Mrs. in pink icing.
Sheriff Carter is there, and most of the Elken Grove Fire and Rescue department, too.
When it’s Stick’s turn, Finn tells him, “Thank you for announcing our pregnancy to everyone.”
Stick looks perplexed. “Now was that irony or do you mean that?”
“I’ll tell you sometime over a beer,” Finn adds.
“You can do that tonight at our fire pit,” Patty announces. “Hey y’all, were going to have a potluck wedding party!”
I snort. Finn chuckles and whispers to me, “That didn’t go as planned, did it?”
I do my best to not burst out laughing and shake my head. “I don’t really mind though. Let’s party.”