23. Heath
“Hey, boss,” I call, walking into the old bank building we just started renovating to turn it into a veterinarian’s office and a groomer. “How was your Thanksgiving?”
Bradley sets down the clipboard he was looking at and smiles. “It was pretty good. How was your holiday? You guys left, right?”
I nod. “We did. We drove to Kentucky to visit family.”
“I heard a special someone may have gone with you.” He raises an eyebrow. “Have you two finally figured it all out?”
I laugh. “I don’t know about having it all figured out, but we are in a good place. So good, in fact, I’m planning to propose soon.”
Hudson chooses that moment to come around the corner, Parker trailing close behind him. “Propose! You’re going to make me the only single guy on the crew? Not cool, man. Not cool.”
“Hudson, if I waited for you to settle down, I’d be old and gray.”
He laughs. “Sounds about right. I don’t see why everyone wants to settle down so bad.”
Parkers’s phone rings. He holds it up and motions outside. “My wife,” he says, stepping out the doors.
“See what I mean?” Hudson says, shaking his head. “No thanks. I don’t want to answer to anyone else.”
I chuckle. “I’ve known what I wanted since I was eighteen. Younger, even, but at first I was too scared to admit I’d fallen for my best friend.”
He throws his hands out in front of him. “Keep those love germs over there. I hear they’re contagious.”
Laughing, I put my hard hat on and check the clipboard for what I’m working on today.
Thankfully, the day passes quickly, and I’m ready to leave right at five o’clock. “See you guys tomorrow,” I call to the crew.
Once I’m in the truck, I pull out my phone.
Heath:I miss you.
I put the phone in the seat next to me and head home to shower. The phone dings with an incoming text as I’m drying my hair. I grab the phone and smile when I see it’s from Gabby.
Gabby:I miss you, too. Feel like company?
I do a little dance and head to the dresser to pick out something comfortable to wear before texting her back.
Heath:Of course. Come on over. I’ll order some pizza.
Thirty minutes later, there’s a knock at the door, and I’m letting the love of my life into the house. “I’m so glad you came over,” I say, stepping into her space and kissing her cheek.
“Me, too.” She slips out of her shoes and heads to the living room. “Where’s Momma A?”
“She’s with her support group tonight,” I say, following her. “Pizza should be here soon.”
We sit down on the couch, and she reaches for my hands.
A feeling of dread pools in my stomach as I study her eyes. “Everything okay?” She’s acting weird, and it’s scaring me a little.
She nods. “I think we should talk.”
Nothing good ever comes from those five words.
“Okay,” I say. Settling back into the couch. “What would you like to talk about?”
“You are the best man I know, Heath. I’ve been thinking about how wrong I was to shut you out for so long. I’m so sorry.”
“We can’t change the past, remember?”
“I know.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?” I’m so confused.
She shakes her head. “Did you mean it when you told me you were going to propose soon?”
I nod. “I did.”
She stands up and drops to one knee. “What if I do it first?”
I leap off the couch and lift her off the floor. “Go put your shoes on,” I say, kissing her lips and sprinting down the hallway to my room.
There’s no way I’m letting her propose first. I planned this, and I’m going to do it. I send a text and cross my fingers that it reaches its target in time.
When I meet her in the front hallway, she’s got her shoes on and an uncertain look on her face. “I promise, it’s all going to be okay. Just go for a ride with me?”
She nods.
I help her into my truck and close her door. I walk around to my side and get in, starting the truck and taking a deep breath. This is the last time I’m leaving my house as a boyfriend, unless I really mess this up.
“Wait!” Gabby says, causing me to step on the brake. “What about the pizza?”
I grab my phone and call the pizza place, and get the same kid who took my order earlier.
“Hey, Dale. I had a . . . meeting come up, and had to leave home, so you and the driver can keep my order for yourselves tonight, okay? Thanks.”
I reach for Gabby’s hand and squeeze. “I’ll make sure we eat something soon, okay?”
Gabby nods. “Okay.”
With that settled, I drive to the high school, and pull up just outside the gym where our prom was held.
“What are we doing here?” Gabby asks, looking around. “You know the school’s closed, right?”
I nod. “I do. Just trust me okay?”
I help her out of the truck and walk with her to the entrance of the gymnasium. Grabbing the door, I pray that Old Mr. Janowitz got my message. I pull on the handle, and the door creaks open. The emergency lights provide the only spots of light in the space.
“How did you . . . ?” Gabby asks, before she turns to look at me.
I sink to one knee and hold out the ring box I’ve been keeping in my pocket. “Gabby, this room is where I realized how beautiful you were. It’s where I held you close, and we slow-danced to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” It’s where I started wishing that one day you’d be mine. So, I wanted to come back here and make that wish come true.” I take a breath and open the ring box. “Gabrielle Louise Fineman, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She stands there, her hair in a messy bun, tears sliding down her face, and all I can think is how much more beautiful she is tonight than she was that night all those years ago. “Please?” I say when she doesn’t answer me.
“Yes!” she shouts, putting out her hand for me to slip the ring on her finger. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”
She leaps into my arms, and I kiss her like my life depends on it. Every ounce of emotion, love, happiness, relief—I let it flow through that kiss.
A slow clap breaks us apart as Mr. Janowitz comes to join us in the center of the room. “I’m happy for you two,” he says, a smile on his face. “Mrs. G and I figured it would happen sooner or later.”
“You and Mrs. G?” Gabby asks.
He nods. “We’ve been watching you two since you were in high school. I bet you’d be together by the time he left for the Army, but I lost that bet.”
Heath grins. “Not really. We were together then. We were just too young to know how to handle such a big relationship long distance.”
“Well, I’ll be,” Mr. Janowitz says. “I’ll be getting my winnings from Gertie, then.”
“Thank you for opening the gymnasium,” I say. “Especially on short notice.”
“You’re welcome. Anything for true love.”
I kiss Gabby again. “Ready to go spread the news?”
She laughs. “What?”
“I called my mom when I went to my room to get the ring.” I shrug. “I’m sure she’s assembled everyone by now.”
Gabby grins. “Then I guess it’s time we let everyone know I’m going to be Mrs. Gabrielle Atkins.”
I call Mom and smile, mouthing “I told you” as she’s talking. “We’re on our way,” I say, ending the call.
I open the truck door and help Gabby inside. “So, when do you want to get married?” I ask. “I vote sooner rather than later.”
She laughs. “We just got engaged, and you already want to be married?”
I close her door and run around to my side. Hopping up, I look at her and grin. “I’ve spent enough time not married to you.”
She sits back, admiring the princess-cut diamond set in white gold I placed on her finger. “I want our family to be there,” she says.
“Whoever you want,” I agree.
“Nothing big?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Close friends and family sounds good to me.”
“Then let’s get married this spring when Zade has spring break.”
“Perfect,” I say, grabbing my phone. “Let’s make sure they don’t make plans.” I dial the phone and put it on speaker. Olivia picks up on the first ring. “I’m getting married during spring break. When is spring break?”
She laughs. “I’m so happy for you two,” she shouts. “Zade! Dominic! Heath and Gabby are getting married!”
I wait for everyone to calm down and repeat my question. “When is Zade’s spring break? Gabby insists we wait until our family can all be together, and I don’t want to wait a minute longer to become her husband.”
“I like her,” Olivia says. “His spring break is in March. Think you can pull a wedding together in three months?”
I look at Gabby and grin. “I’d do anything for her.”