Epilogue
Hey Jude: Jude’s POV
Itake steps two at a time to reach the front of the Student Center, loosening my tie as I go.
The crisp January weather is perfect for my plan, but I’ve only got two hours of daylight, and neither of us will be happy without dinner. I round the corner to the counseling department and spot Lucy through the glass. I’m hoping to steal my girl away a little early.
Her smile is contagious as I watch her talk to a woman in her office. Career Services offered Lucy a full-time position after only a few weeks as a work study. Even after three months on the job, she still believes it was just good timing.
It couldn’t possibly be the way she looks into your soul and sees strengths you didn’t know you had—like the way she calls me devastatingly competent or says my calm problem-solving is hot.
If this woman told me I could walk on water, I’d believe her and find a way to make it happen.
Lucy looks away, and her cheeks turn pink at whatever the woman said.
Oh, yeah. That was a compliment. I work hard for that face.
She constantly undersells herself.
I got her to sing at Sam’s gig in Myrtle Beach over fall break, and they were a huge hit.
I’ve promised never to use the word statistics in her presence, but statistically, his videos perform better when she’s in them.
We recorded with him over Christmas, and she says she’d consider a few shows but still insists she’s just helping.
She has no idea how her light makes everyone shine.
Seventeen months ago, when Jace met Lucy to give her keys to the townhouse, he texted me four words: “Come meet your wife.”
I thought he was being dramatic, but when she fell into my arms, I knew at that moment I was done letting other people plan my life.
But she was twenty-two, and I couldn’t say, “Hey, I know you just established your independence. Want to jump into a long-term relationship?”
I learned the hard way—she wants me to take the lead. I redeemed New Year’s Eve last week, and I’ll never let her doubt how I feel ever again.
She deserves all the fairy lights and sweet words I can give her for that little journal she claims is just material for future novels. Her twenty-fourth year will be book-worthy.
I’ll spend the rest of my life giving her something to write about.
The office isn’t closed yet, but I don’t see any students, so I push the glass door open and lean in. “Hey, birthday girl.”
Lucy’s eyes snap to mine, and her embarrassed smirk melts into a heated grin as she takes in what I’m wearing.
My shirt will unbutton itself if she keeps looking at me like that.
“Lucy! You didn’t tell me it’s your birthday!”
Lucy introduces me to her boss, Laura, and it’s obvious why she’s happy here.
“Jude! It’s great to meet you. You know, she’s been a menace all day. I’d appreciate it if you’d get her out of here as soon as possible.”
“Nice to meet you too, Laura, but Lucy does what she wants. The last guy to cross her got a broken nose.” I smile when Lucy’s eyes widen.
Her lips press together, and she looks about ready to throttle me. Bring it, Punk.
Laura’s head whips back to Lucy. “Storytime. Monday, 8 a.m. You’re fired until then. Get out.”
Lucy laughs and thanks her as she moves from behind the desk to leave. Once I get a good look at her short green sweater dress with tights and boots, I can’t get her out of there fast enough.
“Where are we going now? Aunt Judy’s?” Lucy asks with a yawn as I turn down a road near Aunt J’s house. She’s wholly content on kisses and Mexican food, but I’m just getting started.
“Nope.” I kiss her fingers and resist the urge to say home. I’ve been asking questions and taking notes. I don’t want to rush her, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.
I pull into a long driveway and park in front of an old white farmhouse with a huge front porch. “Come on.” I peck her lips one time and jog around to open her door.
I can’t make out her expression. She’ll have twelve possible scenarios in her head if I don’t explain soon.
“Did you … buy a house?” she asks calmly.
“Not yet. Come here.” Our timing is perfect.
There’s still enough daylight to see the holly and berry garland wrapped around the banisters with rustic burlap bows and the wooden porch sign that says “There’s snow place like home” next to the front door.
But I hope it’s dark enough to get the full effect.
I take her up the three steps and pull her into my lap on the porch swing while retrieving my phone from my pocket to activate the lights.
Sam did a great job. Hundreds of crisscrossed string lights glow over our heads, and she gasps.
Yes. That’s all the motivation I need.
“Three bedrooms, two and half baths, full partially finished basement, open-concept kitchen and living room area with a bar like the townhouse.”
She shifts and turns around, straddling my lap to face me. Releasing my hair from the elastic, she runs her fingers through it till I can barely speak.
“Little girl.” I squeeze her hips.
She kisses me innocently.
“What? I need to look at you if you’re gonna talk all sexy like that.”
Her words are teasing, but those green eyes are misty as she twirls my hair.
“It’s old and needs a ton of work.”
“You’re not that old, Boss Man. I can get you a conditioning treatment.”
“Punk.” I swat her behind, making her squeal with laughter.
“You said you like the kitchen layout in the townhouse, but you wish there was a basement when it storms. You like your mom’s front porch and my mom’s backyard.
This has four acres with almost no flood risk, which is rare, and it’s three minutes from Aunt J’s house … ”
She kisses me softly again but doesn’t say anything. And I realize I haven’t asked her anything.
“It’ll take a lot of work before it’s livable, and then it could be a rental or an Airbnb. There’s no pressure, okay? I know you just got your life back after that bogus engagement, and four months isn’t long enough to prove anything. I want to do everything right.”
Her expression makes me think this is not my best work. She furrows her brow. “What do you need to prove?”
“That there’s no risk. I’m yours, and nothing will change.”
“I know.” She puts her hands on my cheeks and leans her forehead to mine. “You’ve been proving that for a year.”
“I want to spend the rest of my life making you shiver when I sing in your ear, listening to you snore in my passenger seat, and yelling ‘that’s my girl’ anytime you sing with anyone who isn’t me.
I’m ready to put plans in motion, starting with a house.
It doesn’t have to be this one. And when you’re ready, there will be a proposal. A real one.”
I release her hips and wrap my arms around her when tears begin rolling down her cheeks.
“Too bad you don’t have a ring.” She wipes her eyes. “Because that was a dang good proposal.”
She tightens her arms around my neck in that full-body koala hug she gives to no one but me.
Screw the plan.
“Baby,” I whisper in her ear. “I’ve had a ring since Nashville.”
I sit her on the swing and kneel in front of her as I pull my wallet from my pocket.
When I was struggling in Nashville, I went for a walk and ended up in a store on a video call with Annie asking if a two-carat teardrop shape was a big enough diamond on this little gold band that looked like twisting flower stems with tiny diamond leaves.
“Whoa, Danny! Oh em gee. Hold up. Lu Lu hates to stand out. The band is perfect. Just don’t overdo it with some huge rock. And that’s called a pear shape. Try one carat.”
But one carat didn’t seem like enough. So it’s one point five, and I’m sweating bullets.
What am I doing?
This is not how I pictured proposing. She deserves better.
That’s why I need a plan.
But one look into her wet eyes, and I know.
She doesn’t care.
Lucy wouldn’t want me to sing her song in front of all our friends and family at some fancy party with a photographer.
She just wants me.
She already has me.
“When I got back to Nashville after that rough night, Ray said to put something in my wallet to help me remember my why. He probably meant a picture or something, but this is what made sense to me.” I pull out the ring and pray she likes it. “Because you’re my why.”
She covers her mouth, tears falling so steadily, I can’t hold back my own.
“My Lucy in the sky … on the porch of what could be our home … will you be my forever duet partner? And also my wife?”
She nods, and a quiet “Yes” squeaks out. I put the ring on her shaking finger, and I’m barely on my feet before she launches herself back into my arms. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I say as I breathe in her peach scent.
We hold each other for a long moment before I wrap my suit jacket around her and furiously roll my sleeves back. The rush of adrenaline has apparently set my blood on fire.
Her eyes drop to my forearms, and I catch her ogling the tattoos I’ve added to the sleeve in progress on my right. She undoes the top few buttons of my white dress shirt, fingers brushing over my hot skin. I’m still amazed at how bold and uninhibited she’s become over the past few months.
“Careful now,” I warn. “There’s definitely a door camera.”
“You started it, Mr. Crawford.”
“And I’ll finish it, Mrs. Crawford.” I give her the authoritative tone she loves, and she counters with a seductive smile.
“Promises, promises …”
I pull up a song on my phone and pull her back to me. She touches her lips to my exposed chest, sending chills to chase the fire she started, before putting her cheek against my heart. This isn’t how I expected this night to go, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Ever since the night in the cabin, one song has been on repeat in my mind. I was saving it for the perfect moment.
Under these lights, with this woman, and the timeless voice of Paul McCartney, nothing could be more perfect as we dance to “Maybe I’m Amazed.”
She pulls back after several minutes of swaying and kissing. “Are you going to show me the rest of our house?”
“Yes ma’am, let’s go check out that kitchen counter.” I take her left hand, admiring how the ring looks on her dainty finger. “You know what this means, right?”
“What?” She eyes me warily.
“Now you really are Lucy in the sky with diamonds.” I kiss her hand while she groans.
“Oh, sir. That was way too cheesy.”
“Never too much cheese for my girl.”
The End
… Or is it?