Epilogue Lucas
I never thought there’d come a day when I was grateful to be on horseback, but here we are.
Lyra and I have developed a real bond over the last month, especially with Jenny whipping my ass into shape.
I end most of our training sessions sore all over, but I can’t deny that I’ve made massive progress with her as a teacher.
I can tack my own horse up and keep my seat if she spooks these days.
I’m pretty fucking proud of myself.
I’m even more proud of myself for coming up with this little plan, but I’m trying not to let it show.
This is the first chance Jenny and I have gotten to go on a trail ride—nice weather, no pressing obligations, Everett waving us off and telling us to get out of his hair for a few hours.
The sun is still high in the sky, but evening inches ever closer, so the temperatures have dropped into something more comfortable.
I’m not great at grand gestures, and I’m still scared that I’m pushing too hard, but if there ever was a right time, it’s now.
I can feel the little box in my pocket shift with every step Lyra takes, and it takes everything in me to act normal.
It helps that Jenny’s astride Ernie next to me, so breathtakingly beautiful that I can hardly think.
“I planned a little surprise,” I tell her, a bit sheepish when she looks over at me with an arched brow.
There’s a teasing grin on her lips, though, and it makes me absolutely melt.
“I thought taking me out on our first official ride was the surprise?”
“Part of it,” I say. “I already set up the second part.”
The third part, too, but I won’t mention that yet.
The second part in question comes into view as we round the bend that leads closer toward the stream that gurgles through the property.
A blue and white checkered blanket is splayed out over the grass, an old fashioned picnic basket that Mary lent me sitting right in the middle.
Jenny gasps in delight when it comes into view, a bright laugh bubbling from her lips.
I always said I’d take her out on a picnic when we were younger, and never got around to it. It’s time to make good on my promises.
“I’ll get the horses tied up,” I tell her as she dismounts Ernie. “I packed all your favorite snacks.”
My feet barely touch the ground before she pulls me into a quick kiss, and then she’s off toward the picnic blanket without giving me a chance to reciprocate.
I laugh under my breath, watching her adoringly as I loop Lyra’s reins around one of the low hanging branches of the tree.
I do the same with Ernie, and he doesn’t even nip at me—progress.
I offer both of them a mint from my back pocket before heading to join Jenny on the blanket.
“Did I miss anything?” I ask, sitting down opposite Jenny so I can watch as she picks through the basket.
“All my favorite snacks, and my favorite guy,” she says, leaning over to kiss my cheek. “Couldn’t ask for anything more.”
She pops a grape in her mouth, immediately followed by a handful of peanut M&Ms, and I take the moment to steel myself. I’ve gotten better at asking for what I want from her, being honest with my desires.
This is the same. It’s maybe a little ahead of schedule, but she’s already agreed to it.
It’ll be fine.
I don’t give myself time to overthink it before I pull the flat leather box out of my pocket and slide it across the blanket toward her. She stills, glancing between me and the box a few times before tentatively reaching out to pick it up.
“What’s this?” she asks, rubbing her thumb along the edge of the box.
“I, uh, got a call today,” I say, steeling myself against my nerves. “Got approved for an apartment. The one on Melody Lane.”
Those pretty brown eyes blow wide in excitement, and I smile so broadly it hurts when she fumbles the box open to reveal a shining set of keys.
“You—I didn’t even know you applied for that one!”
“It was your favorite, right? You looked like you were already deciding where to put decorations when we toured it.” She launches herself at me, hugging me so tight I can hardly breathe and peppering my face with kisses. “I take it that was a good choice?”
She giggles and buries her face in my neck, rocking back and forth but refusing to let me go.
“Great choice,” she confirms. “When do you move in?”
Alright, now the scary part.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, actually,” I say, pulling back enough to cup her face so I can look her in the eyes.
“I know you were planning to wait for a few months before moving to save some money, but this place is below budget. I can cover it on my own once the school year starts up, and only seeing you on the weekends sounds like torture. They said we can move in on the first, so…” I take a deep breath, but my nerves have been replaced by excitement, because Jenny is already nodding. “Move in with me?”
She topples me onto my back with the force of the kiss she presses to my mouth, and this time I actually get a chance to reciprocate it. I roll her beneath me, kissing her until we’re both breathless and laughing against each other’s mouths.
“Yes,” she says, bumping her forehead against mine. “I’d love to move in with you, Lucas.”
I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, catching her lips in another kiss, slow and lingering this time.
“I love you, Jenny.”
I whisper the words against her lips, and I get to feel the way her smile widens against my mouth.
“I love you, Lucas.”
God, I’ll never get tired of hearing that.