20. Joel & Lucy
The house is alive with energy, the kind that only comes when everything feels right in the world. Miles and Finn chase each other through the living room, their laughter bouncing off the walls and filling every corner. Joel is perched on the couch, pretending to focus on a medical journal but clearly more interested in the chaos around him.
“No running in the house,” he calls out half-heartedly, not even bothering to look up.
“Then come outside!” Finn shouts, skidding to a halt and grabbing my hand. “Come on, Lucy! You too, Daddy!”
I glance at Joel, who’s already setting his journal aside with a small, resigned smile. “You heard the boss,” he says, standing and stretching. “Let’s go.”
Outside, the late afternoon sun bathes the backyard in a golden glow. The boys dart toward the small treehouse Joel built for them last summer, while I settle onto the swing hanging from a low branch. Joel joins me, his hand brushing mine as he leans back and looks at the sky.
“You know,” he says, his voice soft, “sometimes I look at them and wonder how I got so lucky.”
I squeeze his hand, my heart swelling. “They’re amazing, Joel. But don’t sell yourself short. They’re like this because of you.”
He looks at me then, his green eyes filled with something unspoken, something deep. “And you. You’ve changed everything, Lucy. For me. For them. I hope you know that.”
Before I can reply, Finn and Miles come bounding over, their faces flushed with excitement.
“Lucy, Daddy,” Miles says, his voice serious in a way that only an eight-year-old can manage. “We decided something.”
“Oh? And what’s that?” Joel asks, raising an eyebrow.
Finn grins, bouncing on his toes. “That you should get married!”
Joel chuckles, ruffling Finn’s hair. “Is that so?”
“Yes!” Miles insists, crossing his arms. “And you have to do it soon. Like, really soon.”
I laugh, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. “Well, I’ll leave the scheduling to your dad.”
Joel’s eyes meet mine, a flicker of something playful and knowing passing between us. “Noted,” he says.
The boys’ blunt proclamation sticks with me long after they’ve moved on to building some elaborate contraption in the treehouse. Lucy’s laugh, the blush on her cheeks—it’s all burned into my mind. They’re right, of course. I’ve known for a while now that I want Lucy in every part of my life, permanently. It’s just a matter of timing.
And tonight feels like the perfect time.
When dinner rolls around, I tell Lucy to dress up. “We’re going out,” I say casually, but the smile tugging at my lips must give me away. She narrows her eyes suspiciously but doesn’t press me for details.
By the time she steps out of the bedroom, I’m floored. She’s wearing a simple, flowy dress that hugs her curves in all the right places, her blond hair cascading over her shoulders. She’s breathtaking.
“Wow,” I say, unable to stop myself. “You look amazing.”
She rolls her eyes, but I catch the way her cheeks flush. “You clean up pretty well yourself, Doctor Anderson.”
We leave the boys with a sitter and head to Old Town Eureka. The streets are alive with twinkling lights and the soft sound of the bay can be heard in the distance. I’ve made a reservation at a cozy little place overlooking Humboldt Bay, a spot I know she’ll love.
“This is beautiful,” she says as we’re seated by the window.
“Not as beautiful as you,” I reply, earning an eye roll but also a soft smile.
Dinner is perfect. We talk and laugh and share bites of each other’s meals, the world shrinking to just the two of us. But my mind is on what comes next.
After dessert, I take her hand and lead her outside. The bay is quiet, the dark waters reflecting the stars and the full moon overhead. A cool breeze carries the faint scent of salt and seaweed, and I stop us at a spot where we can see the boats gently rocking in their moorings.
“Joel, what are we doing?” Lucy asks, her voice soft with curiosity.
I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to say to you,” I begin, turning to face her. Her blue eyes search mine, and I see the exact moment realization dawns.
“Lucy,” I say, taking her hands in mine, “from the moment you came into my life, everything changed. You’ve made me a better man, a better father, and every day with you feels like a gift I don’t deserve. You’ve reminded me what it means to love and be loved, and I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
Her breath hitches, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
I drop to one knee, pulling the small velvet box from my pocket. “Lucy Harper, will you marry me?”
For a moment, there’s only the sound of the water and the distant bustle of life from the town. Then she looks at me, her hands flying to her mouth as a sob escapes. “Yes,” she whispers, then louder, “Yes, Joel, of course!”
Relief and joy wash over me as I slip the ring onto her finger, standing to pull her into my arms. Our kiss is soft and sweet, a promise of everything to come.
The drive home is filled with stolen glances and quiet laughter. I can’t stop staring at the ring on my finger, the way it catches the light and feels so right, like it’s always belonged there.
When we get home, the boys are asleep. Finn has crawled into bed with Miles and their limbs tangled together in a way only siblings can manage. Joel and I tiptoe into the living room, collapsing onto the couch in a heap of happy exhaustion.
“So,” he says, pulling me close, “how soon do you think we can pull off a wedding?”
I laugh, resting my head on his shoulder. “Soon. Very soon.”
As we drift off to sleep, wrapped in each others arms, I know that this, Joel, the boys, Everwood—is everything I’ve ever wanted.