The Seven Stages of Happily Ever After

One

January 1, 2019

I huddle into Luke's jacket and the blanket he laid over my lap. It's New Year's Day, and we were sitting on the window seat in my room, comfy and warm when he told me he had a surprise for me. I'm now sitting in his old truck, freezing because the heat is broken again. My teeth chatter some, and Luke reaches over, rubbing my arm to warm me.

"We're going to contract pneumonia." I breathe, sending him a teasing smile. The truth is, I'd follow the man beside of me anywhere. We've been together since he crashed my wedding, and after the dust settled with the Kingston's (Gladys threatened a lawsuit, but both Mom and Sara's Mama bear modes were nothing compared to her snooty attitude) everything has been incredible. The business is great, Luke got that job in North Carolina, and we've been happy.

"You're so dramatic." He retorts, sending me a smirk as he pulls up to a familiar spot. Raising a brow, I look over Banner's Place, wondering why in the world thiswas where he wanted to bring me on New Year's Day. Especially when the sun is about to go down, and it's freezing.

"You love me anyway." I sing, leaning over and kissing his cheek, before resting my head against his shoulder. "Why are you so warm?"

He chuckles, reaching around and wrapping his arm around me, pulling me closer to him. "I'm not. You're just always cold."

I grin against his skin, "Maybe you're a werewolf." I muse, leaning back so he can see my smile. He meets my eyes, a gentle smile on his face as he tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"You caught me, I've come here to make you my official mate." He widens his eyes, grabbing me and pulling me into his lap, before acting as though he'll bite me. I squeal, a laugh tumbling out of my throat as I bury my face into his chest, earning a laugh from him. "Come on," He throws open the door, sliding out from under me and reaching back to help me out. Once I'm on the ground, he takes my hand in his, leading me down to the rock we first kissed on and sitting down. I grin, leaning against his arm, and closing my eyes, flashing back to being seventeen and star struck.

"I'm having flashbacks," I tell him, my voice quiet as I stay lost in my revere. He hums in agreement, before he squeezes my hand.

"I loved you even then," He replies, kissing the crown of my head. "I thought, c'mon Luke, don't be an idiot. You look like an idiot." He laughs, causing my heart aches with happiness as I think of his words, and how back then, when I thought he was playing me he was really just a kid not sure of what he was feeling.

He felt everything I'd been feeling.

"Oh," He sighs, leaning away from me and leaving me cold. I frown, opening my eyes and looking up at him. He's standing, hitching a thumb over his shoulder to the truck. "I forgot something in the truck."

I wave him off, pulling my knees to my chest to keep me warm. "I'll be fine," I wink, earning a ghost of a smile. "The snakes aren't out this time of year."

I watch him walk back for a moment, before turning to the water once again, wondering how we were even able to get into this place. The police shut it down after Harry found the four of us down here after Mia's wedding. They went the extra mile, boarding it up so high it was next to impossible to get in.

So how did we get in so easily?

Looking over my shoulder, I realize Luke came in a back way. How did he even know about that? As the thought crosses my mind, music fills my ears, and I realize Marry Me by Train is playing from the speakers of Luke's truck. I turn around, finding him standing in front of me, holding out his hand for me.

"Would you like to dance?" He asks me, a nervous smile on his face. My heart races, and I nod, taking his hand and letting him help me up. He pulls me close, before gliding me along the dirt ground, as though we're in a fairytale.

"This is the first song we danced to." I note, smiling up at him, and not missing the hint of that boy in his eyes as he looks at me.

"This is also where we had our first kiss." He reminds me, as though I'd forgotten. I grin, nodding as I close my eyes and lean my cheek against his strong chest. His heart is beating fast and I wonder how that short walk could cause it. "Picolinna?" He murmurs, leaning close to my ear so his breath fans my skin.

"Yes?" I whisper back, feeling so at peace, gliding across the dirt floor with him.

"I have to ask you something."

My heart stops beating. I pull back, all of this clicking into place, as I see his smile. He releases one hand, reaching into his pocket and revealing a box. "I know we've only been together for seven months, but we had almost two years before that, and I know you don't rush into things." He rambles, and I feel my heart begin to beat again- except it's racing now. "But I want to marry you." He smiles, swallowing nervously and holding up the little box. I can only stare at him, "I want to slow dance in the kitchen while you make pancakes, and I want to sit in the back of a movie theatre and make out like we're kids falling in love, and I want to take you to every history museum in the state, just so you can light up and tell me stories of Andrew Jackson." 

"Yes," I blurt, gasping for breath as a smile breaks out onto my face. My eyes pool with tears of happiness, and I'm nodding so fast my hair falls into my face.

He stares at me for a moment, a smile breaking out onto his face too. "I didn't even ask yet. I had a whole speech planned." I laugh, as he continues. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I shout in excitement, not letting him get on one knee and jumping straight into his arms. He wraps his arms around me, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around. We both laugh, and I grip him tightly, not wanting to ever let go. "I love you." I tell him, as he pulls back, kissing me so sweetly it gives me butterflies.

"I love you too," He tells me through kisses, "So much." He doesn't put me down, and I cling to him, not wanting him to. "I had to bring you here since I couldn't get into the church."

I laugh, shaking my head. "This was perfect."

He chuckles, running his hand over the back of my head. "I can't believe you didn't figure it out."

"Hey!"

We both turn, Luke still holding me, and find Harry waving a flashlight, grinning down at us from the top of the hill.

"Don't you two have somewhere to be?" He calls, waving us back up the hill. I look to Luke, finding him grinning.

Apparently, he has more surprises in store.