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One day, I am going to marry Jackson Page. I just had to get him to notice me first.
“Beautiful.” But he wasn’t staring at the sky. He was looking at me.
After years of watching and waiting and hoping, Jackson had finally noticed me. Me, the shy girl who’d loved him from a distance. Tonight, he’d made one of my dreams come true.
The right retort would come eventually. I’d be sitting at home, stewing, and think of exactly what to say and how to say it. My comebacks were witty and hilarious. They were crafted with the perfect amount of sarcasm and bite. They just came too late.
Willa I’m sorry for calling you Willow. It won’t happen again. Jackson
My thoughts were consumed with Jackson’s handwriting. And how much I liked seeing my name written in his sloppy scrawl.
“Sorry. This chair is, um . . . uncomfortable.” Behind me, Jackson chuckled. “I’ve got somewhere else you could sit.”
NO I LOVE HIM
I hadn’t held a woman’s hand in . . . well, ever. Was that right? Had I really never held a woman’s hand before? I hadn’t expected it to be so intimate, maybe even more so than a kiss. It made me dizzy and steady all at the same time, like the feeling I got after being on a boat for too long. Even when I got back to land, I would still sway with the waves.
“I’m not bold. Or daring. But you . . . you were my risk. I put myself out there for you and it didn’t work. So yeah, I didn’t tell you about the kiss.”
“I think what’s important is finding a person who makes you better. And someone you can trust with your heart. And, Jackson? I trust you with mine.” Even after our rocky start, I trusted him. “Can I tell you a secret?” He leaned down and whispered, “I have a crush on you.” I smiled. “It’s about time.”
“You deserve special.” “Yes, I do,” I declared. “And no matter where it happens, it will be. This is already going to be one of the most special experiences of my life, simply because it’s with you.”
Willa was special. She was the exception to all my rules, because with her, there was no need to guard myself against manipulation or deception.
Being here, being Willa’s big spoon, was exactly the right place. Things just felt right.
“You deserve more than me.” She shook her head, closing the remaining space between us. She put her hands on my chest and locked her eyes with mine. “There is no more than you.”
“I’m not much of a fighter and I rarely stand up for myself. But I’m standing up for you. I’ll fight for you.” Her hands slid up to my cheeks, pushing me back so she could look me in the eye. “I’m not letting you go. And I’ll never leave you behind.”
She was my courageous champion. My warrior. My lover. My friend. My everything. Willa was the one.
She wouldn’t find another man to make her dreams come true. I was her dream and she was mine.
“It’s easy to love someone when times are good. Real love is about holding on to one another when times aren’t.”
“Willa Doon.” I held the ring between my thumb and index finger, then dropped to a knee. “I love you. You’re the reason I smile every day. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You’re my everything. And I want to be yours. I want to make every dream you’ve ever had come true. Will you marry me?”
“When I was seventeen, I wrote in my diary that I was going to marry you one day.”
