The McCabes were my neighbors.
All this time, I had no idea.
Their brand new, lodge-style mansion was on the lot just to the north of my grandfather’s estate. From their expansive deck, we could see the roof of the great house peeking just over the tree line.
“We could knock on their door and borrow a cup of sugar,” I marveled as I leaned against Derek’s chest.
He folded his arms around me and laughed. “Sure. We could hike a half a mile through the woods to borrow a cup of sugar.” But he rested his chin on my shoulder in a way that told me, more than words ever could, that he understood exactly what I was trying to say.
We were a part of this town now.
And half the town was here, at our neighbors’ party.
“You’re doing so well,” I told Derek, touching his cheek.
I felt his smile against my palm. “Right. Is that why we’re out here hiding?”
“We’re not hiding. We’re… resting.”
A faint, “Ho ho ho!” wafted out from inside of the house. “Mr. Beals really sounds exactly like Santa Claus,” I marveled.
“Tell him that,” Derek laughed, pulling me tighter to his chest. Our warm breath entwined in a frosty wreath around our heads. “You’ll make his entire day.”
I laughed and tilted my face up to his, then searched his dark eyes. “How are you doing?”
He inhaled sharply and I braced myself, wondering if he was about to lie to me. I could tell. I knew every expression that crossed his face.
But then he exhaled and shook his head. “Better. Now that we’re ‘resting’ out here.” His tone put air quotes around my word for it.
“Even though we’re slowly freezing to death?”
“The quiet is worth a little frostbite,” he teased, but folded me into his jacket all the same.
I pressed my ear to his chest and listened to the slow, soothing drum of his heart beat. Above us, the stars were coming out one by one, little diamonds on a backdrop of black velvet. I rubbed my hand over his chest in slow, idle circles, half entranced by the feel of him and half intent on absorbing his warmth. “I’m proud of you,” I told him.
“For what?”
“You know.” I turned my face to his again.
“I’m proud of you too,” he said. Tension radiated through his body. I knew why.
This morning I’d put in a call to a domestic violence lawyer.
I didn’t want to be dragged back into the past. But I also wanted to make sure Killian could never hurt anyone again. “It’s a little too soon to be proud of me for that,” I reminded Derek. “Nothing may come of it. I might lose.”
“But you started the process.” He lifted my hand and kissed it.
Then turned my hand over, studying it back and front. “What are you doing? I asked. He was wearing the strangest expression. “What? Wait minute, are you blushing?”
“No,” he mumbled and tried to pull away.
I wouldn’t let him. “Derek Montgomery Granger, what is going on with you?”
“Ugh, really with the middle name?” he protested. “If I tell you what’s going on, do you promise never to call me that again?”
“Maybe.”
He rolled his eyes. “Close enough,” he said, and then took a deep breath.
I waited. There was something in the palm of his hand, and even in the dim light of the stars I could see that it sparkled.
“Derek?” I breathed.
“Whatever you want to do. Whether it’s playing music for millions of people or drinking hot chocolate on my couch. I don’t care what you want to do with your life. I just want to always be next to you while you’re doing it.” He took my other hand. “Aria. I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Oh my God!” I squealed as he slipped the ring onto my finger. Then I squinted down at my hand. “It’s too dark! I can’t even see it!”
“Yeah,” he rumbled. “I may not have thought this proposal all the way through.”
“I’ll look at it later, it doesn’t matter, Yes! Yes, of course, I’ll marry you, you asshole!”
“Baby, you talk to me so sweetly,” he complained, but I could feel the shape of his smile under my lips as I kissed him.
He picked me up and twirled me around. I was dizzy and giddy and totally wrapped up in him.
So when Everett McCabe tapped on my shoulder, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“Hey, sorry to interrupt.” Oblivious to what he’d just interrupted, he knocked back the rest of the drink in his hand, then raked his fingers through his already disheveled hair. “Have either of you seen my sister?”
I glanced at Derek. But Everett’s obvious state of advanced inebriation didn’t seem to faze him. “Last I saw Harper, she was inside, man,” he said amiably. “She was with your bros.”
“You mean she was with Cal and Gray?”
Derek nodded. “Seemed that way.”
Everett’s face went stony. He turned on his heel, seemingly ready to storm off, but his manners caught up with him right at the door. “Thank you,” he called, sliding the door open to head in just as Brynn Reese headed out.
The two of them locked eyes in a way that made Derek turn to me with his eyebrows raised.
I grinned and shrugged.
Brynn made an airy “ha!” sound and squeezed past Everett in a rush. “Hey guys!” she trilled, suddenly all flippantly disinterested. “What are you doing out here, you’re missing the party!”
“I’m not so sure we are,” Derek murmured.
“What was that?” asked Brynn.
“Never mind.”
I hid my giggle behind my hand.
At the sight of my ring finger, Brynn’s eyes went wide. “No!” She clapped her hands to her mouth. “Derek, did you really just…? Aria, you said…?”
“I said yes,” I sighed, amused by her blatant befuddlement.
“Oh my God, you guys, that’s amazing!” she squealed.
“What is?” Everett was sliding the door open again. “Never mind, hey Brynn? Can I talk to you a sec?”
The light was low, but there was still no mistaking the flush that started at the low neckline of Brynn’s dress and travelled all the way up to her ears.
“Uh, sure,” she squeaked, nearly tripping over her high, spiky heels in her efforts to get closer to him. “Congratulations guys!” she called over her shoulder before following Everett inside.
I looked at Derek.
He looked at me.
I sighed a happy sigh. “I love this.”
“What, being with me?”
I butted my head against his shoulder. “Yes, well that too. But I love that we’re here. Right in the middle of all the drama. Who said nothing interesting ever happens in a small town?”
“You, I think. In one of those terrible interviews you used to give.”
“Yeah, well, I was wrong. This is right where I’m supposed to be. The only place I’d ever want to be.” I exhaled another happy sigh. “I’m home.”
“Hell yeah you are,” he agreed with me. “Now come on. Aren’t you ready to find out what happens next?”
“You mean, besides us living happily ever after?”
“That’s a given.” He brushed a kiss across my lips and then opened the door, and made a sweeping gesture with his hands. “I mean with the rest of the story. Can’t find out if we’re not right here in the middle.”
I grinned. ‘No more hiding?”
He nodded. “No more hiding.”
He extended his elbow to me. I linked my arm with his, taking a moment to admire the sparkly addition to my finger.
Then, joined together, we walked back inside to rejoin the party.
THE END
Thank you for reading Take Me Away! And if you’re wondering just what is going on inside the McCabe’s party, the steamy side of Reckless Falls is revealed in More Than Enough!
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