Layla had taken the Agency up on a three-month sabbatical and was enjoying her last weekend before going back to work. Viv was hosting a dinner party, and they had just finished dessert, which included peach cobbler—Layla’s favorite. She looked at Hunter seated across from her and smiled. He winked at her, and the butterflies still flew around her stomach like crazy.
They’d spent a ton of time together over the past three months, getting to know each other all over again. Yeah, they each had changed and matured, but surprisingly, they also found that many things about each other hadn’t changed at all. Falling back into a natural rhythm in their relationship had been much easier than she had expected. Their vow to be completely truthful wouldn’t always be easy, but it did ensure a level of trust between them.
She was going to be at a crossroads when she went back to work on Monday, and she was still deciding the ultimate direction she wanted for her career. One thing she had determined, though, was that she still believed in the CIA’s mission. Hunter had told her that the Agency needed more people like her, and his words had resonated.
She helped clear the table and followed Viv into the kitchen, along with Bailey and Izzy.
“You shouldn’t be cleaning. You went above and beyond for dinner.” Layla took a bowl out of Viv’s hands. “Let us do it.”
“I’m just glad we could get together.” Viv smiled brightly. “And we have something to celebrate.”
“What?” Layla asked.
“Izzy got her LSAT scores!”
“Do tell,” Bailey said.
Izzy’s face beamed. “The number isn’t that important, but it’s good enough to be in the high range at Georgetown. I have a good shot of getting in! It’s like a dream come true. I can’t believe it.”
Bailey gave her a hug. “You studied so hard.”
“Thanks to you for all your help.”
Bailey was a standardized testing genius and had tutored Izzy. Layla stayed far away from that. Those tests had never been her thing.
“It’s good that we have things to celebrate now,” Izzy said. “There have been so many battles over the past few months, I’m embracing this as a win.”
“We all are,” Layla said.
Viv gave Izzy a hug too. “Unfortunately, though, we probably won’t see you as much now, especially your first year. You’ll be locked in the law library, studying.”
Izzy grinned. “I’ll miss you ladies, but in the end, it will be worth it.”
Layla loved seeing Izzy happy after everything she’d gone through. It finally felt like they were all in good places, and she hoped and prayed that would continue.
Hunter walked into the kitchen. “Can I steal Layla away for a minute?”
“Sure.” Viv smiled. “We have the dishes under control.”
Layla followed Hunter as he went out on the back porch. It was a cool day but not freezing.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Hunter turned to her. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
Her stomach dropped, worrying that he had bad news.
He took her hands. “There’s no need to frown. This isn’t anything bad. I promise.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Because it’s been such a nice evening and a great way to decompress before going back to work.”
Hunter took a breath. “Layla, since you came back into my life, we’ve faced some pretty awful things.”
She was ready to move on to a new day. “But that’s all behind us.”
He nodded. “It is. And I’m so thankful that you’re safe. But everything we experienced together has changed me—all in a good way. Before we reconnected, I was in such a dark place. I was completely numb and distant from God. I was just going through the motions in life but not really living it. The time we’ve spent together these past few months has been life changing. I never thought years ago that I could love you any more than I did then, but I was wrong about that. I love you even more now.”
She looked into his blue eyes. “I love you, too, Hunter.”
He smiled. “I know. I’ve never felt more loved. And our time together has taught me something else.”
“That life can literally change in a moment. I really do believe that God gave us a second chance. Not everyone gets another chance at love with the person who means the most to them in the world.”
She moved closer to him. “This time nothing is going to tear us apart. Not the Agency, not anything. You have my word on that.”
“Mine too, and I want to take it a step further.” He took a breath. “I know we’ve only been in this new relationship a few months, but we had three years to build on. Three great years, if you cut out that last part.”
“We agreed not to go back to that.” She had put all of that squarely behind them.
He nodded. “This is a long and not very eloquent way of saying that, Layla, I don’t want to waste another moment. We got derailed before, and I don’t want that to happen again.”
“Me neither.”
“I was hoping you would say that.” He dropped to one knee as he pulled a ring box out of his jacket pocket.
Her breath caught as she realized what he was about to do.
“We can have as long an engagement as you want, but I hope and pray that you’ll want to be my wife. Layla, I love you with all my heart and soul. You’re the light and goodness in my life. Your love has literally changed me, and your grace and forgiveness has shown me what real, true love is like. Layla, I love you. Will you marry me?”
She looked down at him holding the open ring box, displaying a princess-cut diamond ring. “What if I don’t want to have a long engagement?”
He grinned. “Is that a yes?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He slid the ring on her finger, and it fit perfectly. Just like the two of them.
She pulled him up from his knee and gave him a kiss. “I love you so much, Hunter.”
He kissed her again, and she heard the cheering.
She turned around and saw everyone peering out the living room window. “Did they all know?” she asked.
“Just Viv. I swore her to secrecy until we came out here. I told her to give us a few minutes before she told the others.”
As she looked at the man she loved, her heart was so full. “I have never felt such happiness as what I feel right now.”
He kissed her again. “And to think what we had to go through to get here.”
Layla couldn’t wait to see what their future held. She was convinced they could face anything together. And there was one more thing she was certain of.
“It was all worth it.”