“There’re picnic tables at the lake,” I suggested.
“Too crowded.”
“How about the state park? The one by the quarry? Or the swimming hole…”
“They’ll all be too crowded,” he said, dismissing my suggestions. “Don’t worry.” He squeezed my thigh. “I’ve got this.”
Five minutes later, he turned off the highway and took the back roads.
“Make sure there’re plenty of trees so we can sit in the shade,” I said, not entirely convinced that he had any idea where we were going. He didn’t even respond to my request. We were in the middle of nowhere and as far as I knew there were no picnic spots around here. Although I knew this place. It was the road we’d driven on a million years ago after Brody had tricked us into getting tacos.
It was one of my favorite Hill Country drives. Winding roads and rugged hills, green meadows and limestone cliffs. Today the sun was shining and the big sky was glaringly blue.
“Are we there yet?” Noah piped up from the back seat.
“Almost,” Jude replied.
I side-eyed him. “Do you have any idea where we’re going?”
“Just enjoy the ride.”
No sooner were the words out of his mouth when he swung a right onto a narrow gravel road shaded by trees. Now I was sure he was lost. The truck went up a hill and at the top of it a stone and timber farmhouse with a wraparound porch came into view.
“This is someone’s driveway,” I said. “Turn around and go back.”
Instead of turning around, he pulled up in front of the house and cut the engine. “This looks like a good spot for a picnic.”
“Are you insane?”
He grinned. “Insanely in love with Lila Turner.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, Jude. Let’s go.”
“What do you think of this house?”
“It’s gorgeous. I love it.” I did. But why was he asking me about a house? I was starving now, and kept thinking about the deviled eggs I’d made. And the sandwiches on baguettes. I needed food. “Now let’s go.”
He was out of the truck and rounding the hood. Opening my door, he held out his hand to help me out of the truck.
“Jude… what are you doing? I’m hungry and this is no time for games...”
His smile stopped the words in my mouth. My head swung from him to the house in front of us. Oh my God. It was so beautiful. “Is this… what did you do?”
He helped me out of the truck and unbuckled Noah from his seat and swung him up in the air before setting him on the ground. “Remember what we talked about?” Jude asked Noah, crouching so he was eye level.
Noah nodded. “I ‘member.” He looked up at me, a sly grin on his face.
“You’re okay with it, right?” Jude asked him.
Noah nodded enthusiastically then in a stage whisper he asked, “Can I give Mommy the ring now?”
Jude shook his head and scrubbed his hands over his face and then he was laughing. I sucked in a breath. Oh my God. Was he…
Before I had a chance to think about it, Jude was on bended knee in front of me. The driveway was gravel and he was wearing shorts. His knee would get all cut up. Not sure why that was the first thought in my head. Noah patted Jude’s shoulder like he was giving him extra courage and letting him know everything would be okay.
Jude took my hand in his. “I didn’t get it right the first time, but I promise you that I’ll never leave you again. I’ll be by your side through thick and thin. I’ll walk through fire for you. Carry your burdens. Love you until I take my dying breath. And even after that, my soul will go on loving you and I will find you in the next life. Because you give me life. I live and breathe you. I have been loving you for so long. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And for Noah. I love you and only you.” He tipped his beautiful face up to look at me, and I could barely see him through the blur of tears. “Will you marry me, Lila?”
Tears streamed down my face and all I could was nod.
Jude nudged Noah. “Psst. It’s time for the ring.”
My tears turned to laughter at this comedy act.
“Oh. Yeah. I got it.” Noah dug in his shorts pocket and I thought it was brave and a little bit stupid to entrust a four-year-old with an engagement ring. Noah turned his pocket inside out and I laughed even harder when I saw the ring was duct-taped to the inside of his pocket.
Jude ripped off the tape to reveal a ring wrapped in saran wrap.
“This is like a military operation,” I said, laughing as he finally held up a ring, triumphantly, and slipped it on my finger. Then he wiped imaginary sweat off his brow. Or maybe it wasn’t imaginary. He was really sweating. And he was still down on one knee on the gravel driveway of a house he’d bought for us.
It was my dream house because it was home, and Jude was my home.
My love. My soulmate. My wish on a star. My everything.
While Noah raced from room to room, Jude led me around the house, talking about the changes we could make and how he’d build an addition. But if you asked me, it was perfect just as it was and I told him so as we stood in front of the tall windows in the living room with a vaulted ceiling and looked out at the five glorious acres of land that came with the house.
“Thank you,” I said, turning in his arms and framing his face in my hands.
“For what?”
“For putting the stars back in the sky.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet, baby. I’m going to give you an entire universe.”
Epilogue
Jude
Nine Months Later
April
The florist is carrying a bouquet of wildflowers, handpicked this morning by me
