“Cassidy?” Naomi called from the hallway.

“Hey, come in.” I closed out a few windows on the computer. It was time to stop working for the day anyway. Naomi walked over to my desk and peered at the computer monitor while I shut everything down. “Daddy has a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?”

“Yeah. I love surprises.”

“Me too.” I smiled and got out of my chair.

Naomi took my hand and dragged me toward the door.

“Hey, if it isn’t my two favorite girls.” Leo was standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“I heard there’s a surprise in here.”

“There is.”

“Can I see it?”

“Even better, you can hear it.”

“Hear it?”

He pulled a clear and blue cassette out of his pocket.

“You made me a tape?” I felt a mix of surprise and anticipation. Leo liked surprising me with things, but he’d never made me a tape before.

“Look at it.”

I accepted the tape and read the label. Awesome Threesome.

“Before you get all weird, that refers to the three of us in this room.”

I smiled. “I wasn’t going to get weird.”

“Just have her listen!” Naomi jumped up and down.

Her excitement got me more excited.

He walked over to the counter and picked up the same tape player he’d sold me a year before.

I inserted the tape and hit play. Leo’s voice came through loud and clear. Hey, Cassidy. It’s me. I’m sure that’s obvious, but I needed some sort of intro. He smiled sheepishly.

You’re probably wondering what this is all about, and don’t worry we won’t leave you waiting too long. I wanted to remind you of a time when you were at an end yet found a beginning.

I smiled and thought back on exactly what beginning he meant, and everything that came after it.

It had been nine months since Leo and I had convinced Bob to let us take his used record and vintage music business online. He’d seemed reluctant at first, but in the end he agreed—and he sold us the store. It turned out he’d been looking for someone to keep the place open after he retired anyway. My contract skills had come in handy when we signed the deal, and the one with my parents to borrow the capital. If things continued we’d have them paid back with interest by the end of the year. Clay had been fine with me quitting once I found him a great bookkeeper.

Although we spent time at the store, we did as much work at the home office in the house he and Naomi rented a few blocks away. It was the house I practically lived in now even though I kept my own place.

It was the house I was standing in listening to the tape.

Naomi and I were also at an end. Stuck at one. But we found a beginning. And that beginning was you. Now I’m rambling. There’s a reason I didn’t go into public speaking.

I laughed and looked at him. He was holding Naomi’s hand and watching me intently.

Just because you find a new beginning doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your past. Naomi and I will never forget ours, and you don’t have to forget yours either. I know you didn’t listen to that tape, but you didn’t need to. You already knew exactly what was on it. But this one you needed to listen to because you don’t know. You don’t know that I made this tape to ask you a question.

I froze.

Leo fell down to one knee, and Naomi mirrored his actions.

“Cassidy Lawton will you marry me?”

“Us. Will you marry us?” Naomi corrected.

Tears spilled down my face as I tried to shake the shock.

“Say yes. Say yes!” Naomi jumped up.

“Of course I’m saying yes.”

Leo pulled me into his arms.

I rested my head on his chest. "You know we're always going to have a tape player, right?

"I can handle outdated technology if it means I get you."

"You've had me since our first sunset."

"You've had me since you first walked into the store."

I blinked back tears and changed the subject before I lost it with emotion. "Anyone want ice cream to celebrate?"

"One step ahead of you." He pointed toward the fridge. "Check the freezer."

I pulled out a container of pumpkin ice cream.

"And I got peanut butter cups for you." Naomi grinned.

I laughed. "Thanks for making me part of your awesome threesome.”

"It wouldn't exist without you." Leo brushed my freshly fallen tears away.

I hugged him tightly. Sometimes the best kind of life and love comes after falling.