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Jake
Jake screeched through a stop sign and took a corner too sharply. He was risking getting pulled over, but right now he didn’t give a shit. He needed to make it to the airport before Holly’s flight left.
After she’d told him she was still going to leave, he had no idea how to fix things. How to make her understand that his love for her went above and beyond what it had when he’d been a teenager.
He was a different person now. When he said he loved her, he meant forever. He couldn’t live without Holly in his life.
So when he’d found out she left early for the airport this morning, he’d gone after her.
Damn her for not giving him a chance to say goodbye. He would have convinced her to stay.
He still planned on it. He just had to catch her first.
Jake pulled haphazardly into a spot at the airport and jogged across the lot. He grumbled a rough apology when he ran right in front of a car, but didn’t stop. Once he reached the building, he raced inside, searching for her airline.
When he saw the sign, he raced in that direction, dodging rolling suitcases and little old ladies with overstuffed bags.
And there she was. Halfway through the line.
“Excuse me,” he murmured to the man at the back of the line.
“Hey, wait your turn, buddy.”
He pointed to Holly. “That’s my wife.”
At least, he hoped she would be soon.
The man grumbled a few curse words but moved aside to let Jake through. He kept going through the line, asking people to let him by, until he reached her.
“Holly.”
She glanced up from the book she held in her hands and her mouth dropped open. “Jake? What are you doing here?”
“I’m not letting you leave.”
“What?” She glanced to the rest of the line, looking nervous.
“You left without saying goodbye.”
She bit her lip. “I said goodbye yesterday. And you knew I was leaving. It’s better this way.”
“What way? Where we never see each other again?”
The line inched forward and they both moved with it.
Holly shook her head. “That’s not what I want, but Jake…”
“Can we talk?” He angled his head away from the line.
“I can’t miss my flight.”
“Then I’ll say it right here. I love you, Holly.”
Her eyes welled with tears. “I know, Jake, but…”
“Don’t say but. I love you and you love me. We belong together.”
Holly glanced around again, looking pained. “I thought that before, too.”
“But then I left.” He nodded. “I know. It was a dick move and I regret it every day of my life. I’m not that person anymore. We belong together and I want to prove it to you.”
“How?”
Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box. Her mouth dropped open when he knelt.
“Holly,” he said, well aware of the eyes on them. “Will you marry me?”
She put her hands over her mouth as tears fell down her cheeks.
He reached for her, touching her hip. “We belong together and I want to prove it to you for the rest of our lives. Marry me, Holly.”
Her hands trembled when she lowered them, but then she nodded. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Jake slid the ring on her finger, and then stood, wrapping her in his arms. He pulled her off her feet and swung her around while the crowd around them clapped.
He kissed her hard and then walked out of line with her still in his arms. “Don’t go,” he said. “Let’s work this out. Figure it all out.”
Holly nodded, still smiling—tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Okay. Let’s figure it out.”
“I’ll move to New York if that’s what you want. As long as I’m with you.”
“No. I want to be here in Spring Creek. And I want to be with you.”
He touched her cheek. “That’s what I want, too. I love you, Holly Martin.”
She kissed him with all she had, and then stared at the diamond on her finger. “I love you, too.”