“C’mon,” he said with that smile on his face and the jerk of his chin.
Confused but smiling, I followed.
We walked to the crest of the hill and looked out across the rolling land. Below us was the valley I rode in so often, the stream cutting through the land below—we stood in the place I’d often stopped to admire. In the fading sunshine, it was as beautiful as it ever was, and I sighed, despite having no idea what we were doing.
He took my hand and pulled me to the west, talking as we walked, the tall grass rasping against our legs.
“So I’ve been thinking a lot, wanted to get your opinion on something.”
“Sure.”
“Well,” he stopped and motioned in front of him, “I figure the kitchen could go here, the living room over there”—My heart quit beating, springing back to life straight into my throat—“but I was thinking, if we put our bedroom above it instead of in the front where you wanted it, we can see the sun set over the valley every night. The worst part will probably be the driveway—we’re almost smack in the middle of the property—but your mama said we could cut through to the highway anywhere we wanted.”
He was still talking, but I heard nothing. No longer was I looking where he pointed. I was staring at him with my mouth hanging open like a trout.
“Keaton …”
He looked down at me with an expression too amused to be legal. “Hmm?”
“Are you … are you seriously talking about building a house?”
“Not just any house. Your house. The house you drew up and gave me back when. Cade’s working on the plans but they’re pretty close to—”
“Keaton,” I said on a laugh edged with hysteria. “You can’t build me a house.”
“Can I build us a house?” The amusement on his face shifted to earnest hope as he dropped to one knee.
It was impossible to breathe—my ribs were locked, my heart still, my breath hanging somewhere in between.
With my hand in his, he looked up at me, his eyes deep and shining. “Everything abandoned deserves a new story, and you’re mine, Daisy Mae. I love you. More than anything on God’s earth, I love you. Marry me. Let’s write the rest of our story together.”
He let go of my hand to dig in his pocket for a ring box. He opened it in display. Inside was a a glittering diamond, exquisite and timeless, on a band of gold.
I stared at it, stunned, blinking to clear my eyes of tears that rolled down my face. I couldn’t speak, the silence stretching on in the absence of words.
Uncertain, Keaton’s brows knocked together. “I … was the house thing too much? I knew it was too—”
I flung myself at him, knocking both of us to the ground as he caught me. Our lips crashed together with the rest of us, and once the surprise ebbed, the kiss was a pliant possession, a sweet forever, a hundred thousand million yeses with a chorus of angels singing behind us.
He rolled, separating our lips. “Was that a yes?”
“That was an absolutely yes forever,” I said and kissed him again, both arms around his neck like a monkey.
Laughing, he separated us again. “Can I at least put the ring on you?”
My face shot open. “Oh my god, the ring. Did I knock it out of your hand?”
“Oh my god, the ring.”
His smile faded, and hurriedly, we got onto our hands and knees, patting around in the grass for the box which thankfully still had the ring inside.
He took it out with hands that made it look so small, then reached for my hand and slid it onto my ring finger.
“Now can I ravage you some more?”
With the happiest smile I’d ever seen in my life, he answered, “Yes, please.”
And so I did, right about in the spot where the kitchen table would one day be.
Thank you so much for reading On The Honey Side! Make some biscuits and use them as a honey scoop. You earned it.
Interested in finding out what happens when Poppy Blum runs for mayor? Run For The Honey is coming May 2022, so don’t forget to preorder here! And if you didn’t catch Jo and Grant’s book, you can pick that up here.
Want to read about Presley, Sebastian, and the drama with Marnie and the mayor? Check out Friend With Benedicts here!
I’d love to keep in touch, so come join us in my Facebook group, Read Your Hart Out, and get exclusive giveaways and sneak peeks of future books. And to be sure you don’t miss any releases, you can get the newsletter here.
Thank you for all your help in spreading the word and telling a friend. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you’ll consider leaving a review on your favorite book site.
ALSO BY STACI HART
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