Page 98 of Safe With You

“Want to go for a walk?” Sawyer asks suddenly. “Get some fresh air?”

It’s October, and the evening air is crisp with the promise of winter. We walk through our neighborhood hand in hand, past houses with jack-o’-lanterns on their porches and leaves scattered across their lawns.

“Want to walk to our spot?” Sawyer asks.

I nod, following his lead.

It takes fifteen minutes to walk to the overlook where we had our first real date five years ago, where we decided to try being together for real. The town spreads out below us, lights twinkling in the darkness.

“Remember our first time here?” Sawyer asks.

“When we got takeout and talked about everything?”

“When I knew for sure I was falling for you.”

Sawyer takes my hand, his thumb tracing circles on my palm.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” he says.

“About what?”

“About us. About our future. About how much my life has changed since I met you.”

My heart starts beating faster. This conversation feels different, more serious than our usual talks about the future.

“I spent three years after Lila died barely existing. Going through the motions, not believing I deserved anything good. Then five years ago, I walked into that bank and everything changed.”

I push my glasses up my nose nervously. “Sawyer…”

“You made me remember what it felt like to hope for something. To want something more than just getting through each day.”

He stands up suddenly, and for a moment I think he’s going to start pacing. Instead, he turns to face me and drops to one knee.

My breath catches. My hands fly to my mouth.

“Alice Marie Campbell,” he says, pulling a small box from his jacket pocket. His hands are shaking. “You saved my life in every way a person can be saved. You made me believe in love again, in myself again, in the possibility of a future worth having.”

The box opens, and even in the dim streetlight, the ring sparkles. It's perfect. Simple and elegant, exactly what I would have chosen.

“Will you marry me?”

For a moment, I can't speak. Can't breathe. Can't do anything but stare at this man who's offering me everything I never knew I wanted.

Five years ago, I was running from Lance, terrified and alone. Now I'm here, safe and loved and about to marry the man who saved me.

“Yes,” I whisper, then louder, “Yes, of course yes.”

My vision blurs with tears and I have to wipe my tears to see the ring clearly. He slides the ring onto my finger with shaking hands, then stands and pulls me into his arms. When he kisses me, I taste tears—mine or his, I’m not sure. My hands are shaking. My whole body is shaking.

“I love you,” he says against my lips.

“I love you too.”

We hold each other at the overlook where we got engaged, and I think about the journey that brought us here. The fear, the uncertainty, the threats we faced together. The way he protected me, the way I learned to protect myself, the way we built something beautiful out of something that started so dark.

“Are you happy?” he asks.

I look at the ring on my finger, at this man I'm going to marry, at the life we've built together. “I’m more than happy. I’m safe.”

“Good. Because you always will be. For the rest of our lives, Alice, you’ll be safe with me.”

“And you’ll be safe with me.”

We both will be. Finally, completely, safe.

THE END