For the first Sunday since I met him, Theo didn't go to church. Neither did Cal and April. We all stayed home, and that night, their minister came over—April or Theo must have called to fill him in—and we had some sort of service for Justin.

It was short and simple. Reverend Matt led us in prayer and read from the Bible. He spoke of the hope and comfort we can find in Christ and let each of us know that he was always open to talk if we had any questions or needed a listening ear.

For once, I truly wanted to pay attention, but my exhaustion took hold of me and I spent the majority of the time nodding along without listening just like I've been doing the times I've attended church. The difference being, this time, I didn't mean to. Perhaps I'd take him up on his offer and ask him questions some other time.

The rest of the week dragged by. I was pleased to have Theo back at my side but the devastation weighing heavy on my heart made it impossible to fully enjoy his presence. Thankfully, he didn't seem to take it personally.

We aligned our schedules so that I would go to therapy the same night he went to a meeting with Cal. I took a few days off work but then figured keeping busy would be better than sitting around at home. Plus, I wanted Theo to feel comfortable going back to work. He was on the phone with Owen daily, and though he didn't share what was going on, I could tell that things weren't running as smoothly without him as he'd hoped.

So, Wednesday evening, after a lot of convincing on my part, he filled up a thermos with coffee, kissed me a dozen times, and hit the road.

Now, it's Saturday night, and I'm sitting on the porch swing waiting on the headlights from his truck. I can't wait to see him.

We've talked on the phone every night and sent each other texts throughout the day, but nothing compares to talking in person. I've missed his arms around me, his beard tickling my ear when he whispers to me and my cheek when he kisses me, and the way he smells, either of sawdust or the fresh pine and eucalyptus scent from his body wash. And yes, I've cracked open the bottle in the shower a couple of times to give it a sniff. It's not the same.

Things have gone surprisingly well in his absence. Even though I miss him like crazy, I know he's coming home to me and I know that we're in a good place. Those facts have made missing him easier on me this time around.

Along with the AA meeting Cal went to with Theo, he's also been talking to his therapist. He's agreed to wait until he's in a more emotionally sound place before he acts on his plan, but it's clear that he's still adamant about his decision. I've given up hope that he'll change his mind, so I'm now using this time to work on accepting what's to come and spending a lot of time with him and his family while at the same time trying to not intrude.

I've been praying about it too. I've been praying about a lot of things. I'm still on the fence about whether it'll make a difference... except, I know that in a way, it already has. That same peace that I found in the quiet room the night we heard about Justin has settled over me time and time again. Maybe it's witchcraft. Or maybe, the God that I keep hearing about is really there.

It must be nearing midnight by now. Theo warned me that he'd be home late because he wanted to get the job done before packing up to head home with his employees and I knew it was a long drive. He told me that I didn't have to wait up for him, and even promised that he'd wake me up if I was sleeping, but I didn't want to go to sleep without him for even one more night.

Headlights come around the corner. I sit up straighter, feeling a flutter of expectation in my chest. The lights begin to slow as they come closer but not enough to mean they're turning into the driveway, and I realize, belatedly, that it's a sedan and not a truck towing a trailer. My heart sinks.

"Go to bed, crazy lady!" a voice calls out the window as the car drives past, and it takes me a minute to place the voice.

Owen.

Which means...

Brighter headlights fill the quiet street a moment later. I'm rushing into the driveway before Theo's truck has even begun to slow to make the turn, and I bounce up and down on the balls of my feet like an excited child in line for their favourite carnival ride as the truck and trailer move into place.

The door cracks open, and I grip the door handle to swing it open the rest of the way.

Theo's startled eyes meet mine and then his loud laugh fills the truck cab. "Dang, Princess, I didn't see you there," he explains while unfastening his seatbelt.

"Surprise!" I grin up at him and begin to step back to give him room to get out of the truck but I don't get very far before Theo's standing on the ground in front of me and catching my waist with his hands to pull me against his body.

We kiss in the open door of the truck with the light from the cab spilling out over us. Theo's hands move up to tangle in my hair but soon after he's dropping an arm around my lower back to lift me into his arms.

I'm so consumed by his tongue in my mouth and my body pressed so close against his that it takes me some time to realize he's leaning back against the truck to keep his balance.

"Theo," I manage to quickly say his name before his hand on the back of my head guides my mouth against his again. I smile into the kiss and then push back against his hand with my head to separate our lips. "Your leg."

"I'm good," he answers. His fingertips gently press into my scalp to move me closer again but when I resist he doesn't fight me on it.

"Don't give me that. I'm sure you've been overdoing it for days." And I know I'm not wrong about that. He puts his all into his work, especially when he's stressed. "Put me down. Let's go sit. C'mon, big guy."

"Hmm." He allows my body to slip down his until my feet are touching the ground again, and then mumbles, "Just when I was getting used to being the boss again..."

I laugh while taking his hand and give it a tug to get him moving toward the porch. The truck door closes behind us as he falls into step after me. I don't miss the way he's favouring his bad leg but I know better than to comment on it again. "Don't worry, Theodore. You know all you have to do is call me your good girl to get me to listen to you."

He abruptly stops walking, and when I look over my shoulder at him, he smirks. "You mean to tell me you've figured that out? Dang. Here I thought it was my secret weapon."

I shake my head with a smirk of my own. "Oh, it's still a weapon alright. A very unfair advantage, if you ask me. But no, it's definitely no secret."

He lifts his hand to stroke his beard—an action of his that is another weapon, one that I don't think he realizes he possesses—and then he asks hopefully, "Still works though?"

"Still works," I confirm.

He grins and resumes walking again, and I giggle at the smug look on his face while he takes the lead in bringing us to the porch.

We end up on the swing with my legs draped over his lap and his arm wrapped around my shoulders. He kisses my cheek and nuzzles his nose into the crook of my neck while taking in a slow and deep breath. There's a pause and then he breathes in again. "Are you... Did you use my body wash?"

My cheeks turn red and I giggle as I nod. When sniffing the bottle didn't provide the results I hoped for, I decided to bathe myself in the scent. It still didn't have the effect I wanted. "I really missed you, okay?"

"I really missed you too." He places a soft kiss against my neck. "Can I bring your shampoo on my next work trip?"

"You want to smell like shea butter and vanilla or whatever other cheap hair wash I find at the grocery store? Be my guest." His chuckle tickles my skin, and I smile before his question fully sets in. "Um, are you going to be working out of town again soon?"

"No. Not if I can help it. Not unless I can take you with me." He squeezes my shoulder to draw me in closer. "I know we talked every day but talking over the phone just isn't the same."

"It's really not," I agree and place my hand over his chest to snuggle closer.

There's a peaceful moment of silence between us while we enjoy just being near each other again. I'm about to suggest we go inside, when Theo lifts his face from my neck and uses a hand on my cheek to angle my face up towards his. "How've you been, Princess?"

I smile up at him. "I'm good now."

He briefly returns my smile but then his expression turns serious. "That's not what I asked you." 

I lift an eyebrow while rubbing my hand against his chest. "As I've already texted you earlier today, and told you every other day that you've asked, I'm doing okay."

He looks out at the road while letting out a sigh and then slowly brings his eyes back to mine. "Milia... We've yet to really talk about it. I've been trying to give you time to process and to grieve how you want to, but you can be real with me. I need you to be real with me. Holding it in... It doesn't go well, sweetheart. So when I ask you how you're doing, please, just be straight with me."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No," he answers without hesitation but then promptly asks in a quiet voice, "But are you lying?"

I take a minute before replying but the way he's watching me leaves no room for bullshit. "I wasn't lying... today," I begin slowly while I work out the right way to answer him. "I am actually doing okay. As okay as I can be, at least." My hand moves up his chest, and I trace a finger along the neckline of his t-shirt. My eyes follow the movement. "I... I talked to God that night we found out... and a couple of times since then. Um, I think I did, at least. I don't know if He heard me but... It helped. I think I understand a bit what you've all been saying about the peace it can bring to hand things over to Him."

When he doesn't say anything, I bring my eyes up from his chest to look at his face.

He's staring at me with watery eyes. He clears his throat before answering in a bit of a scratchy voice, "He heard you, Emilia." He reaches up to palm my cheek again and brushes his thumb against my skin. "I'm so happy to hear that, baby. I've been worried, with you not talking to me, but I'm so glad to know that you aren't holding it all in and suffering in silence, even though I know how difficult this all still has been." He closes his eyes as he leans forward to kiss my forehead and when he sits back again a tear rolls down his cheek.

"Theo," I whisper while moving my hand from his neckline to wipe his tear away. "I just told you that I'm okay. Why are you crying?"

"I'm just so proud of you," he answers in a voice full of emotion. "I've been so scared that you were blaming yourself. I'm so happy that you're not, and that you're finding peace in God's love. It's everything that I've been praying for, and..." He stops talking as his emotions get the better of him. He clears his throat while his hand comes up to wipe his face but instead of trying to say more he covers up his tear-filled eyes.

This man—My man. His genuine and honest heart and his deep display of love and care for me that he never shies away from. Will he ever cease to amaze me? I don't think so.

"I love you, Theo."

His hand slowly falls away from his eyes. He looks at me with a hopeful expression on his face, mingled with a hesitant look of confusion, as if he's not quite sure that he heard me right.

"I've loved you for a long time," I continue, "Longer than I was willing to realize. You're the best person I've ever met. You make me a better person. You've helped me learn to love myself, which is something I've never been able to do before, something I didn't even realize I could do."

His arm moves from around my shoulders as I babble, and he takes my hand in his to lace our fingers together.

"I've been afraid to tell you..." I admit, "But I'm not afraid anymore. I'm just so in love with you. And it's a love I need to embrace, not only because you deserve it but because I think I deserve it too, and..."

My words are becoming lost on me as he lifts my legs from his lap to slip out from underneath them, so I awkwardly finish in a rush with, "Well... yeah, that's it. I love you," just as he moves off the swing to get down on one knee in front of me.

"Emilia—"

"What are you doing?"

A wide grin spreads across his face. "What do you think I'm doing, Princess?"

"You... You're asking..."

He chuckles and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "Well, I'm trying to."

When I can only stare down at him, he tries again.

"Emilia Fae Jones—"

"You know my middle name?"

He grins again and nods. "Yes, I know your middle name. I wanted to get this right, so I asked Cal about it a few weeks ago. Been driving around with the ring in my truck ever since."

My eyes go wide as I realize the implications behind his words. "I broke up with you..."

"Yeah," he says with a tight grimace, "That, uh... Ouch, was not expecting that. And I couldn't even open the glovebox to hand you a tissue because I didn't want you to see the ring box. But like I told you, I wanted to marry you even then. I just didn't want to rush you, sweetheart. I didn't want to rush us. Which, uh..." He reaches up with his hand that isn't holding mine to scratch his beard. "I realize, now, that I'm still kind of doing that... So, if this is too soon, or not a good time with everything going on... Crap, I should have at least taken you out to dinner or on a nice hike or—"

"No!" I interrupt him again, "It's not! Not too soon, I mean. It is a good time, and it's the perfect place." I've always had a thing for porch swings.

He beams up at me while squeezing my hand again. "Yeah?"

"Yes," I almost yell the word with my excitement.

"Okay," he chuckles. "So, Emilia Fae Jones—"

"Yes!"

He slowly shakes his head at me with a wide smile across his face. "You going to be a good girl and let me finish?"

I keep my lips tightly pressed together while I nod, determined to keep my mouth shut this time.

"Emilia Fae Jones, you came into this town as a force that I was terrified would change everything about the carefully structured life I had in place. And that's exactly what you did. Now, the only thing I'm terrified of is losing you. I am so amazed by you, so very in love with you, and I want to spend every day as yours for as long as I live. And so..." He pauses to bite his lip and then whispers, "The ring is in the truck... Should I go—"

I quickly shake my head, unsure if I want to whack him or kiss him.

Well, okay, I definitely want to kiss him. And it's quite the task to keep myself seated on the swing instead of jumping him.

"Are you sure, 'cause..." He drifts off when he sees the intense look I'm giving him, and laughs softly while cupping the back of my hand which is clasped together with his.

But then his laughter stops, and he stares into my eyes with a sincere and hopeful expression which tells me just how seriously he is taking this moment even with all of the light-hearted interruptions.

The tip of his tongue darts out to wet his lips, and then he speaks in a low and clear voice. "Marry me, Milia."

I pull my hand free of his just before my body launches off of the porch swing to slam into him, and after being down on one knee for so long, he's an easy target to topple over. He ends up on his back underneath me, and my fingers curl into his beard while I eagerly bring my mouth to his.

With tears rolling down my cheeks, I kiss him until I can no longer breathe, and when I finally separate our mouths for some air, Theo grins up at me with a playful glint in his eyes.

"So... is that a no, then?" he teases.

"You didn't ask me," I answer while shrugging a shoulder and lightly dragging my fingers through his beard.

His brows furrow together with confusion, and his scar, which used to make him look so intimidating, only makes him look extra endearing now. He opens his mouth to speak but then closes it again when I gently press the side of my index finger to the center of his lips.

"You didn't ask, Theodore. You said 'Marry me, Milia'. And as your good girl, I always do what I'm told."

The crease between his brows smooths out while his boyish laugh rings through the quiet night. He brings up a hand to cup the back of my head and pulls my face down for another kiss, and then murmurs against my lips. "I'd still like to hear an answer though, Princess."

"Yes," I say quickly. I love him too much for there to be any other choice. I love myself too much to give him any other answer. "Yes, I'll marry you."

"That's my good girl."