"Ooh, fancy," Annie says. “I’m impressed, Bart.”
"But yeah, that would be pretty incredible to have a little studio," I say, remembering the leotards hanging in the sports store that day when I met Harold and I got my phone charger. I smile, an idea coming to me. "Actually, I could call it Rough and Tumble. What do you think?"
The family all laughs, smiling in agreement. "That would be perfect," Bartlett says. "I mean, if you were a Rough."
There's an awkward silence, and I realize I may have just put my foot in my mouth, claiming the Rough name when I'm not a Rough at all.
But then Bartlett gives me a grin. "Hey Dad, is it time for my act?"
"Of course, son. I think it's the perfect time."
"Well, you mentioned Rough and Tumble, right? And then I said that awkward thing there about you not being a Rough," Bart says, grinning sheepishly.
"Right," I say, cringing. "I'm kind of mortified actually."
"Well, the thing is, I was hoping you would be. Not mortified. A Rough."
"What do you mean?" I ask, looking around at his whole family. They're all watching. Plum is right by my side. Her eyes, they still sparkle. Fig and Lemon, there's tears in theirs that they're blinking back. Annie’s too. "What's going on?" I ask.
And then Bartlett is on one knee and I see that everyone is in on this.
This whole moment? It was made for me.
"I love you, Abracadabra. And I want to be your husband. I know you came to this town when you were a little girl and it meant something to you then. And you came back here because you were looking for that feeling. You were looking for that memory. And the thing is, I'm so happy you did because you coming Home means I foundmy home. I may have grown up here with this perfect family and this perfect life, but what if I had grown old without you?
“Marry me. Be my family. Be my forever. And have that studio called Rough and Tumble. And I'm guessing we'll have some rough and tumble times. But Abby, I think we can get through them, any of them, together.What do you say?" he asks, pulling out a diamond ring and offering it to me. "Will you be my wife?"
Tears fall down my cheeks; my heart bursts with devotion. My whole body hums with hope. "I love you, Bartlett. I didn't think a girl like me could ever be paired with a man like you, but somehow you proved me wrong. You won me over, and you made me yours."
"Is that a yes?" Annie asks on behalf of her whole family.
"That's a yes," I say as Bartlett slides the ring on my finger and stands, wrapping me up in his arms and kissing me hard on the lips.
His eyes find mine and his hands are on my cheeks. "I love you, Abby. I'm sorry I just told everyone your real name."
"I don't care," I say, laughing. "The only thing I care about is you and me, us."
Plum is clapping. "That was the best circus finale in the whole wide world," she says, and I laugh. She's right, this was the best show on earth.
EPILOGUE
BARTLETT
One month later…
Most girls might not wantto get married in a barn, but Abby's not most girls, and this isn't any regular barn.
It's a hundred years old and it's been updated quite a few times. A few decades ago, my dad put in pine floors, insulated windows, and electricity. It's heated now, and it's a better venue than anywhere they've got down in town.
Besides, it's nestled in the woods here on our family's land in our mountains. I don't think there's any finer place to get hitched. And the fact that my bride-to-be thought the same thing, well, it warms my goddamn heart.
“You ready for this?” Rye asks.
My brothers are surrounding me, and Rye looks at me like I'm a fool, but that's only because he hasn't met a woman who changed his goddamn life.
I feel sorry for the man, if I'm being honest, because meeting Abby made my world so much better, so much brighter, and Rye hasn't had that pleasure yet. "More than ready," I say. "This is going to be a good fucking day."
"Yeah, I bet you'll be fucking, all right," Graham says, joking.