It’s the perfect night for it. “Sure.”
He stands and pulls me up with him. Hand in hand, we walk out of my apartment and down to the courtyard. Usually, there are people out walking their dogs, but we’re all alone, which is nice.
“This is the longest time you’ve ever spent in Phoenix,” I say.
Kellan snorts. “Yep. Thought the heat would kill me when I first got here.”
“And now?” I ask.
He winks down at me. “It’s not so bad anymore. Guess it takes a couple of days to get used to it.”
“It does. It took me a while too, but now I love it here.”
Taking a deep breath, he glances around the courtyard. “I’m starting to like it too. I actually enjoyed touring the city while you worked. I hiked Camelback Mountain and walked some trails in South Mountain Park. You don’t get to do that kind of stuff in New York City.”
I shake my head. “Nope. What I hate is that you did that stuff without me. I love Camelback Mountain. It’s one of my favorite hikes.”
“Well, then maybe we can get up early and do it tomorrow morning?”
Squeezing his hand, I slide in closer to him. “Sounds perfect.”
We get to the fountain, and all the coins in the water shimmer in the fountain lights. There’s even a plaque by it that says if you close your eyes and throw a penny in the water, you’ll have good luck. I wonder if it worked for those who threw in the nickels, dimes, and quarters. There were a ton of those intermingled with the pennies.
Letting my hand go, Kellan reaches into his pocket and pulls out two pennies. “Want to give it a try?” He hands me one and walks toward the fountain.
“You have to close your eyes,” I remind him.
I step up beside him, and he chuckles. “Got it.”
Closing my eyes, I hold the penny tightly in my grasp. What do I want to wish for? There are so many things jumbling through my mind, but then it hits me. Kellan tosses his penny in because I hear the thwonk as it hits the water.
All I want is to be happy with Kellan by my side. That’s it. Taking the penny, I kiss it gently and toss it in the air. The second I hear it hit the water, I open my eyes. Kellan stares at me with that devilish grin of his I love so much.
“What’d you wish for?” he asks.
I smack his arm. “I can’t tell you, or it won’t come true.”
His eyes grow serious. “Want to know what I wished for?” Before I can say for him not to tell me, he places a finger over my lips. “We need to talk.” Taking my hand, he leads me over to the fountain and nods for me to sit. I sit down, and he does the same beside me.
“Everything okay?” I question.
He lifts a hand to my cheek. “I’m in love with you, Hope. I love you so much.”
I place my hand over his. “I love you, Kellan.” His hand slides down my face. His thumb brushes over my lower up before he leans in and kisses me deeply. When he pulls away, my finger brush through his beard, which he’s kept trimmed for me. “What’s on your mind?”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he glances all around us and then settles on me. “This. You and me. I can’t stand the thought of leaving you on Sunday. We haven’t talked about our future much, and trust me, I’ve wanted to plenty of times. And right now, I feel like I’m ready.”
Heart racing, all I can do is stare at him. “Tell me,” I whisper. I’ve wanted to bring up our future so many times I lost count.
Kellan’s eyes search mine. “I know we’ve only been together two months, but I know for a fact I’ll never love anyone as much as I love you.” Tears spring to my eyes, and he smiles. “I want to marry you, Hope. I don’t care if it’s next month or ten years from now. All I know is that I want to take our relationship to the next step. Living thousands of miles away isn’t going to cut it anymore.”
Words can’t describe how happy he’s just made me. “What do you suggest?” I ask, smiling so wide my cheeks hurt.
Kellan places his lips against mine. “I want us to move in together. If you say yes, I’ll pack my shit up on Sunday when I get back to New York and be back here with you by Monday.”
It all sounds too good to be true. “What about your job? Your family? Your …”
He cuts off my words with another kiss. “All that matters is us, lassie. I’d move across the world if you wanted me to. Just say, yes. It’s all I need to hear.”