The Boy Next Door: A Standalone Small Town Romance (Soulmates Series Book 3) (21 page)

Chapter 40: Connor

Laney had dragged one of sun loungers off the patio into the
yard and had been sketching away wildly for hours.

It was approaching dusk and bright colors were starting to rise
in the sky over the tall trees in front of her, and Sarge was still lying under
her chair, his paws moving occasionally when he fell into a puppy dream.

Meanwhile, Neo was sprawled out next to Laney’s feet, his little
grey head resting on his arm as he basked in the fragrant summer air.

I watched the scene from the window as I opened a chilled bottle
of Laney’s favorite white wine and wondered what I did to get so lucky.

A year ago I moved into this big house all by myself, and at the
time, it felt empty apart from my childhood memories.

Sarge took the edge off, of course, bringing noise and laughter
back into the house, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined how
full of love my home might be so soon after.

Okay, maybe in my wildest dreams, but I didn’t pay them much
mind.

I was a realist at heart, and I knew it was unlikely that I’d
get a second chance with the woman who taught me what it meant to love someone.

But like Laney always insisted, life truly was full of
surprises.

I poured two glasses of wine and walked barefoot through the
grass to the middle of the yard where she was sitting, just out of reach from
the shade of the apple tree my dad and I planted when I was only as tall as the
shovel itself.

Before interrupting, I took a moment to admire her concentrating
face, her delicate features all scrunched and aimed at the paper, and her small
hands, which struggled to hold six different colored pencils at once because
they didn’t fit behind her ears with the rest of them.

“Lovely evening,” she said without looking up.

“So you’re not out here missing the big city?”

I saw her cheeks rise with her smile. “No,” she said. “But if I
ever do, just turn on that killer sprinkler of yours and let me run through it
a few times in the grass. That should sort me right out.”

“Deal,” I said, extending a glass into her field of vision.

“Ohh!” she squealed. “What a nice surprise!”

“You’re welcome,” I said, lifting Neo with one hand so I could
take his spot at the end of the chair before draping him over my lap.

“Cheers,” she said, clinking her glass against mine.

“What will we toast to?” I asked, my eyes on her light blue
ones.

She twisted her mouth and rolled her eyes up in thought. “To
long summer days?”

I nodded. “I’ll drink to that.”

Neo rolled onto his belly and started sniffing the air so I set
him in the grass.

“Did he just collapse next to Sarge?” Laney asked a second later.

I bent over and looked under our chair. “Right against his
belly.”

She smiled. “They crack me up.”

“What are you working on?” I asked.

She looked down at the notebook and scratched her head. “I’m
trying to figure out what to put in the windows at the school.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Gwendolyn told me she usually does pencils and staplers and
school supplies, but that doesn’t seem very exciting to me.”

“Yeah, well, the first day of school isn’t very exciting for
most people.”

“I know,” she said. “That’s why I want to put some thought into
it.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”

She nodded and dropped her pencils in the grass, followed by the
oversized notebook. “I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“No problem.”

“I can always count on you for that.”

“You done for the night?”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling at me. “I’d be a fool to keep working
with a view like this.”

I laughed and looked down at the grass around my feet. “I think
I can do you one better.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “This is a pretty dynamite setting.”

I set my glass beside the chair, turned towards her, and dropped
to one knee. “Laney,” I said, fixing my eyes on her. “There’s something I’ve
been wanting to ask you.”

She straightened up a bit.

I reached in my back pocket and pulled out the familiar ring.
“Having you in my life again has been a dream come true, and I can’t imagine
spending the rest of my days with anyone else.”

Her eyes went wide.

“There is nothing I want more than to care for you, encourage
you, and drive you crazy in all the ways I know how and all the ways I haven’t
yet discovered.”

She pursed her lips.

“Since the beginning, we’ve been choosing our own adventures,
and I have no idea what life has in store for us. All I know is that I want my
every next page to have you in it.”

Her eyes started to water.

“I love you with everything I have for everything you are, and I
would wait for you forever. But I’d rather die tomorrow knowing you were mine
than live one more day hoping you know how much you mean to me.”

She turned towards me and tucked her feet behind her.

“I love you, Laney. Marry me already.”

Her face sprang into a wide smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”

I slipped the ring on her finger and held her hand as she bent
down to kiss me.

When we came up for air, she rested her forehead on mine and her
voice fell to a whisper. “I can’t believe you still have the ring.”

“I can’t believe that surprises you.”

She patted the chair and I took a seat beside her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say yes the first time,” she said, leaning
against my shoulder.

“Don’t be,” I said. “What matters is that you said yes this
time.”

She raised her eyebrows. “And if I hadn’t?”

“Are you trying to ruin the moment?”

“Sorry.”

I smiled. “It’s okay.”

“I actually think we should drag out the moment as long as
possible.”

“How do you propose we do that?” I asked.

“Well,” she said, admiring the ring on her finger. “You know all
that stuff you said about the pages?”

“By heart, obviously.”

She laughed. “I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“I have every confidence that I’ll always want to read the next
page knowing you’re in it.”

“That would be even sweeter if I hadn’t just said that.”

She blushed. “I know, but is it possible to reread bits we
really liked?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, what if I wanted to reread that part from last weekend?”

I furrowed my brow. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“When you joined me in the shower?”

My eyes grew wide. “You liked that, did you?”

She nodded. “Very much.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

“I thought you might say that,” she said, taking a sip from her
glass.

I sighed. “You’ll have to give me a minute, though. I’m a bit
high right now over the fact that you’re going to be my wife.”

She laughed and her eyes sparkled. “Take all the time you need,”
she said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Epilogue

Dear Mom,

I’m glad to hear you found a nice roommate and that she’s sober,
too. There’s nothing better than sharing your space with someone supportive.

And I think it’s great that you got a dog. Please send a picture
of it if you can, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I know
Connor would be happy to help.

Speaking of Connor, we got married a few days ago.

It was a small ceremony- just like I always wanted- and only our
closest friends were there.

It was great to spend some time together because he’s been
traveling a lot, training other vets on how to work with the technology he
invented.

I’m very proud of him, and it’s wonderful to see him making such
a big difference to so many animals and their families.

Meanwhile, I’m finally making a living from my painting. I’ve
totally taken over for Gwendolyn, and I’m running my own workshops, too. It’s
been hard work getting it started, but the still life class for bachelorette
parties has proved particularly popular in some of the surrounding areas.

Unfortunately, because of all the business craziness, we’re
postponing our honeymoon for a while, but to be honest, I don’t mind. Every day
feels like a honeymoon with him.

He is so loving and attentive, and I feel so blessed to have
such a strong man in my life. I have no doubt that he is going to be a
wonderful father.

Which is important because I’m pregnant!

So far, only Helly knows, but we’re planning on telling our
friends soon.

I’m a little nervous because I don’t know the first thing about
babies, but surely the hardest part is finding a village to help you raise them,
and I think I’ve finally found that.

It feels good to belong somewhere- not just to fit in- but to
really belong, and I wouldn’t want to raise the baby anywhere else.

Just between us, it’s a girl. I can’t believe it. I know Connor
especially wanted a girl, even though he would never have admitted it out loud,
so I know he’ll be my rock when she comes.

We haven’t picked a name yet because I feel like I need to meet
her first, but we’ve had lots of fun ruling some out.

It’s strange how much my life looks like I always thought it
would these days and how much it doesn’t at the same time. Still, I’m happy,
and I think of you often.

I know I say it a lot, but I really appreciate that you’ve
respected my need for space and time. However, when the baby’s born, it would
mean a lot to me if you would come meet her.

I can’t give you a specific date or anything yet, but I’ll be in
touch.

Look after yourself in the meantime.

Love and hugs,

Laney

Note From the Author

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Ps- If you
enjoyed this book, don’t forget to check out the other books in the Soulmates
Series…

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My Best Friend’s Brother

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