Later, when the sky blushed lavender and a hush fell over the water, Jack’s heartbeat quickened in rhythm with the distant hum of laughter fading into night. Each step he took reminded him of quiet nights spent alone, staring out at Charleston’s skyline, wondering if he’d made the right choice.
But now, seeing Claire just ahead—barefoot, radiant, waiting—he felt that inner ache finally settle. This was the moment he’d imagined on repeat, the one that had made the distance bearable.
He spotted Claire near the dock, her silhouette lit by the last golden embers of sunset, her sandals dangling from one hand. The salt-laced breeze caressed his cheek with the cool kiss of the sea, carrying hints of roasted marshmallow from a distant fire pit and the floral hush of night-blooming jasmine.
The lanterns overhead swayed gently, their soft glow flickering like stars drawn closer to bless the unfolding moment. The hush around them echoed the calm settling in his chest, his heart full with the weight of everything he had missed and everything he was ready to embrace.
He felt the weight of the ring box in his pocket, a small promise nested in velvet, and every footstep toward the dock pulsed with anticipation. During the quiet nights away in Charleston, in between rounds at the hospital and empty hotel rooms, he'd had time to reflect—not just on what he missed, but what he wanted.
The distance clarified everything. This wasn’t just a question—it was the culmination of every quiet certainty that had bloomed between them. And above them, stars blinked over the water dancing just for them.
"Busy night," she teased.
"A perfect one," he replied, offering his hand.
She took it, letting him lead her down the path to the moonlit harbor. Lanterns lined the railing, flickering softly like fireflies. Jack paused where the dock curved gently into the tide.
He squeezed her hand gently, his heart thudding with quiet anticipation. "I missed you more than I knew I could," he said softly, brushing his thumb along her fingers. "Nights in Charleston felt empty without you and Chloe."
Claire stepped in closer, her voice catching. Emotion swelled in her chest—relief, wonder, the quiet ache of having missed him more deeply than she’d let herself admit. The simple act of standing there with him felt like coming home. "We missed you, too. Chloe counted the days on the calendar. And I... I counted the quiet moments."
She rested her hand lightly against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart under her palm. The intimacy of the gesture stirred something deep in Jack—an anchoring warmth, fragile and powerful all at once. He leaned into her touch, his forehead brushing gently against hers as they stood in that quiet fold of time, letting the world soften around them.
He smiled, touched by the depth in her tone. "There’s something I’ve been carrying with me since Charleston," he said, voice barely above a whisper. From his pocket, he drew a small velvet box and turned to face her, the glow of the harbor lights flickering in his eyes.
"Claire, I didn’t know what I needed until I met you. But now that I do, I can’t imagine my future without you and the life we’re building."
Her breath caught.
He knelt, the box open in his palm. Inside, a delicate ring shimmered, its band wrapped in subtle waves of silver.
"Will you marry me?"
The moment stretched. The wind lifted the hem of her dress. Children’s laughter rolled faintly from the green.
Claire sank to her knees too, the cool wood of the dock pressing into her skin, grounding her as emotion surged. Her eyes shimmered with tears, not from surprise, but from the fullness of the moment—of being chosen, of choosing back, of standing on the edge of everything new with the man who had become her anchor. Her hand trembled slightly as it found Jack's, grasping her future. Her heart pounded from the overwhelming swell of everything they'd been building toward.
She remembered, for a fleeting second, the quiet night months ago when she'd wished for someone who would choose her, choose this. Now, here he was—offering forever.
The cool dock pressed against her knees, grounding her as the world blurred around the only answer that mattered. "Yes," she whispered, her voice shaking with joy as tears spilled freely. "A thousand times yes."
Her fingers trembled as they laced through his, emotion overflowing in every touch. "I love you, Jack Montgomery," she whispered, the words slipping free like something she'd been carrying for a long time.
Jack's throat tightened. He touched his forehead to hers, his voice rough with emotion. "I love you too, Claire. More than I ever thought possible."
The world around them blurred into soft light and salt air, and for once, neither of them looked back.
Cheers erupted from the shadowed edge of the gathering where Chloe and Gabe peeked around a tree, and for a fleeting second, Jack felt a swell of something indescribable—wonder, maybe, or the fragile joy of witnessing love take root in young hearts.
He and Claire had both been through storms, but this moment? It belonged to all of them, their whoops mixing with applause from a handful of eavesdropping neighbors. Within seconds, the kids dashed toward them, Chloe launching herself into Jack’s arms as Gabe wrapped his arms around Claire’s waist.
"We saw everything!" Chloe beamed. “Are you really going to be married?"
Jack ruffled her hair, emotion tightening in his throat. "We are. And not just that—"
He looked at Claire, eyes soft with awe. "We’ll build a grand house that fits us, and a life wrapped around laughter and morning pancakes and beach walks at sunset. The four of us—we're a family now."
Claire nodded, blinking back happy tears as they all folded into a group hug under the harbor lights—four hearts threading into one story, radiant with hope and love and the first chapter of forever.
