“Your stupid joke happened,” Conrad said.
Jack ignored him.
Harper glanced at Conrad.“What stupid joke?”
“I was going to ask you that night on the bus and then, I don’t know.It wasn’t perfect, and I panicked, and the next thing I know, Conrad is telling me that you got a job in Nashville?—”
“I thought you saw the letter—and that’s why you didn’t propose.”
“What letter?”
“The letter that—never mind.”She glanced at Penny, back at him.“Why did you take the bar without telling me?”
“You took the bar?”Doyle said.
Jack held up his hand.“I took it so that...if you wanted to stay here, I could...I could give you that.”
“But...what about...Flo?I thought...”
He stepped down one stair.“Flo is a great adventure.But I thought maybe...maybe someday you’d want to come back here.And I don’t know...Except, you’re moving, so...”
“Mymomis moving.And I wasn’t going to take the job—but then you came in and told me to take it?—”
He took another step.“No, I didn’t.”
“You did.You said it was a great opportunity.”
“Itisa great opportunity!”He stepped down another step.“You should take it.”
“Oh no,” Conrad said.“Here we go again.”
“But I don’t want it—I mean, I do, but...”
Jack looked slapped as he drew in a breath.
“Stop.”Austen came down the steps.Faced Harper.“Bee.Do you love my brother?”
She cocked her head at Austen.“Seriously?”
“Right.Jack.”She turned to her brother.“Do you really want Harper to leave?”
Jack clenched his jaw, shook his head.
“Then will you two idiots please make up so we can all live happily ever after?”
“Austen, Harper is not an idiot,” Jack said.Then he looked at Harper and smiled.“I am.”
“About time,” said Stein.
Austen patted him on the cheek and headed back up the stairs.
Which just left Harper and Jack, standing there, in the grass, the family on the porch.
And Jack bending to one knee.
Wait—“I was kidding.”
“No.You weren’t.And I’m not either.”He took her hand.“Harper.You are...my best friend.And the love of my life.And the woman I can’t live without.And...just, please, for the love, will you marry me?”
