“Understandably.” She loosened her grip on his hands. “I panicked too. Felt like I couldn’t show it. Felt like I had to hold us together.”
“You can’t hold broken pieces, Zoey. They’ll cut you.”
“That’s awfully poetic of you.”
“Don’t you know by now?” He let go of one hand to swipe a tear off her cheek. “I’d write a sonnet, for crying out loud, if it made you smile. Or what’s the one with the syllables?”
“Haiku.” She choked on her laugh.
“That too.” His fingers trailed her jaw, then cupped her cheek. “I realized, after our fight, that I was so afraid of you leaving, I pushed you away.”
She nodded.
“I said awful things.”
She nodded again.
“I was such a jerk.”
Nod.
He hesitated. “Feel free to jump in here.”
“You’re doing great on your own.” She pressed her hand against his, the one still on her cheek. “I’m sorry too. I wasn’t real with you—if I had been honest about how I felt all along, none of this would have been so bad.”
“Are you really forgiving me?”
“What are friends for?” She smirked.
He winced. “I deserve that.”
“Before I came here, I stopped at my old shop.” Zoey drew a shaky breath and let go of his hand. “I finally released it—all of it. I’d held too much in for way too long.”
She might have let go, but he didn’t. He wrapped his arms, his ridiculously strong arms, right around her waist. Held on tight. “Good.”
“Earlier, in the truck, I told you something my parents always said to me, about faith and prayers.” Zoey winced. “And I think I got it wrong.”
“How so?” His brow furrowed.
“Well, I mean, yes, God invites us to participate in His plans, and our prayers do matter. But it’s never up to us. It’s never Godplusour efforts. It’s God, working it all for good.” She blew out her breath. “Usually despite us.”
“I think that makes me Exhibit A.” Linc snorted.
She grinned. “And B.”
“I said I didn’t need you, and that was a lie.” He pulled her in tight against his damp chest, whispered against her wet hair. “But the even bigger lie would be to say I don’t want you.”
Tingles rushed down her back. She snuggled closer into his arms. “Then you definitely shouldn’t say that.”
“I’d much rather say something else.”
“Mmm?”
He abruptly pushed her away, stepped back. “Zoey Lakewood Fontenot.” He dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me?”
“Again?” Dunkin’ donuts, this was happening. Her heart leapt. Joy burst.
He held her gaze, the depth of his feelings shining through his eyes. “Still.”
