Chapter 26

Steve gripped the steering wheel of his truck, glancing occasionally at Eden as she told him about her trip to Boston. He nodded and smiled at the right moments, but his mind was somewhere else. Since he’d picked her up from the airport, he’d become more and more nervous.

“We spent all our time together, just talking about what was happening in our lives,” Eden said, her eyes sparkling with the joy of reconnecting with her family. “It was really nice.”

“That’s great,” Steve replied, trying to sound as though he’d listened to every word she had said. He shifted his focus back to the road, his thoughts racing.

Eden studied him for a moment. “Are you okay, Steve? You seem a bit distracted.”

He forced a smile, his heart pounding a little faster. “Everything’s fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

Eden frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem... nervous.”

Steve took a deep breath, knowing he couldn’t hide his feelings from her. “All right, I am a bit nervous. I have a surprise for you.”

“What kind of surprise?”

Steve checked the rearview mirror. “You’ll see it soon. I just hope you like it.”

They drove in silence for a few more minutes, the familiar sights of Sapphire Bay passing by. As they pulled into the driveway of Eden’s house, Steve’s anxiety peaked. He turned off the engine and looked at her. She was searching his face with a mixture of anticipation and concern.

“Okay, here goes nothing,” Steve said, taking her hand. “I did something while you were in Boston. Owen and our friends from the tiny homes project helped me.”

Eden’s eyes widened with surprise. “What did you do?”

Steve smiled nervously. “Come on, I’ll show you.” He led her to the front door, unlocked it, and walked inside.

Eden frowned at the closed living room door. “Did you finish the plastering?”

Steve shook his head. “Not in the living room. It still looks exactly the same as you left it.”

She pulled on his hand, stopping him from going any further. “We had a deal,” she said firmly. “You weren’t supposed to pay for anything for my house.”

If Eden didn’t let him show her the attic, he’d have a heart attack. “We can talk about that later. For now, just come with me.”

With a sigh, she followed him into the front bedroom.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw the spiral staircase. “Oh, Steve. It’s lovely.” She ran her hand along the black metal handrail and ornate balustrade. “Where did you find it?”

“Someone was demolishing an old church. They didn’t need the spiral staircase, so I bought it off them. And before you say anything, it wasn’t expensive.”

Eden sent him a withering glance.

She didn’t believe him, and for a good reason. The staircase was more than he’d expected to pay, but it was an antique and had plenty of history attached to it.

Before Eden got too annoyed, he pointed to where the old closet had been. “It look a while to fix this area. We had to match the stain on the floorboards. Otherwise, it would’ve looked as though someone had taken a sledgehammer to this side of the room.”

She looked at where the closet had been and sighed. “You’ve done such a good job. You’d never know there used to be a closet in this corner.” She looked at the landing at the top of the stairs and frowned.

“We did a few alterations upstairs, too,” he explained.

“Oh, Steve. This is too much.” Instead of looking excited at what he’d done, Eden was overwhelmed.

“It’s okay,” he told her. “If there’s something you don’t like, we can change it.”

She gripped his hand and took a deep breath. “My heart’s pounding so hard I can feel my pulse beating in my throat.”

His laugh was half humor, half desperation. “You aren’t the only one. Come upstairs and see what we’ve done.”

Steve guided her up the stairs to the attic. He paused at the door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open. Eden stepped inside and her eyes widened in amazement.

The once dusty, unused attic had been transformed into a cozy, inviting space. Fresh paint and carefully chosen furniture gave it a warm, welcoming feel. The large window allowed natural light to flood into the room. There was a comfortable reading nook, a small workspace, and even a few of Eden’s favorite plants.

She turned to him, her eyes glistening with tears. “Steve, this is... incredible. I can’t believe you did all this.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I had a lot of help. I wanted to create a space just for you. A place where you can relax, work, or just be. Owen and his friends were amazing—they really brought your ideas to life.”

Eden walked across to the floor to ceiling bookcases. They’d moved her magazines and books up here and placed her crystal collection beside the photos she’d brought to Sapphire Bay of her family.

She ran her hand along the back of the leather armchairs and studied the large, deep burgundy rug that covered the hardwood floor. “I can’t believe this is the same space.”

When she saw the photo on the wall, tears filled her eyes. “The picture is beautiful.”

Steve stood beside her. “Owen took a photo of us on the dance floor at Daniella and Harrison’s wedding. That’s the night I realized I loved you.”

Eden lifted her gaze to his. “I love you, too, Steve.” She hugged him tightly. “Thank you. Everything you’ve done means so much to me.”

As he held her close, the tension drained from his body. “I’m glad you like what we’ve done. I just wanted to do something special for you.”

Eden pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes. “You did more than that. Everything’s perfect.”

Steve smiled, his heart swelling with love for her. “You missed something,” he said softly, leading Eden to a small table in the corner of the attic. There, sitting on top of a book, was a delicate glass paperweight. He carefully picked it up and handed it to her.

“Owen made you this. Hold it under the pendant lights,” he said quietly.

Eden did as he asked, and as the light filtered through the glass, a rainbow of colors danced across the walls. She gasped, mesmerized by the stunning display. The room was bathed in vibrant hues, each color shimmering and shifting with every movement.

Steve took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “Eden,” he began, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. “From the moment I met you, my world has been brighter, just like these colors. You’ve brought so much joy, love, and light into my life. I can’t imagine a future without you.”

Eden’s eyes filled with tears, her hand trembling as she returned the paperweight to the table. “I feel the same way, Steve.” She gasped when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

Dropping to one knee, he opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond engagement ring. “Will you marry me, Eden? Will you be my partner, my love, my everything?”

She looked down at Steve and sent him a tear-filled smile. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Steve’s heart soared as he stood and slipped the ring onto her finger.

“Can we come upstairs yet?” A deep male voice said from the bottom of the stairs.

Eden pulled back, her eyes wide with shock. “Is that Dad? He can’t be here. He waved goodbye to me at the airport in Boston.”

“That’s why we stopped in Polson for a late lunch,” Steve told her. “Your parents caught a different flight. We needed a bit more time for everyone to arrive.”

Eden’s eyes widened. “Everyone?”

A warm smile spread across Steve’s face. “Nearly everyone. Our parents and friends are downstairs, waiting to celebrate with us. Let’s go and see them.”

The sound of cheerful chatter grew louder as they walked hand in hand down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they were greeted by a chorus of cheers and applause.

Eden’s mom rushed forward, wrapping her daughter in a tight hug. “We’re so happy for you both.”

Steve’s dad followed. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Congratulations.”

Rex bounded from behind Owen, jumping around Steve and Eden with all the excitement of a puppy who’d just discovered his favorite humans.

Eden laughed, bending down to ruffle Rex’s fur. “It looks like someone else is excited about the news,” she said, beaming up at Steve.

Steve grinned, giving Rex a pat on the head. “I think he’s ready to join the celebration, too. Come on, Rex, let’s go see everyone.”

With Rex leading the way, they walked into the living room where the rest of their friends were waiting. The room buzzed with excitement and congratulations.

Surrounded by the people they loved, Eden and Steve took the first steps into their future together, with the promise of many more beautiful moments to come.

THE END