Back to You // Bradley Bradshaw

Epilogue

The sun wasn't down quiet yet, there was enough light to see as they made their way through the snow, but the sun wasn't blaring back at them against the white ground. Haley skipped along in the snow, swinging her hand with Rooster's. She looked up at him, hoping her enthusiasm was making him laugh. He had a faint smile but she could have sworn he looked nervous.

"Scared we're gonna get eaten by a wild animal? The thrill of it! Getting firewood!" Haley joked. The firewood was still on their cabin property, but was a little up the way. They had a good amount of land with the cabin. Her parents had been decently off financially, and they had definitely worked hard for it. It was still weird to have been left all of this, though.

"I'm pretty sure your mouth will ward off any threats." Rooster responded, teasing her about how loud she was. They were approaching the little gazebo that was on the property. It now had Christmas lights strung up and looked gorgeous. Haley wondered if Sabrina had decorated it for some reason. The gazebo opened on both ends, and you continued out the back side to go where the firewood was kept up ahead. There was a pathway that led through it.

"Oh wow." Haley commented, admiring it. She dropped Rooster's hand to go get a closer look. She looked around at the lights inside, and then she kept walking through to go get the firewood. She stopped when she realized that she no longer heard Rooster behind her. "Hey what-" She began, about to ask why he stopped. She turned around to find him down on one knee, holding a blue box.

"Haley," Rooster said, and she walked closer to him. She realized she'd had her hands over her mouth in surprise and lowered them when she reached him.

"As soon as you walked into my life, insulting my mustache," Rooster began and Haley bit her lip a little, trying not to laugh about the insult. What the hell are you looking at Magnum PI?

"I knew nothing in my life was going to be the same. You were the most beautiful, stubborn, firecracker of a girl I had ever met. Our story hasn't been short of ups and downs, twists and turns, but I would not change a thing. I want to be with you until my last page. I love you more than I can put into words and I will love you for the rest of our lives if you'll let me."

Haley didn't realize it but she had forgotten to breathe. Or even how. She listened to every word he said and watched as he opened the ring box.

"Haley, will you marry me?"

Haley gasped when she saw what was inside the box. "Where-how did you get that?"

"Your brother. He thought it would mean more to you." Rooster answered.

It wasn't the size of the ring, or anything about it's appearance that had caused her reaction. It was a two carat princess cut diamond on a silver band with diamonds around the band. It was whose it was. It had been her mother's engagement ring from her father. Among all the things left in their parent's will, this had been included. It had gone to Jake. They had always guessed for if he wanted it, should he ever get engaged. Haley had always felt a little hurt they chose to give it to him. Haley had loved that ring, not because it was beautiful, it was, but because it made her think of her mom. Haley felt touched that Jake had wanted her to get to have it. Especially in this way, not just handed over. For her own engagement.

Haley snapped out of it after a second of processing the information. She felt tears in her eyes, both because of what was happening and her brother's involvement, which meant a lot to her. "Yes. Yes. Yes. I will marry you, Bradley Bradshaw." Haley answered, smiling at him. He returned the smile and stood back up. He pulled her into a kiss and Haley wrapped her arms around him.