For the next three months, every Monday morning there was a new bouquet waiting for her when she made it in to work. In fact, she now looked forward to Monday mornings almost as much as to Friday evenings.

At least two days a week, he managed to get away long enough to come share lunch with her, and although he was no longer right next to her cubicle, they were closer now than they had ever been when he was.

Every Saturday and even a few evenings she helped with whatever they needed as Easton and Huntzberger Design and Landscape bumped twice on the runway and then soared. Orders had come in so quickly that they'd had to hire extra help, and every time Rory watched him, directing the course of the businesses, her heart said that letting him go had been the best thing she had ever done.

Out there, digging in the dirt, making deals, and working on the layouts, it was doing as much to fill the gap in his heart as she ever could have.

"Could you get that shovel out of the back of the truck?" Logan asked her one hot August afternoon as they prepared to naturalize a flowerbed with tulips and daffodils. Spring seemed so far away, but already they were preparing, laying the groundwork now so that beauty would be theirs in the future.

"Here you go," she said, swinging the handle over to him.

He took it and thrust it into the ground as his foot stood atop it effortlessly. "So would you mind if we took a little detour on the way home?"

"A detour?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I want to show you something."

"Show away."

OoOoOo

When they drove past the little sign that read, "Chapman Falls," Rory turned to him in confusion. "Chapman Falls?"

"My friends and I used to come here every summer. We'd hike up the falls and then spend the whole day at the top playing Frisbee and having a picnic."

"Frisbee?" she asked, catching on the word. "I knew you got your five dollar date somewhere."

"Yeah," he said laughing. "I'm not an original." The car swung into a parking space, and he pushed it into park. When the engine was off, he looked at her. "Ready?"

She stepped out into what was once intense, overwhelming heat, but now the heat had faded, and there was an air of moisture in the air. "Where…?"

"Shh," he said, over the top of the car. "Listen."

In the distance, she heard it – a soft gentle roar.

"Come on." He strode to her side, grabbed her hand, and together they walked wordlessly to the falls.

When they rounded the corner and the beauty of the falls cascaded over her, Rory let it soak into her very spirit. He was letting her not his world, she could feel it.

"Careful," he said, clutching her hand as they began the climb. She felt the safety in his hand, just as she had that first day at her desk. No matter what, he would be there not just to catch her if she ever fell, but to help her fly.

Up, up, they climbed until she wouldn't have been surprised to find herself in the clouds at the top of the hill. When they were almost at the top, he stopped for one moment and glanced down.

"Look at that," he said, turning all the way around and taking her in his arms as they watched the water tumbling down the rocks. It was unbelievable. They stood for what seemed an eternity before he turned back up the hill and took her hand again. "Come on."

At the top, they broke into the fading sunlight, and the sunset was the most spectacular sight she had ever seen. He led her down the trail as the edge of the water rushed past them. Every so many steps he would glance at her as though she might have disappeared since the last time he had looked. "So, you like it?"

"I love it."

He smiled and then pointed to a rock several steps ahead of her. "Let's stop."

"Okay."

Carefully he crawled onto the rock and then helped her up and into his arms. She started to lean back and then realized they might both go tumbling backward if she did.

"It's okay," he said, pulling her back into his chest. "You won't fall."

His chest was like a rock beneath her. He was so solid – not just physically, but emotionally as well. Together they could ask anything they wanted of life, and even if life didn't comply, it would still be okay because they would have each other. It was a belief she had never had in her life.

"You know, I always thought that I wanted the dream – the house, the dogs, the kids," he said as the last rays of sun kissed the earth. "I always thought if I could have that, I'd be happy."

She leaned into him and breathed.

"But all of that wouldn't mean anything if you weren't there to share it with me," he said, softly brushing her hair with his lips. "So, what do you say?"

"About what?" she asked as the words squeezed past her heart.

"About this." Smoothly he pulled a small box from his pocket and wrapped it around in front of her.

Her eyes widened in utter shock. "Logan."

With one snap, he opened the box, even as his arms held her securely. Two diamonds sparkled at her from the center of the band of platinum.

"Rory, would you share my life with me?"

As tears of unbelievable happiness flooded her eyes, she turned to him and met his lips effortlessly. The kiss deepened as her heart pulled her all the way around, but one moment too late her mind realized the rock was no longer beneath her.

"Aaah!" she screamed, but in the heartbeat before she hit the ground, his hands were there, catching her, lifting her gently back into his arms.

"You really shouldn't do that, you know?" he asked, standing next to her even as she regained her balance.

"Me? Do I look like the one who started this?"

"Yes." He pulled her lips to his again, and her heart soared. When she thought her whole spirit might float right off the falls and fly away, he took a small step back. "Hey, you never answered my question."

"Yes, I did," she said and then pulled his lips back to hers.