Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Will you marry me?
“Okay,” I said, closing my trembling hands around the ring box. “You can look.”
She opened her eyes and dropped her gaze to her arm. Her smile faded. Her mouth fell open. “Oh my God.” She stared at the words, almost like they didn’t make sense. “Is this—are you—?” She looked up at me, an astonished expression on her face. “Is this for real?”
I took the ring box from my lap, moved the table aside, and got down on one knee. Then I opened it.
She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as she stared at the ring.
“It’s real. And maybe it seems a little sudden, but I feel like I’ve spent my entire life waiting for you. I thought it was too late for us, but you’ve shown me that it’s never too late when you love someone the way I love you. Some things are just meant to be, some people are just meant to be together, and sometimes, love is forever.”
“Oh, Dallas,” she whispered, her eyes tearing up.
I took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. “I never want to be without you, Maren. You make me a better man. Will you marry me?”
She nodded as the tears began to spill over.
“Is that yes?”
“Yes. Yes!” Laughter bubbled out of her, even as she wiped her eyes. “I can’t believe this.” She held out her left hand and stared at it. “Oh my God, it’s stunning. I’ve never seen one like it.”
“It was my grandmother’s,” I said quietly, my throat feeling a little tight. “My grandfather left it to me. It’s been in a safe deposit box at the bank for years. I never once thought I’d need it.”
Her eyes met mine. “Oh, honey. I love it.”
“Are you sure? I had it reset with a champagne sapphire because I know you like color, and the jeweler said that stone is perfect for rose gold. The little diamonds on the band are original to the ring—I liked that. But if it’s not what you want, I’ll get you a new one. I know it’s not very modern.”
She cradled her left hand against her chest as if I’d tried to take the ring from her finger. “You want this ring back, you’ll have to pry it off my cold, dead hand. It’s perfect. Perfect.”
“Good.”
She leaned forward, taking my face in her hands and pressing her lips to mine. “I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. My heart is going to burst right out of my chest.”
“Mine too.”
“So happy or so shocked!” She giggled and looked at her hand again. “I thought I was coming here for a tattoo!”
I laughed as I got to my feet. “You can still have your tattoo. I just couldn’t wait to see that ring on your finger. And you know I love to surprise you.”
She jumped off the chair and threw her arms around me, and I held her tight, lifting her right off her feet. “Never stop surprising me,” she whispered as she clung to me.
“Never,” I promised. I closed my eyes and breathed her in, feeling overwhelmed with love and luck and gratitude. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I’ve never been so thankful for that stupid brain tumor.”
She laughed as I set her down. “Thankful? Why?”
“Because it brought me back to you.” I cradled her beautiful face in my hands. “And it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
“I love you,” she said, her eyes filling once more. “I loved you then, and I love you now, and I’ll love you forever.”
I kissed her lips. “I’m counting on it.”
Maren
I couldn’t stop looking at my left hand. Even in the dark, the ring sparkled and shone. Everyone at the impromptu engagement party at the shop had commented how gorgeous and unique it was, and when we had time, I was going to ask Dallas to tell me all about the woman who’d worn it before me. I loved that my ring had a connection to his history.
Dallas chuckled as he pulled into the garage at our house. “You really do like it, huh?”
“I love it.” I hugged my left hand against my heart. “I can’t get over how perfect it is for me. In a million years, I’d never have been able to describe it. I’m not like Emme, who had her ideal engagement ring picked out by the time she was sixteen. I wasn’t even sure I’d ever get married.”
“Me neither.” He turned off the engine and we got out of the car. “I thought that ring would sit in the box forever.”
“Can you give me the real tattoo tomorrow?” I asked. I hadn’t wanted to wash off the stenciled proposal tonight, because it was such a fun piece of the story. I’d taken a thousand pictures of it, and sent some to my sisters, who were thrilled and weepy and sent their congratulations and hugs. I couldn’t wait to show them the ring, which I’d be able to do next week when we went back to Michigan for Emme’s wedding.