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“I only have one more meeting,” I say, closing my eyes. “I’m clocking out at a very reasonable hour, then I’m yours.”
“No, you don’t,” he says in a low voice, kissing the hollow of my throat.
I push back on his head, rustling his hair a bit. I get to mess up his hair if I want to and I take advantage of it. Often.
“Just one more meeting and then I’m off for the whole weekend.”
“You’re mine starting right now,” he says with a sly grin, kissing my lips in a way that makes me forget what day it is.
“But I-” I suddenly realize what he means. “Ainsley canceled my meeting, didn’t she?”
“Mmhmm,” he says with a triumphant tone. “And Garth knows to leave you to me.”
Thank goodness Ainsley decided to stay on a few more years as my assistant. She also moonlights as my bodyguard when Garth and his wife want to go see the grandkids. And when I have any events that will go after midnight, because Garth does not cope well with anything past 12 a.m.
Sneaky Ainsley didn’t give me a hint of Everett’s surprise. I’m impressed. “So, you have me all to yourself. Big plans?”
“Yup.” He gives me one more short kiss, then steps back entirely.
He takes my hand and with quick, confident movements, we’re out the door of my office, through the bullpen, in the elevator, making out, out of the elevator, up some stairs, and on the roof of the building, the new spring air blowing all around us.
And I spy a photographer. Instinct makes me pull on Everett’s sleeve and point.
“That’s for us, just for us,” he says with a knowing smile.
He leads me by the hand and angles me so that the prettiest view of the city skyline is behind me. There’s a blue sky that I haven’t seen yet today and the sun on my skin feels like a promise of a warm and happy summer.
Everett undoes the jacket of his suit and reaches into his breast pocket. I swiftly realize what’s happening and I couldn’t be happier. The swell of love and emotions that follow tells me this is going to be one of the best moments of my life.
Everett goes down on one knee, quickly pushes his hair back in place, and then holds up a stunning engagement ring with three giant diamonds, one oval in the center flanked by two round, all set in gold. I gasp.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have come up with a scenario this breathtaking.
“Laina Milenna, my love, you are my greatest joy, my best friend, my biggest encourager, and my most prized relationship. I love you with all that I am, and while you will always be out of my league, nothing would make your former bodyguard happier than to officially be your husband. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Everett,” I say, smiling while crying. “Yes, of course.”
“Will you marry me this weekend, at my farm?” he says with a laugh.
“I would love to,” I say, throwing myself at him, kissing him with all the meaning and gratefulness one can convey in a kiss.
* * *
The next day, we drive along a wooded road, no other cars in sight. I’m actually a little surprised, given that though we tried to keep it clandestine we were spotted walking out the back door of Kleinfeld’s carrying white and black garment bags. But Everett’s slick driving skills got us through traffic without any tails.
I’m typing on my phone, working on what I’m going to say to him. I’ve had a running note of things I’ve saved up to tell him, but as I look over it, nothing feels right. It all reads like reminiscences on the past, not promises for the future.
“I have something else to tell you,” says Everett, breaking through my thoughts. He’s got his left hand casually draped over the top of the steering wheel and his right arm is leaning on the console between us. His fingers are counting. I reach over and squeeze his knee. He takes a deep breath and gives me a quick smile.
“I quit my job at Black Swan.”
I gasp. My mouth forms a giant “O” and my eyes go wide.
“You quit your job?” I ask in a reverent whisper. He had six weeks to go and the thought of him signing a new contract was constantly in the back of my mind. Of course we’ve discussed him looking for a job in New York, but so far he hadn’t settled on anything.
He nods, a genuine smile now plastered on his face.
“I know we didn’t talk about it, but after having the time to process everything in the will and the letters…”
