Page 137 of It Couldn't Be You

I cocked my head. “I was going to wait until after the pizza, and when the stars came out.” He gestured to the red wine sky overhead.

I looked at the box and felt all the pieces settle into place.He had something planned.I knew what it was without a doubt.

“Don’t wait,” I whispered, my heart racing.

He swallowed, then gave my waist a little squeeze as he lifted me from his lap and then crawled over to the bag.

He pulled a little ring box from the bag. My jaw began to tremble, my eyes stung in the sweetest way. I put my shaking hand to my lips.I knew what this was.

“Emma Brown,” Gabriel’s voice broke as he dropped to his knee. “You have no idea what you do to me…I had this whole speech…” He blinked away a tear. “I just love you so much and—“ He popped open the ring box to reveal a silvery, shiny diamond ring. Simple, perfect.Gabe was asking me to marry him.

I tackled him before he could finish. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” I covered him in kisses.

We laid there on the sand, teary and giggly. He kissed me forcefully, emotionally, then rolled us onto our sides, till we were looking at each other.

He’d managed to keep a grip on the ring box. “So, yes?” He asked with a trembling voice, holding it up.

“For me, there is no question.It’s yes. Yes. Yes.” Warm tears flooded my cheeks. I sniffled. “I want this…” I placed my hand on his warm chest, I could feel his heart pounding beneath his black tee shirt. “…forever.”

He yanked my body against his, the two of us on our sides, two magnets pulled together. “Forever,” he said possessively, before placing a kiss on my forehead.

I twisted my hand up to his and grabbed the tiny box. I looked at the sparkly ring, but all I could see was airplane rides with snack bags for our kids. Katie standing beside me as a maid of honor at our wedding. Gabriel every morning and every night. His arms around my waist as we set the table for dinner. Riding beside him in his truck talking about the rest of our life.All I could see was our future.

Cheering in the distance interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at Gabe who was fighting a grin. I sat up and peered across the beach to spot Mama Linda with her arm slung around my mom, my dad, Victor, and a few more people. My eyes widened as I realized it was the whole Hernandez crew. My whole family all together on the edge of the beach. Someone popped a bottle of champagne.

“She said yes!” Gabe shouted, sitting up beside me. Katie ran toward us sand flying under her feet and Terrence trailing behind her. The happiest little tear dropped down my cheek, Gabe reached up and brushed it away. “Once Katie and our moms found out, they were already buying the champagne and figuring out the carpool details,” he whispered.

I smiled at him gratefully. What had begun over homework on Linda’s kitchen table had turned intofor as long as we both shall live.