“Look familiar?”
My eyes take in the expansive vineyard. “Looks like a vineyard.” I laugh.
“Look harder.” There’s a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He’s up to something.
A surge of excitement courses through me. My eyes dart around trying to latch onto something recognizable. Eventually they land ahead, on the opposite side from where we came, toward a different part of the highway. I look back at him and the question that was building in my head is all but confirmed by his expression.
“Is thisthevineyard. The one I crashed into?”
He nods slowly. “Sure is. We came a different direction, so you’d be thrown off.”
Now I’m even more confused. My forehead creases as I stare at him. “Why would you want to throw me off?”
He takes a step back, and I watch as his trembling hand reaches inside of his pocket. It suddenly hits me, and I realize what’s happening. My vision starts to blur, and I don’t know if it’s from utter shock or tears welling in my eyes, but when the image before me clears, it’s Ethan, down on one knee, presenting an open ring box.
“What are you doing?” My voice is garbled with tears. Both my hands are immediately cupped over my mouth.
“Marisa,” he starts and then pauses, because I’m a total mess.
I knew he would be proposing at some point, yet I’m completely unprepared. I also thought I would have picked up on his plans, but it seems I was oblivious. How could I not have seen what was happening? And then I think back to Hillary constantly mentioning getting a manicure as if she was trying to bury it into my subconscious.
“Baby, you have to stop crying. I have a whole speech planned.”
I take a big inhale, and it comes out embarrassingly snotty. We both laugh, easing some of the weight of this monumental situation.
“Marisa,” Ethan starts again. “From the moment I met you, my life has never been the same. I took one look at those beautiful brown eyes of yours and knew I wanted to look into them forever. I love you, baby, and I love our life.” With one hand still holding the box, his other reaches for me, shaking as he envelops my hand. When our eyes lock, I find his looking at me like they never have before, glassy and red and filled with so much love. “Will you please marry me?”
I’m a blubbering, crying mess as my head nods profusely. Just when I think he’s going to slip the ring on my finger he stands and pulls me against him.
“I can’t not touch you when you’re crying, even if they’re happy tears.”
He cradles me in his arms, running soothing motions up and down my back and smoothing my hair. “They are happy tears, right?”
My eyes meet his. “Yes, very happy.”
I crane my neck up to kiss him, and his lips collide with mine in a searing kiss. I coax out my tongue and he welcomes it, deepening the kiss.
My heart beats at an overwhelmingly fast tempo as Ethan consumes me, moving his lips over mine, grabbing at my hipsand digging his fingers into my flesh like he’s holding on to me for dear life. It’s desperate, and tangled, and all encompassing. It’s us.
Drawing away from our kiss, Ethan litters my face in kisses, kissing at the drying streaks of my tears, and then rests his forehead against mine, our breaths ragged against each other.
“Ready to marry me?”
I nod, unable to utter words over the clog of emotion sitting in my throat.
“Ready to be Marisa Ledger?”
“So ready,” I manage to get out.
“I can’t wait for you to be my wife.” His voice is a hushed whisper.
My eyes close, letting the significance of the word wash over me. Wife. I’m going to be his wife.
“You better put that ring on my finger before I change my mind.”
I toss him a teasing smirk, and he playfully rolls his eyes.
“Always such a brat,” he says as he reaches back into his pocket and retrieves the velvet box.
