“It’s for authenticity,” I say. “In case you think I’m afraid to get dirt on my hands.”
“I never thought that about you for a minute.” He tilts his head and considers the lie. “Okay, it’s exactly what I thought about you at first, but not now.”
That’s when I notice the giant cooler sitting off to the side. I didn’t hear it roll in over the noise from the plane.
“What’s that? Drinks?”
Shaking his head, he tugs the cooler over to me. “Nope. Better.”
A rivulet of sweat drips down my temple, and I wipe it away, aware that I’m probably just making a paste with the dirt, and I couldn’t care less. This man loves me with or without dirt. I know that now, and it’s all I need.
“What could be better than a cold drink on a hot day?” I ask.
He pops the lid on the cooler to reveal a layer of ice packs. Pushing them aside, Fitz reveals several pints of ice cream and assorted toppings.
My mouth waters at the sight. Maybe it’s the heat and the amount of shoveling I’ve already done, but the thought of ice cream right now brings tears to my eyes.
“Oh my god, Fitz. Do you know that you just made my wildest dream come true?”
He laughs. “That’s your wildest dream? Come on, Duchess, you can do better than that.”
I can practically taste the salted caramel and butterscotch, so it’s hard to come up with anything better, but I try, squeezing my eyes shut and racking my brain to be a little more creative.
When I open my eyes, Fitz is no longer standing in front of me. It takes me a second to realize he’s still here, but he’s on one knee. “You look like you’re?—”
He doesn’t let me finish. “Because I am.” He shoves a hand into the back pocket of his jeans and pulls out a black velvet box. But he doesn’t open it. He holds it in the palm of his hand and stares into my eyes, which feel wet for reasons that have nothing to do with salted caramel ice cream.
“When I pictured my future, it was always me on a horse, riding with the sun at my back, looking at a wide-open pasture full of possibilities. But for the life of me, I could never picture what any of those possibilities looked like. And finally, I came to accept that it was because that picture was it—riding alone in a pasture.”
A tear works its way down my cheek, and I nod. “You’re not alone.”
“I know it now. Now I understand that it was you all along, but the reason I couldn’t picture anything was because I hadn’t met you yet. You’re the only one I want. You’re the one I’m meant to love forever. And I only hope you feel the same way about me.”
“I do, Fitz.”
He laughs. “You’re supposed to save that for the wedding.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to wait until the wedding. I want you to know how much I love you. So much that my heart aches when I’m not with you. So much that I get an excited little thrill in my heart at the sound of your voice. So much. Just…so much.”
Fitz opens the ring box, and the sun lights up the diamond with a streak of light, making the moment even more magical. “I bought this for you, knowing it would pale next to how beautiful you are, and it does.”
I peek closer at the box. The ring is stunning, a solitaire diamond with tiny diamonds on the band. Simple, elegant, perfect. I’m almost afraid to touch it.
Fitz takes it from the box and holds it out to me. “I want this on your finger, and I want you forever. Say yes, Duchess.”
“Yes. Of course, yes.”
Fitz slides the ring onto my finger. It fits perfectly, just the way our lives have melded so completely together. He stands up and tips my chin so he can kiss me. It’s a kiss that seals the deal forever, and I press myself against his chest, letting the warmth and safety of his body envelop me.
Fitz puts a hand on my hip and cups my cheek in his other hand. He deepens the kiss, and I start thinking about whether I’ve cleared enough brush and bushes for me to straddle him right here in the field.
That’s when I hear someone clapping. It turns into more clapping and some hooting and cheers. We break the kiss, and I look up at the deck wrapped around the second floor of the house. All of my sisters are there. Dylan holds Charlotte. Chad stands next to her. Fitz’s mom is there too. All of them saw the proposal, and I was so swept away that I didn’t notice them.
“Woo hoo, congrats!” Chad shouts.
“Mommy and Daddy are engaged!” Dylan tells Charlotte.
“You invited all of them?” I ask.
