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She started to push the cart toward the registers and I followed along, patting my pocket to make sure the little velvet box was still in there. I’d been carrying the thing around for two weeks, just trying to find the right time to pop the question. But so far, there hadn’t been a naturally romantic moment to do it. So, I was going to create one. We were going to dinner at an expensive restaurant, the kind of place with candles on the tables and a three-page wine list. I planned to woo her the way she deserved before I asked her to be my wife.
It was just after six when we left the store and I loaded up the trunk of my car with our purchases. Turning on some music, I headed toward the restaurant. I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, my nerves making me feel anxious. Tatum and I had been together since we met at Michael and Faith’s wedding, and it had been the best two years of my life, especially when Amy finally signed the divorce papers and we were able to officially split up. I was a free man. Well, not really. I already belonged to Tatum and that wasn’t ever going to change. She was my perfect match, my soulmate, and I couldn’t imagine my future without her in it.
We moved in together after dating for six months, sharing my apartment until we decided that we wanted something bigger. We ended up getting a townhouse in the East Village. We hadn’t really discussed it, but I knew thatIwanted a bigger place because I was hoping to one day fill it with children after we were married.
Assuming she said yes.
Which she would. I hoped.
I knew that we were happy together. And I knew that she loved me just as much as I loved her, but I couldn’t help being nervous about asking her to become my wife. It was a lifelong commitment, and I knew that Tatum had hesitation about that kind of thing in the past.
“Are you okay?” she asked from the passenger seat, and I turned to see her studying me with narrowed eyes.
I knew that I was acting strangely, a little quieter than usual, but I didn’t want her to suspect that something was up, so I gave her an easy smile. “Well, my stomach’s rumbling. I can’t believe I let you talk me into eating just a salad for lunch.” My tone was teasing, and I saw her relax.
“Hey, you said you liked that salad.”
“Sure, but a man needs some meat and substance with his meals.”
She laughed. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Manly Man. I was just trying to get you to eat a healthy meal.”
I was about to respond when a car in the lane beside me suddenly decided that he desperately needed to be in my lane. The little Nissan swerved over, cutting me off. The only way I could avoid a direct collision with the jerk was to weave to the right, where I ended up mounting the curb as I slammed on the brakes. I was slowing to a stop as the car’s right front wheel came back down onto the road with a bang that travelled up my spine and made my teeth click together.
I looked over at Tatum, seeing the shock on her face. We were both breathing heavily.
“Are you okay?” I asked, glancing out the windshield as the man that nearly caused an accident drove off, either oblivious or uncaring.Asshole.
“Yeah, I’m fine. What the hell was that guy doing?”
“I don’t know, but I’d better check out the car.”
I stepped out of the vehicle, leaving it running. Walking around to the other side of the car, I let out a groan at the sight of the tire. When it landed hard on the road, the thing had popped. I had no choice but to change it, and we were definitely going to miss our dinner at the busy restaurant. Shit. So much for the romantic evening I’d had planned.
I told Tatum what was going on, and she offered to call the restaurant to cancel the reservation. I agreed and went around to the back of the car, pulling out the spare tire and trying not to be overcome by my disappointment. Yes, I had been nervous, but I was really looking forward to proposing tonight.
I changed the tire as quickly as I could, which was made more difficult in the fading light as the sun started to set. It was well-past seven by the time we were ready to get on the road again, and I couldn’t see how we would possibly salvage the evening. But as I got into the driver’s seat, using the back of my hand to wipe sweat off my forehead, Tatum’s warm expression made me feel better. Tonight wasn’t going to go the way I wanted, but things weren’t that bad as long as she was by my side.
“I cancelled the reservation, but I also ordered takeout from our favorite Chinese place. So, we just have to stop there on the way home. I wouldn’t want you to starve, after all.” She playfully poked at my stomach.
“You know what? That sounds pretty good,” I said.
This was just one of the reasons that I was crazy about her. She was thoughtful. The kind of person that always took care of others. I’d seen hints of that side of her when we first met, as she went above and beyond to help Faith with the wedding, and over the last two years, I came to realize that it was a huge part of who Tatum was.
We stopped at the Dragon Buffet and I ran inside to get our food. It was only a few blocks from our house, and when we arrived at home, we were greeted at the door by our new cat, Goldie. She weaved between my legs as I tried to walk inside, carrying the bags of toys from the store. After I almost tripped, Tatum put down our food and scooped her up into her arms.
“It looks like Goldie is finally warming up to you,” she said, scratching the cat behind the ears.
I narrowed my gaze at the fickle feline. “Or she’s trying to kill me so that she can have you all to herself.”
Tatum gasped dramatically, making my chuckle.
“She wouldnever.Would you, Goldie?”
She cooed at the cat, and I just shook my head. I couldn’t blame the animal. Tatum was too lovable tonotbe her favorite person.
We ended up going outside, sitting on the small deck attached to the back of the house while we ate dinner at the patio table under the string lights that Tatum had hung from the pergola above. The sky was dark, but the moon was full, a bright white orb hanging above us. I couldn’t see stars because of all the artificial light from the city around us, but it was still a nice evening.
“Do you ever think about the view of the sky on the island?” Tatum asked from beside me, almost as if she was reading my mind.
