AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mt. Doug was only a ten-minute walk from her house and not only did it have winding trails all around it, but there was a corkscrew road that took you all the way to the top. So you could drive or hike. The road didn’t open until noon every day, so a lot of people did laps up and down the road without the worry of getting run over. She liked to run it when she had extra stores of energy, or was in the mood to punish herself. Pasha and Lydia both pushed the stroller up and down after their pregnancies to help them lose the baby weight.
By the time they reached the top, the sun had set behind the western hills and just a small sliver of orange was left in the sky.
Jordan parked in one of the vacant parking spots, then climbed out of his seat and opened up the back passenger door, hauling out a big collapsible cooler bag.
“Did you pack a picnic?”
He grinned at her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Rayma squealed, then flung open her door, slammed it shut, and raced around to his side. “Is this why Peyton was being all weird? She knew you had this planned? There is no yacht gala is there?”
Jordan snorted. “I’m sure yacht people do hold galas for themselves to talk about how fantastic they are for owning yachts, but no, there is no yacht gala that has claimed your friend for the night. I wanted you all to myself. Is that okay?”
Pushing up onto her tiptoes, she pecked him on the lips. “It’s more than okay. Though, I’m really not dressed for walking.”
She was wearing tight gray stretchy trousers, black boots that reached her knees, a red blouse, and a black leather jacket. She looked hot, but also badass.
“You look perfect,” he said, taking her hand and leading her off to the left. “We’re not doing any hiking. Just sitting and eating.”
“Now that, I am an expert at. If there was an Olympic sport for sitting and eating you know I’d win. Or at least qualify.”
He went bug-eyed. “I plead the fifth. I don’t think boyfriends can say things like that without the fear of getting kicked in the nads.”
Snorting, she followed him off the main trail until they reached a bluff that overlooked the city, the farmlands on Blenkinsop Road, and the ocean. You could see everything from Mt. Doug, which was why it was her favorite place in the entire city.
Jordan pulled a blanket out of the cooler and spread it out on the ground before encouraging her to sit. She did as she was told, like a good girl.
He then went about spreading out a beautiful charcuterie platter with meats, cheeses, olives, pickles, and his famous French bread.
She stole a slice of bread and took a bite, moaning as she chewed. “Repeat it and I’ll deny it, but your bread is better than Joy’s. Barely. But it is.”
He crossed his finger over his heart. “Your secret is safe with me.”
Like it was Mary Poppin’s magical bag, he just kept pulling more treasures out of the cooler, a cutting board, knife and whole pineapple—which had her laughing—and finally a bottle of Prosecco and two plastic champagne flutes.
Popping the cork with flourish, he poured them each a glass of the bubbly.
“To justice?” she asked, lifting her glass.
But Jordan shook his head, set his glass down, and propped up one knee, so that he was nowonone knee.
Rayma gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. How had she not seen this coming? The picnic, the weird looks Peyton was giving Jordan, the way Peyton hugged her extra long.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small blue leather box.
“Jordan …” Her eyes bounced back and forth between his face and the box in his hand. “Is that—”
“You know it is.”
“But—”
“But I’m yours, and you're mine forever. So do me the honor of letting me propose and say all the wonderful things I love about you to you, without you cutting me off like a brat, hmm?” He lifted one brow.
Tears burned in the back of her eyes, but she nodded.
“Rayma, you are my everything. The reason my heart beats. When I’m in your presence I can’t properly think … or even breathe. I’m drawn to you, it is impossible to look anywhere but at you. You’re all I see. When I’m with you I feel like my body and soul could just burst into flames, and it’s all I can do, every moment of every day to not constantly kiss you, hold you, and touch you, reminding you again and again and again how much I love you. How much I am yours. How much I burn for you. I was a fool to think you needed protecting. To think that you were anything but the definition of strength. And I learn from you and gain strength from you every day. I’ve never met a more kind, caring, intelligent, thin-filtered, stubborn, determined, exasperating person in all my life and I promise you that if you become my wife, I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I appreciate all that you are. You have made me a better man simply for knowing you.”
Now the tears were flowing freely down Rayma’s face and her nose was sufficiently plugged.
