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Darnel wraps up and swats Maceo’s hand away when he tries to pay. “Make it up to me by having an open bar at the wedding,” he says with an impish grin.
“Well, there’ll definitely be open bar,” Maceo says, giving me a pointed look, daring me to argue. I shrug—hell, I’m all for open bar; no argument from me.
Darnel laughs and sweeps me up in a crushing hug. He give Maceo a brotherly hug as well. “Now hurry up and marry her before she comes to her senses,” he teases Maceo.
“On it,” he says with a chuckle, pulling me out of the parlor and back into the warm sun of late morning. He kisses the top of my head, swings his arm around my shoulder, keeping me close. He walks to the SUV and helps me in before driving us to Flatiron Reservoir.
Maceo helps me from the SUV and keeps me snug against his side, walking to a rocky beach. It’s beautiful out here and hardly a soul in sight.
Out of the blue, Maceo drops to one knee and takes my left hand. I’m caught off guard since he’s already proposed. He pulls a ring out from the front pocket of his jeans.
“Let’s make this official, shall we,” he says with a wink, sliding the ring onto my finger. “Thank you for making me the happiest man alive.” He stands and takes me by the waist, pulling me against him, and kissing me amorously.
When we finally come up for air, I’m panting and clinging to his biceps. He spins me till my back is to his chest, and he holds up my left hand, letting me finally see my engagement band.
I gasp. It’s the shape of a flower—a solitaire round clear diamond is in the center, with six black diamonds surrounding it. It has me written all over it.
“The center diamond was from my mother’s engagement ring and the black diamonds are from a crucifix belonging toAbuelita Lucia. I wanted you to have something from all the people who’ve made me who I am. And I wanted it to represent us.
“You’re the clear and pure one who is the center of my universe, while I’m the dark and wicked one surrounding you completely in my love. I thought the flower pattern was veryyou,” he explains with his chin resting on my shoulder.
“It’s perfect,” I murmur, tears rolling down my face. “It’s more than I could have hoped for.”
Maceo turns my chin ‘till I’m looking up at him. “You love it?”
I nod and smile. “Almost as much as I love you.” I reach up on my tippy toes and kiss him.
Maceo lifts his arm in front of us and snaps a picture on his phone.
“Proof I got you to agree to marry me,” he says with a wink. He snaps another picture of the two of us laughing, holding up our ring fingers proudly.
