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“That’s true.”
J.R. then stops walking, and he turns to face me. He looks at me softly and pushes a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.
“I leave in a few days,” he says solemnly.
“I know. Don’t remind me.” I sigh.
“I want to ask you something.”
“Anything.” I notice that he’s sort of serious, and I can’t imagine what he’s going to ask of me. I’m having a hard time reading him as I look at him, and that alone makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I’ve seen a lot of expressions on J.R.’s face, but this is one I’ve never seen before.
“I didn’t ask you quick enough last time,” he says, pulling something from his pocket.
It’s the white box that he showed me weeks ago when I first brought Knox home to meet him. My eyes widen, and I feel the blood rush from my face. My hands move over my mouth, and I whisper, “J.R.”
“I’ve never wanted anything more than to be your husband. I love you. I’ve always loved you—even when you piss me off.”
I laugh at him, but tears roll down my cheeks, too.
“Will you marry me, Rachel?” He opens the box, and it reveals the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. It’s simple, yet it’s so beautiful. The single diamond glistens in the sun.
I look up at him from the ring, and then I reach up to push his Ray-Bans back so that I can look into his blue eyes.
“Is this your idea of taking things slow?” I joke, but then I quickly add, “Yes, I will marry you.”
“You will?” he sounds only slightly surprised.
“I will.”
J.R. slides the ring onto my finger, and then he lifts me up off the ground, kissing me as he does. For a moment, we’re the only two people in Savannah. The world around us has stopped, and it’s just us. I bury my face inside his neck, and my tears soak through his shirt. My heart is full, and I feel an assortment of emotions that I can’t quite comprehend at this moment.
J.R. puts my feet back on the ground. He kisses me again, and he brushes my cheek with his fingers. “I love you. I’m also really happy that you didn’t remind me that we had agreed to take things slow this time around. I can’t waste time anymore.”
I smile back up at him. “If I’m being honest, I was getting a little bored with the pace, too. We are passionate people, I suppose.” I kiss him again. “I love you.”
Kelley grabs my hand. Her eyes are wide as she stares hard at the ring on my finger. “Oh, Rach!”
“He asked me on the riverwalk. It was absolutely perfect.” I blush thinking about it.
“You’ve got to start planning a wedding.”
I shrug. “We were thinking about eloping. My parents are dead, and Aunt Sue is gone now, too. Not that we were ever really that close to begin with. J.R. hasn’t seen his family in over a decade. We talked about it, and I think we just want you and Knox there.”
“Eloping?”
“You don’t like that idea?” I ask her, feeling a little puzzled.
“Well, every girl dreams about her wedding day. White dress, tuxedos, pretty centerpieces for the reception tables.”
“I don’t care about any of that stuff, Kelley. You know me.”
Kelley sighs. “Fine.” I think I’ve disappointed her. She’s more of a glitz-and-glam kind of girl, and she was probably looking forward to planning my wedding for me.
I glance back down at the ring on my finger, and although I smile, I still feel slightly sad. This could have been my ring years ago. I could have saved us all so much pain. Kelley included.
“For the record, I’m happy for you,” Kelley says, and then she looks at me a little more seriously. “You deserve to be loved, Rach.” Kelley shifts a bit. “I’ve got something to tell you, too.”
I smile at her. “You have news, too?”
