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“You are a drool monster,” Taryn says, whipping out a small terrycloth bib from a drawer and velcroing it around his neck. “There, better.” She kisses his nose and goes back to her task.
As I’m trying to work out how I can carry my plate, drink, and the baby, Christa comes in. Her patriotic dress hugs her curves and I watch as her hips sway as she heads toward me.
“There you are,” she says.
“Pick—food and drink, or the baby. I was just about to head outside to find you,” I say.
“Gimme that baby.” She lifts Killian from my arms and props him on her hip like a natural. I smile at how beautiful she looks and already know she’ll be a good mom. But first, like she says, I have to put a ring on it.
A month later
Christa
“I can’t believe what a perfect day it is out here. Not too hot, not too cold.” Yes, I’m warm from hiking, but dammit, this man of mine has made me love it, and now we go up here at least once a month during the nice weather months to hike. We don’t always go on the same mountain or trail, but this one is my favorite because it was where we had one of our first dates, and this one has the gondola that we can ride instead of hiking down.
The exercise has helped me tremendously, and it was Eric who told me about the benefits of not only my physique but mental health as well. And he’s right. I’ve healthily put ten pounds back on but I’m not as jiggly, not that that really bothered me, but more muscle and I’m getting my curves back.
I’m out of breath when we get to the top, and as I take in the breathtaking view of the cities below and the gorge on the other side, I smile. It’s so gorgeous I will never get tired of this view. I untie my shirt from around my waist and dab at my neck, where I’m perspiring a little bit. It’s so dry here, I don’t sweat a lot but that was definitely a healthy hike.
I startle when the sounds of a helicopter hit me, and I turn to see one flying really close. Not close enough to see inside, but close enough that its blades blow my hair back. I can also tell it’s not one of the bigger military ones I see fly over a lot. But of all the times we’ve hiked, even in other places, I’ve never seen one come this close. I put the flat of my hand over my eyes and squint to see who’s in it. As it gets a little closer, I could swear Carter and Declan are in the back. Carter holds up his phone like he’s filming.
“Eric, is that—” I turn to see him on one knee on the red rocks, holding something shiny between his fingers. “Oh, my God.” Tears immediately prick my eyes.
“Christa, I’ve learned over the last year that I absolutely cannot live without you. Even being away from you for a day is too much. You’ve stood by me when I didn’t deserve it. You’ve supported me when you should have just left. But I’m glad you didn’t, because I don’t want anyone else to have you. You’re mine and always will be. So, even though I don’t deserve you, I want to spend the rest of my life earning you. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh, my God,” I repeat. “Oh!” I turn to look at the helicopter and the guys are waving at me, Carter still filming.
“Hurry up, my knee is killing me.” He chuckles.
I laugh. “Yes, yes I’ll marry you! Get up, silly!”
He slides a very large triangle diamond ring on my finger and hugs me. “I love you so much.”
“I love you more, Eric. So much.”
The helicopter flies away, and Eric says, “Once we reach the bottom of the canyon, the copter’s coming back, and we’re heading to Breckinridge for the weekend.”
“Oh, my God. We are? But I don’t have any of my stuff—”
“Taryn took care of it, it’s all in the copter. Now, let’s go!”
We hike a quarter mile to the gondola, where we wait a few minutes while people load. We hop on and as soon as we’re in the air, I scream, “I’m getting married!”
Everyone who can hear us claps, and Eric puts his arms around me, kisses me, and says, “I cannot wait for you to be my wife.”
“I’ll be the best one you could ask for.” I kiss him back.
THE END
