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the proposal
Kyra
I enter the house and find it dark, beside the sitting room off the back. The soft glow of flickering candles sparkle as I continue through the house and pause in the doorway.
Garrett turns, offering me the most gorgeous smile that still after a year makes me weak in the knees.
I never knew a smile could make all my inhibitions fly right out the window, but Garretts does. One flash and I will do just about anything.
“What’s all this?” I ask, seeing desert on two plates, a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Instead of answering me, he reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a box. My heart races, my hands start to shake, and I feel like I can barely breathe.
“I already feel like the luckiest man alive,” he takes a step forward, then goes down on one knee and I cover my mouth.
“Oh my God!”
“I knew a year ago that this day would come. Had I known it wouldn’t have freaked you out, I would have asked you to marry me then. I’ve had this ring tucked in the bottom of my closet for months, waiting for the right time. I’ve thought of how I would do it, where we would be, what I would say. But nothing seems like enough. Nothing feels like it will express what you truly mean to me.”
“Garrett–” only he doesn’t allow me to finish.
“Then I realized that the perfect time is with you and me, in our home. There doesn’t need to be some big dinner, with a crowd to witness it all. This is something I want to share withyouand you alone. This is our moment, and I don’t want to share it with anyone.”
Holding out the box, he flips open the lid and the sparkle from the diamond flickers.
“Marry me,” Garrett asks. “I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, I knew years ago that you were the one I wanted. I knew that I’d give anything to share my life with you and this is me bringing that dream to life. Marry me Kyra,” he removes the ring from the box as I nod my head.
“Yes!” holding out my hand he slides it over my finger and stands, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Yes... yes, yes!” I laugh and cry at the same time as he spins me in a circle.
Tears roll over my cheeks as he lowers me to the floor. Cupping his face in my hands I kiss him and take a deep breath.
This is my life.
This is the manI love.
It’s myeverything, and I’m in awe of it all.
I am completely and utterly in awe.
prologue
Grandpa Bud
“Hey Daddy,”I look to my left just as my daughter, Kori, sits down at my side. “Why are you sitting up here on the porch by yourself?”
I glance back to the yard once again, seeing everyone I love so dearly swarming around the yard like a bunch of buzzing bees. I smile as a feeling of pride fills my chest.
“Just watching,” I take a deep breath, inhaling in the cool December air. “Taking in everything, wondering how I got so damn lucky to have the life I have.”
“Because you work so hard at building it,” Kori says matter of factly, as if it is so simple. “You never let anyone feel like they don’t belong, like you aren’t right there in their corner cheering them on.”
“Because that’s exactly where I am.”
“And they all know that.” Kori leans over and places her hand on my forearm, offering me a loving squeeze. “Daddy, I am who I am because of you. You’ve never let me fall even when I felt as though my world had been crushed, you held me up. They may not all be your blood but you’ve never treated them as such. You’re tough as nails, but you have such a big heart. You looking out wondering how you’ve gotten so lucky isn’t gonna give you the answer you’re looking for.”
I look at my daughter, unshed tears pooling in her eyes as she smiles at me.
“You’ve built this life; you’ve given every single one of us the push we’ve needed to be the best version of ourselves. You’ve made this family and expanded it; you’ve shown every last one of us the kind of love and devotion that most people will never experience, I have never in my life met a man that values family the way you do. It’s everything Daddy, and because of that you’ve taught each of us to value it too.”
