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I hear a commotion and see a band setting up on the stage and several people gathering on the beach. Something’s going on, but this is nothing new. This place caters to all different crowds. It’s close to sunset and there tends to be great music each night. The crowd’s coming in a bit early though. It’s usually much later before it begins.
The music starts to play and several people begin dancing... in sync. What the heck? I realize the song they’re playing, and my throat closes. Oh, heck no. I can’t sit here and watch. I realize right away what’s going on. Someone’s about to propose. My eyes sting as my legs shake. I want to get up and run away. Normally, I’d love to see this, but my heart’s too tender right now to witness someone else’s utter joy at the person they love wanting to spend the rest of their life with them. People are pulling out their phones and looking to see who the lucky woman is asI Think I Want to Marry Youcontinues.
The crowd grows larger as the song reaches its crescendo, but no man appears. Maybe this is a practice. It still hurts to hear the song, but I can handle a practice as long as I don’t have to watchsome beautiful woman get pulled into a man’s arms and whisked away.
The sun sinks into the horizon, the sky lighting up in brilliant colors of orange, purple, blue, and pink. The music switches. Instantly my tears come back asDown on Bended Kneebegins playing. The crowd in front of me parts, and I lose my breath when I see Blaze standing before me in a tux, a rose in his hand.
My tears can no longer be held back as they stream down my cheeks and he sings along with the music, the crowd dancing all around him, his eyes shining as he looks at me, andonlyme.
He moves closer. I’m glad I’m sitting because there’s not a chance my legs could hold me up right now. Is this really happening? This doesn’t happen to women like me. This happens to dreamers. This happens to women like my sister. Speak of the devil, I hear a squeal of delight and see my sister off to the side, her own camera up as she records the whole thing. She knew. Of course she knew. He’d have to have talked to her to know where we are.
As the song comes to its final verse, Blaze reaches me and drops to his knee while the entire beach of people gaze at us. The music stops, and there’s a hush to the crowd. Blaze gazes into my eyes and sings the final verse.
...I’ll never walk again until you come back to me, I’m down on bended knees...
I no longer hear the people, no longer see anyone else, don’t notice the sunset, don’t hear the ocean waves. All I see is Blaze in front of me, a rose in one hand, his grandmother’s ring in the other, and a plea in his eyes. I can’t speak, can’t move. I can’t believe this is happening to me of all people.
“I’ve messed up so many times in my life, but the worst mistake I’ve ever made was letting you go — and I did it not once, but twice,” he brokenly says. He clears his throat and continues. “I am nothing without you, nothing at all. I should’ve never letyou walk away, but I promise if you take me back, I’ll never break your heart again. I’ll cherish you, take you on adventures, and be here for you every moment of every day.”
He lays the rose at my feet and reaches into his jacket, pulling out what looks to be a hastily drawn treasure map. There are trees and buildings and a very poorly drawn chapel in the corner with a big X on it.
“Take this final treasure hunt with me. Be my wife.”
“Blaze...” I whisper, then have to stop and take several breaths through my tears. “I don’t know if this is what you really want.” I can’t go through another heartbreak with this man. It will kill me.
“I promise you it’s all I want — all I need. We’ve suffered enough. Let’s just love each other. No games, no running, just pure love. We’ll have one adventure after another, and the biggest of them all will be you lying in my arms each and every night.”
I could try to fight this, could list a hundred reasons why it won’t work. But the reality is I love him, I need him, and I don’t want to live my life without him. I smile, joyful for the first time since leaving his side on the mountain.
“I love you.” There’s a sigh in the crowd around us that barely registers in my love-riddled brain.
“I love you, Cori, more than words can ever express.”
“Yes... yes.” My voice trembles and more tears fall.
Blaze pulls me into his arms and kisses me, taking the last of my pain away. We don’t stop until an eruption of happy applause breaks out from the crowd. I look up, my cheeks red as I realize what a public display we’ve just made. I smile at Blaze as we both stand. He slips the ring on my finger, and I’m glowing as I turn to look at my sister, who’s beaming.
“I’m glad you’re a meddler,” I tell her. I then see Rich step out and put his arm around Jenny. They’re both grinning. I cry somemore as the music begins again, and champagne is passed out to all.
“You thought of everything.”
“I wasn’t going to give up until you said yes, so I wanted our engagement party to start right now.” He points to the left where I see Callan and Zach with drinks in their hands and smiles on their lips. I then nearly fall apart when Shari steps from the crowd, holding Sandy who waves at me.
“This could’ve been very embarrassing for you.”
He gives me his cocky grin I love so much. “You love me.”
I can’t even pretend to be irritated. “Yes, I love you.”
He kisses me again, and I realize I’ll never again have to let him go. It’s amazing how one moment a person can be utterly miserable, and the next all is right in the world.
“How about we go to our honeymoon suite and make this deal official?” He has a gleam in his eyes.
“I thought you’d never ask,” I say, my heart filled with joy. He picks me up caveman-style, and I giggle before we’re stopped. A wall of our family and friends block us.
“Nope, you two are going to stay and celebrate your engagement with us. You both put us through hell for ten years of yearning for each other,” Jenny says with her hands on her hips. “The makeup sex has to wait.”
My brother, Rich, groans at these words. It’s as if our brother will never learn. His little sisters aren’t so little anymore. And we like sex... we like sex a lot. I guess it can wait for a little while though. We do have the rest of our lives.
Blaze sets me back down and we’re both handed a drink. “To the soon-to-be bride and groom,” Callan says as he raises his glass.
“Here, here,” everyone shouts. It’s the first day of the rest of our lives, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
My heart’s so full of joy it surely will burst. It took a decade, a treasure hunt, and a heck of a lot of heartache, but I finally found the adventure I sought, and it will last for the rest of our lives.
