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Luke: Want to meet me at the diner in twenty?
Cindy: I’m on my way.
I said good night to John and Elsie and the rest of the staff and quickly drove to the Blue Creek Diner. Pulling into the parking lot, I saw Luke’s truck and wondered how long he’d been waiting. It had only been about ten minutes since we texted.
I raised an eyebrow as I headed toward the door. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up.
I opened the door to the sound of chimes and was met with the ever-present smell of coffee and fried food. And a familiar face greeting me at the door.
“Cindy?”
“Marnie, how are you?” I asked with a smile.
“I’m good. I’m always good.”
“Glad to hear that,” I told her. “I’m looking for—”
“He’s at the booth in the back. You know where.”
Then she winked at me. I narrowed my eyes at her. Something was definitely up.
When I found Luke, he was sitting at the booth we always claimed on Friday nights when we were teenagers. He’d even gone ahead and ordered fries and two chocolate milkshakes, which I eyed hungrily.
“I love you so much right now,” I said, kissing him hello before helping myself to the fries.
“I love you too.”
I expected him to smile or laugh or join me in devouring this plate of fries, but his expression was kind of solemn. Maybe even a little nervous. I dropped the fry and looked over at him, swallowing hard.
“Luke, what’s going on?”
He reached across the table and took my hand. My heart raced.
“Cindy, the last time we sat in this diner like this was…”
“I know. I remember.”
It was the night he told me that he was going to be a Marine.
“That night, we sat right here and I felt like my life was about to begin,” he said. “And I never thought I’d be able to feel that way again. Until… tonight.”
Luke’s other hand disappeared into his pocket and his cheeks turned a little pink as he produced a small velvet box. My breath caught as he opened it and showed me the beautiful engagement ring.
And when he slid off the booth and dropped to one knee in front of me, I gasped.
“Cindy Lawless, will you marry me?”
I didn’t have to think twice before answering.
“Yes, Luke,” I said breathlessly. “I will marry you.”
Luke stood and pulled me up to my feet with him. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. Luke. My best friend. And now my fiancé.
A few diners around us started clapping and cheering for us. An older man at the counter wolf whistled. Marnie looked at us knowingly with a tear in her eye as she clasped her hands over her chest.
Our kiss broke, but Luke still held me close enough to whisper in my ear.
“This is how that night was supposed to end, you know.”
