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Raising my arm, I spin Brie in a circle before pulling her back into my embrace. Delicate snowflakes adorn her hair and envelope us in a gentle, white cascade. She smiles up at me, her soft eyes shining. Dancing while kissing isn’t the easiest feat, but the allure is too great to resist. I have too many years to compensate for. She tastes like Christmas morning, a mixture of peace, joy, and excitement. Now that I’ve discovered this enchanting move, I’m committing to dance more often. Then again, with Brie, everything is better.
Epilogue
Brie
Four Months Later
“Onemorestep,”Rockwelltells me.
I stumble across the threshold of some sort of building and wrap my hands around Rockwell’s wrists. He’s holding my blindfold tight so I can’t peek.
“Any guesses where we are?” His deep voice tickles against my neck.
I shrug my shoulders. “It has to be in town since I can hear cars, but besides the noise, I don’t have a clue.” I sniff the air. “It doesn’t smell like a restaurant or Jocelyn’s salon, and I don’t hear any other voices. I’m stumped.”
Rockwell chuckles. “Good. It’ll make this surprise all the better.”
I have no idea why Rockwell picked me up after school today or why he’s surprising me. He’s been the best boyfriend ever, sending flowers and taking me on all sorts of creative dates. I keep telling him that I’m a simple girl, but he assures me he is making up for lost time. To be honest, this simple girl loves how he’s trying so hard.
“Almost there,” Rockwell says as he turns me to face a certain way.
Once again, I try to think of what occasion calls for this level of a surprise. It’s a Wednesday afternoon, so it’s not even a weekend. Is there something special about April seventh? It’s not our anniversary or either of our birthdays. We had dinner with his mom on Sunday, and she was doing better than ever. I’m glad she doesn’t seem to have retained any more problems from her second stroke. I know she would’ve said something if there was a celebration planned. And why does Rockwell keep randomly laughing? It makes me want to laugh too, and I can’t even explain why.
“The suspense is killing me.”
Rockwell kisses my cheek in response, sending goosebumps down my arms. He wraps one arm around my waist, hugging me from behind right before he releases my blindfold.
I don’t know what I imagined, but it isn’t this. We’re in an empty space except for a single round table. On top of a white tablecloth are a few dozen red roses. Petals dot the rest of the table around the vase and are strewn on the floor in between a path of candles.
My heart swells. It’s magical.
Rockwell releases me, sliding his hand into my own and guiding me to the table. I didn’t notice the small square box before, but I see it now and my breathing quickens. We’ve talked about marriage and casually looked at rings a few weeks ago, but I’m completely surprised by his timing. I’ve not prepared my emotions. My eyes well up with happy tears.
Rockwell’s grin isn’t suave like normal. It’s impossibly wide, like he can’t stop smiling no matter how hard he tries. He picks up the white box and drops to one knee. “Brie Marie Holland,”
I snort through my tears.
“Please try not to laugh, Briezy. I’ll never make it through this.”
I nod and push my lips together.
He clears his throat. “I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Rockwell opens the box, but I could care less about the ring. I dive into Rockwell, throwing my arms around his neck. I think I say yes before I kiss him, but it’s kind of a blur. I’m crying, laughing, and kissing. Lots and lots of kissing.
Rockwell indulges me until we both pull apart, short of breath. “You’re really excited about this marriage stuff.”
He’s teasing me, since it’s obvious he’s as excited as I am. “Just call me Mrs. Brie Marie Davenport.”
His grin is back. “Well, Mrs. Davenport, are you ready for a second surprise?”
“The ring?”
“A third surprise then?”
I laugh. “I can’t keep up.”
“Me either, but I’m really excited about this, so let’s do our best.” He pulls away from me, and I immediately miss the comfort of his arms. He proceeds to take several steps backward.
“What are you doing?”
