I raised a brow.
I felt antsy, nervous butterflies in my belly.What was he up to?“You have a question?”
I knew Victor wouldn’t do anything too wild. He’d never do anything to hurt me or my career. He’d been my biggest supporter the past two years. He was the person I’d grown to trust most in the world.
Heck, he’d not only won my trust, but my whole family’s over the past two years. He and I were best friends with Lucy and Adam.
“I do, Dr. Rhodes.” He took his hat off and threw it down on the ground at his feet. I realized that was one of his business’s hats. His business had grown so much in the past two years. He’d had to stop working with Adam. He’d had to get his own shop, a place where he could sell products in the front but also work in the back. A huge success that kept surprising him, but not me.
“A big question.”
A big question?I swallowed, my throat dry, my heart expectant. “Go on.”
“Well, first of all, let me ask, how do you expect any students to focus when someone as gorgeous as you is standing in thefront of the room? I don’t think it’s fair to the students to have a professor this distractingly good-looking.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, okay—” Was this some joke? Was I missing something?
“But that’s not the only question.” He stood up, walking down the stairs that led from the seats to the platform where I taught. “See, I don’t only think you’re distractingly gorgeous. Ialsothink you’re intelligent, fierce, hilarious, fun.” He ticked off the attributes on his finger as he walked toward me. “And the very best friend I’ve ever had.”
He stood before me now. My hands were shaking. It felt like all the air had been zapped from the room. I couldn’t breathe.
“I also think …” He took a shaky breath. “I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you. Making you happy. Making you laugh. Helping you in every way I can. Taking you to those places on the maps in your office.”
“And on your fridge.” I chuckled softly. This felt surreal.
“I’d like to spend the rest of my life being the best friend you’ve ever had.” His voice was shaking. His eyes were no longer playful, but intent and serious.
He dropped to one knee. I gasped. The whole classroom gasped. My hands covered my mouth.
“My question is not really in regard to the syllabus, I’ll admit. See, I’d like to ask … will you marry me?”
Tears dripped down my cheeks as I nodded my head.“I’d love to marry you!” I sniffled. I blinked through the tears to see he’d popped out a ring box with a shiny gold ring in it. “This ring is beautiful,” I said with shaking hands as he slid the ring on my finger.
“It’s antique,” he said. “I know you love old things. So I thought you needed a ring with a little history as we write our own history.”
Our own history. I’d read a lot of stories as I’d studied history for years and years, but my favorite story of all had to be mine and Victor’s.
I stopped gawking at my ring and wrapped my arms around him. “Oh my gosh,” I kept saying over and over. It felt like I was in the happiest, sweetest dream I didn’t want to wake from.
Victor spun me around. “I’m not just your hot young buck anymore. I’m getting promoted tohusband.”
We slowed to a stop, grinning at each other. Our whole lives ahead of us—foreverahead of us.
On the campus where I’d realized I was in love with him two years ago, I’d just agreed to marry him. I laughed into my hands in amazement.
“Um, Dr. Rhodes, does this mean class is canceled for today?” a student piped up in the front row with their hand raised in the air.
