I searched his eyes, those pesky niggling doubts wiggling into my mind.
His eyes held me, steady and sure.
I smiled tremulously.“Are you sure?”
He shook his head.“Never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Do you think it will fit?”
His mouth twisted as his eyes lit with humor.“It should considering I got it sized as soon as we got here.Is that a yes?”
I looped my arms around his neck and launched myself into his chest, knocking us both to the floor.“Oh, it’s a yes.It’s definitely a yes.”
An hour later, when we finally came up for air, we showered and went downstairs.
Ashley stood in the kitchen pretending to be busy while John unsuccessfully tried to hide his smirk.
“You owe me,” he said to Daire.“Twice I had to herd her away from the stairs.”
She gasped.“That’s not true!”
His eyebrows rose.“Did you or did you not go to the stairs and ask what was taking so long?”
She dipped her chin.“I did.”She raised a finger up in the air.“But I wouldn’t have actually gone up!”
“You would have gotten an eyeful if you did,” Daire teased.
My face flamed and I slapped my left hand down on his chest.“Daire!”
I heard a gasp and turned to see Ashley standing with both hands covering her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.
How beautiful and terrible this must have been for her.
Pain and joy.
Grief and love.
The absence of one ensures the presence of the other and I had more than a passing acquaintance with both.
A bittersweet dichotomy.
“You said yes?”
I nodded tearfully.“Mhm!”
Rushing toward me, she swept us both into her arms.John followed.And Daire wrapped his long arms around all of us.
John and Ashley ran out to the store to buy champagne and cake to celebrate, leaving us alone for the moment.
I mused aloud.“I wonder what my parents will say.”
“We need to call them.”
My mouth dropped open.“Daire!We can’t deliver news like this on the phone!Or Facetime!”
“We have to,” he grinned.“I promised your mom we’d call as soon as you said yes.”
“They knew?”
