Ian shifts in his seat as if he can’t get comfortable. Tilting my head at him, I swallow my bite of grilled cheese. “You okay?”
He nods, but it isn’t very convincing. I eye him suspiciously as he peeks at the door, then back at me. When I’m finished eating, Ian slides my dishes away from me and my coffee cup closer.
He clears his throat. “I have a surprise for you.”
My eyebrows pinch. “You know I love surprises. Well…” Reflecting on all the recent times when I didn’t expect something that ended up being unpleasant, I clarify, “Most surprises anyway.”
Ian carefully slides my chair out and turns it towardhim. I’m watching him in confusion as he stands, pushing his chair back as well.
“Uh, Ian, what is…” My words trail off when he drops to one knee in front of my chair and opens a box that he retrieved from some unknown location. With my heart nearly bursting from my chest, my eyes whip to his.
He’s studying me when he says, “Maggie, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for you. And I don’t ever want to be that man again. I want you by my side for all eternity.” He pops open the box. “Will you marry me, beautiful?”
My hand flies to my gaping mouth. The ring is stunning and unlike anything I would’ve picked out for myself. An ornate halo of smaller diamonds surrounds the large emerald-cut diamond, the design giving it an elevated, updated vintage look. It has double rows of diamonds running down each side of the band. “Ian, this is the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.”
“You’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. But it would be nice if you gave me an answer. I’m starting to sweat here.”
A sob and a laugh break past my lips. “Yes! Very much yes! I want to marry you!”
Ian takes my lips in a searing kiss. I try to twist in my seat, and I rip my mouth from his on a gasp of pain.
“Are you okay? Please don’t hurt yourself,” he reprimands.
I laugh. “Well, I didn’t mean to. I got caught up in the moment. Are you going to put this ring on my finger or what?”
“Sheesh, so demanding already…” Ian mutters with a playful wink as he pulls the ring out of the box and slips it on my finger. It fits perfectly.
I hold my hand up and admire my new piece of jewelry. “You did so good at picking this out.”
Ian’s lopsided grin has me smiling wider. “I have one more surprise.”
I mock gasp and press my hand to my heart. “Oh my god, you’re pregnant.”
With a snort, he pops up from his chair. “Not exactly. But you might like this one even more than the proposal.”
He leaves me at the table and walks to the front door. I watch him, curious about what else he could have in store that could top this moment. As he pulls open the door, I hear soft, muffled voices from outside. The angle I’m sitting at doesn’t allow me to see who he’s talking to. I would try to get up and shuffle over, but it would take too long.
Ian steps back, and movement draws my eyes away from him.
My dad, followed by my mom, my brother, and my sister, all walk into Ian’s house.
So many happy tears fall into my lap. He was wrong—I don’t like this surprise more, but it makes the first one even more precious.
EPILOGUE
Ian
Two months later
Darkness surrounds me. It conceals as much as it empowers me. This isn’t how I want to spend a Wednesday evening, but it’s been a long time coming, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little excited about what’s going to happen.
Any minute now.
Spinning my wedding ring around my finger, I treasure how it feels. Reminds me of the times I never thought I’d have someone to love like this. And of a time when I thought I’d lost the only person I ended up falling so crazy in love with.
Maggie and I have been married for almost a month now. Neither of us wanted to wait, so as soon as she no longer needed the walker to get around, we called a fewfriends and headed down to the courthouse. Besides the day I met her, it was the best day of my life.
And after tonight, we’ll be one step closer to having the most perfect ending to our story.
