“But this year wouldn’t have been the best our family has seen professionally and personally without all of you.” He raises his glass. “To family and friends.”
My heart melts just a little bit more.
“To family and friends!” Everyone chimes.
Zane bends down to pick up Mindy. “We’d also like to ask you somethin’.” My eyes widen as he tickles Mindy under the chin. I glance down at her little bow and I see the little sign, it reads: Mom, will you marry Dad?
Everyone gasps as tears spring to my eyes as we look at one another. Zane leaves his seat to round the table, when he gets to me, he passes me Mindy, dropping to one knee. He springs a box out of nowhere. “Will you marry me, Sadie?”
“Oh my god, Z, yes!” I fling myself into his arms, trying to hold on to Mindy, tears rolling down my face.
Everyone is clapping and cheering as I bury my face in his neck. I pull back and we kiss. “You didn’t even see the ring properly,” he laughs.
“I don’t need to, it’ll be perfect, just like you.” I glance down and see the absolutely beautiful Princess cut diamond in a huge setting with rose gold. It glimmers in the light, and I gasp. “Zane!”
He slides it onto my finger. “You’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”
“I love you.”
He pulls me into his arms as we squash Mindy, whispering, “I love you, too.”
“Hip, hip, hooray!” Frank yells, and everyone joins in.
It looks like all of my Christmas wishes came true after all.
Zeus neighs as we ride him together on the trail. I haven’t gotten the courage to ride alone yet, though I am mastering my fear. It’s not even the horse, it’s me and my energy. I’d never want the horse to bolt with me on the back, so playing it safe until I’m used to it is fine by me. Plus, I love it when Zane sits behind and wraps his arms around me. This feels like heaven.
“You okay?” he asks.
“How do you always know when I’m thinking about something deep and meaningful?”
He chuckles. “Call it a sixth sense.”
“It’s such a different Christmas to the one we had last year, in a good way.” I add that last part quickly.
“For one, I didn’t punch anyone out this year, that’s a record.”
“Wait, we’re not quite at New Year’s Day yet,” I remind him.
“Oh, that’s right.” A few seconds pass. “So, what is on your mind then,Princess?”
“I got everything I wanted,” I say. “EverythingI’ve ever wanted.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“No, it’s just, I don’t know, am I a pessimist?”
“No, you’re sunshine, but you sometimes don’t live in the now. You need to kick back a little more, enjoy things as they’re happenin’, and not worry about the future.”
“Wow, a philosopher and a hot rancher, I like your attitude.” I grip his hands over mine, loving how warm and safe he feels. I also love how my beautiful ring feels on my finger and flashes in the light. To become Zane’s wife is going to be nothing short of amazing.
“You make me a better man,” he says. “And I’d do anythin’ for you, Sadie Summers.”
He’s right, of course. I don’t need to sit back and wait for the bubble to burst. The bubble is everything happening right now. I’m so used to things falling apart around me, it’s hard to relax when things are going so well. And things have been very right for a year now.
“I love you, Z. I can’t imagine my life without you.”
He kisses my neck. “Pretty soon, you’re gonna be my wife,Mrs. Lawless.”
