“I know. I took it as a sign things were too chaotic with the restaurant and that I needed to slow my roll. But never question how much I want you to be my wife, Ellie.”
Flinging my arms back around his neck, I bury my face in his chest. “Is it bad that I wish you had the ring now. Because I can’t imagine any proposal making me as happy as I am at this very moment.” I sniffle.
Matt pulls back, I’m assuming to wipe my tears away and give me another reassuring kiss, but instead he drops down on one knee.
“Oh, my God,” I gasp. “Really?”
“Ellie Albright?” He reaches behind him, pulling a shiny bauble out of his back pocket. “I’ve been walking around with this thing in my pocket just waiting for the right time. Then my damn brother had to call.” His head falls forward in exasperation causing me to chuckle. “I was starting to think it was never going to happen. But then I spent the day with Jason at the lake. That poor guy had the perfect proposal for his girl, and she tore his heart out.”
The thought of that sweet guy getting hurt makes my blood boil. No one deserves that, particularly Jason. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.
“So, I decided. Who needs perfect? I don’t care who else beats me to it?—”
The door to the kitchen flies open as Trevor and Addison bust through. “Ellie, this dessert is?—”
“Get out!” we yell in unison.
“Oh, shit. Sorry man. Get back to it,” Trevor belts out.
“Congratulations, Ellie!” Addison squeals.
“I haven’t asked her yet,” Matt growls, his determined brown eyes still trained on me.
Clutching my sides, I bend over laughing in hysterics. Somehow, I’m sure this wasn’t what he planned. But it couldn’t have been more perfect if Jimmy Dean, was in on the proposal.
The doors to the kitchen swing shut as the two interlopers shuffle back out to the main dining area.
“Ellie?”
“Yeah,” I answer, biting down on my lip to contain my excitement as my strong, tatted high school crush continues to balance on one knee as he lifts the large square cut white gold diamond ring. I’m speechless.
“Quick. Say you’ll marry me before the fire alarm goes off or something.”
Smiling so hard I have happy tears trailing down my cheeks, I bend down, cupping his face, and kiss him. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
Matt slides the ring onto my finger, and we both collapse onto the floor, clutching one another. “So, I was wondering.”
“Hmm?” I ask, my eyes never leaving the sparkling rock as I watch the overhead light bounce off of it.
“I know we’ll have to wait a bit to get hitched. I mean, everyone and their brother is getting married.Literally.”
I giggle. He’s right. Between the boys of the Sycamore Mountain fire station and now Harrison, there are couples lined up to have their big moment.
“But can we start working on the baby making right away?”
Shocked, I abruptly shift to face him. “Wow. Really?”
“We’re not getting any younger.”
“We’re not even thirty.” I snort. “But I’m ready if you are.”
Matt reaches up to run a hand through his hair. “What will you do about the restaurant with a baby?”
“What willwedo, you mean?”
He smiles bright.
“Well, we have at least nine months to figure that out.”
