“To me, the tangerine symbolizes more than just luck and prosperity; it represents creativity, vitality, and the sweetness of success after hard work.I named my agency TangerineTalent to capture that spirit of optimism and to celebrate the vibrant journey of every artist we represent. Please join me in a toast to celebrate Tangerine Talent and the bright futures we're nurturing together!”
The clinking of glasses echoes as chatter fills the room. I walk over to Wyatt, who’s standing against the wall with his hands in his pockets. He’s got a smirk on his face that says he’s feeling pretty happy about that public declaration I just made.
“Hey,” I say.
“Nice speech.”
“Thanks.”
We stare at each other for a minute, and then he pushes off the wall and wraps an arm around my waist.
“I’m in such awe of you. I love how you push people to reach beyond the status quo, and I love the stories you are pushing out into the world. You inspire so many women, and you inspire me. Congratulations, Blair. You deserve every bit of this.”
I look around the room to take in the moment.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
wyatt
I’m nervous and excited as Blair and I pull into our driveway. The past six months of living together have been everything I imagined. Even though it was fast, we fell right into a comfortable and easy routine. The feelings we had all those years ago still burn today. Of course, some days are spicier than others, and we’re learning how to navigate the few times wedon’t agree on things, but our love for each other runs deep and is all-consuming.
I want to marry her as soon as possible. I want her to have my name—and my babies if she wants them. I can’t wait until she is fully mine and there is no question that she belongs with me, in our home, at my side, for every adventure.
I’ve hidden a blanket and bottle of champagne on my back patio. The plan is to convince her to have a nightcap with me on the beach to toast our successful year. Then I can surprise her with another reason to raise our glasses.
“Let’s go out back for a minute,” I say to her. “It’s such a beautiful night.”
I lead her to the back doors, and as she walks out, I quickly open the drawer on the end table by the couch and grab the ring I hid earlier today.
“I’ll never tire of coming out here,” she says. “It’s so beautiful.”
“It is.” But I’m not looking at the beach; I’m looking at her. She turns, sees me staring at her, and comes back to kiss me.
I break the kiss and grab her hand. “Come on. I think there’s some champagne over here. Let’s go have a glass while we sit in the sand for a minute.”
“You just happen to have champagne out here?” Blair asks, looking around with a confused frown while I pull her onto the beach. I do my best to deflect the question and stick to the plan.
I lay the blanket on the soft sand and motion for her to sit. Then I open the champagne and hand her a glass.
“So, what should we toast to?” she asks.
“Us,” I tell her.
It’s now or never. “When I lost you that summer—when I left you—I left my heart with you. I didn’t take it with me. I didn’t give it to anyone else, and I didn’t think I would use it ever again. I can’t take back what I did or give us back the time we lost, butI can promise you I’ll never lose another moment with you. I’m yours.”
I dip my forehead to touch hers.
“Wyatt, I’m yours, too. I always have been.”
I grab her glass of champagne and set it with mine off to the side. Then I pull the small box from my pocket and open it for her to see. Hopefully, the look of shock on her face is a positive sign.
“I can’t imagine a future that doesn’t have you by my side, and I don’t want to. The thought of spending the rest of my life with you, building a life together, fills me with more joy than I ever thought possible. I want to be there for you, to support you, to laugh with you, and to love you in every way I can. Will you marry me, Blair?”
Before the question leaves my mouth, Blair rushes to hug me, and her excitement forces us to tumble over on the blanket. I fall flat on my back, with her resting on top of me.
She covers my mouth with her lips while saying, “Yes, yes, yes,” and then peppers my face with tiny kisses as she continues to say, “Yes,” over and over.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I laugh and roll us back up so I can put the ring on her finger.
