“Fine. But you only get three.”
My gaze focused back on our surroundings. I tried to fit the pieces together and came up with, “House party with your friends?”
“You don’t party anymore,” Dakota reminded me.
“I would if it was a small gathering.”
“Noted but no.”
“You bought a house?” I tried.
Dakota shook his head in disbelief. “What? Where would I… Emmy, do you think I can afford a house? I don’t even have a car, remember?”
I sighed. “For a second, I hoped you’d won the lottery or something.”
He laughed. “Me too. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and you’re down to one final answer. What’ll it be?”
“We never set the winnings for if I got this right,” I pointed out.
“You’re stalling, aren’t you, sweetheart?”
“I’m just saying. If I win, I deserve a prize. Same for you.”
He looked amused. “Fine. What would you like your prize to be? I know what I want.”
“Really? What’s that?”
He winked. “I’m not telling you. You could copy.”
“No fair. Come on.” I nudged his shoulder. “Tell me.”
“Nope, not happening. So you might as well decide on yours and be quick about it because we’re almost there.” He took a turn down a street where the houses were further apart. The area seemed more affluent, with homes that were two stories with iron gates and expensive cars in the driveway. The further we went, the less traffic there was on the road.
“What’s your final guess, Emmy?” Dakota slowed down the cart to a crawl.
I shook my head. “I don’t think I have one. Are we allowed to be here? This neighborhood looks very exclusive.”
“It’s fine,” he assured and placed a comforting hand on my thigh. “I got you, okay? You trust me?”
“Of course.” I covered his hand with mine.
“Good. Now, close your eyes.”
I gave him a look but fulfilled his request. The cart started moving again, still slower than we’d been moving before. Dakota wrapped his arm around me. He held me close against him as the cart bumped up and down. The terrain changed from the sidewalk to something softer. The smell of wet grass was fresh in the air. Our tires squished on the dirt. Dakota’s fingers spread across my arm, ensuring I was safe by his side as the cart went up and down an incline.
“Keep them closed. We only have a little while longer,” he promised.
We drove for another couple of minutes before he finally stopped. He turned off the engine and got up so he could move to my side. I held onto both of his hands as he led me across the grass.
My mind was still sifting through possibilities at this point. Why in the world did he take me all the way out here? Presumably in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t hear cars anymore, and the crickets were chirping their nightly symphony.
“Few more steps.” Dakota tugged me further, keeping our pace slow so I wouldn’t trip over my own feet. “Okay. When you’re ready, open.”
I opened my eyes and had to blink a few times as my pupils dilated. Dakota moved to my side, giving me a clear view of what he’d brought me out here to see.
Before me, a dark red blanket lay out on the grass with a mini wooden table and red cushions. There were takeout bags set on the table with the logo of my favorite restaurant on campus. The blanket was lined with a mix of plastic and paper lanterns. Each gave off a beautiful yellow glow. My cheeks burned from excitement.
I turned to Dakota. “You set all this up?”
