I laughed out loud, my head leaning back. When I looked at him again, he said, “I love it when you laugh like that. That’s the girl I fell in love with. Sunshine and starlight blazing across my heart." His hand rubbed over his tattoo, and I was lifted to another dimension. How could a person be this happy? “You’ve undone me, Leyla Cooper.”
Whispering, I said, “Soon to be Leyla Demir.”
His breath caught in his throat at my words. “Soon to be Leyla Demir,” he repeated. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
“Not as happy as I am. But wearedoing this a bit backward, aren’t we?” I chuckled. “I need you to meet my parents and my brother at some point when he’s in town.”
“Oh, no,” he groaned, “Is your father going to be angry with me for not asking for your hand?”
I shook my head. “They’re not very old-fashioned. They will be thrilled to know how happy I am. Promise. They know you’re the guy from class that I liked and then had a falling out with, but I know they will love you.”
He looked relieved. “I haven’t told my parents, either, but yes, they know about the girl I had a crush on back in college.Oh, but Defne knows everything. Now that I think about it, my parents weren’t all that surprised when I video-called them for a quick dance lesson before our date. Pretty sure Defne filled them in,” he chuckled. “You’re going to love her. All of them. And they’re going to love you. Leyla, I know this is all so quick. We can wait until we do this right.”
“Yes, we will have to go back a few skipped steps, for sure,” I said with a chuckle. “But think of the stories we’ll have to tell our kids.”
Drawing me closer, he said, “That sounds like a beautiful life. You, me, a couple of science nerds.” We both laughed as he kissed my temple.
“When you are ready, we can set a date.”
“We could always just elope,” I said.
After a few beats of silence, we both said, “They’d kill us.”
“You’re right. I don’t know who would be angrier, Vicky and Sofia or our moms,” I chuckled.
“We will know when the time is right.”
Sitting in the sweet silence I had grown accustomed to with him, I replayed what had just happened. I wanted to kick my feet and squeal.
Ah, Niko had just proposed!
He nuzzled my neck with a groan, his beard sending sparks over my skin. “Your vanilla perfume…let’s not wait too long.”
I gave him a mock offended look. “Mr. Demir! You’re shocking my delicate sensibilities.”
He smiled but then his face became serious as his eyes flitted across my face.
“Leyla.”
“Yes,” I breathed out, his gorgeous face making my heart race.
“You’re an answer tomyprayers. We’re going to have a beautiful life together.”
Kissing him again, I said, “I can’t wait for it to get started.”
EPILOGUE
Leyla
Six months later
Twirlingin my lace wedding gown, I looked at my mom, who was trying not to cry.
“Leyla, you look like a princess,” she said, her hand over her heart. “I’ve been praying for your husband from the time you were a little girl. I asked God to bring a man into your life that would fight for you, would love you fiercely just as you are, and who would love God first.”
“Niko is every one of those things and more,” I said, my lips trembling.
My dress was made of delicate tulle and lace, looking like a dream. The tiny straps of the bodice, plunging neckline, and low back design made me feel more beautiful than I’d ever felt. My hair was up in a simple updo, and my veil was lacy and hung at my shoulders.
