“Something smells amazing,” she called out.
“Chicken piccata. Your favorite.”
She appeared in the kitchen doorway, and Carson’s breath caught the way it always did. She was beautiful—wearing a simple black dress from her client meeting, her hair up, tired but smiling.
This. This was the moment.
Not planned. Not orchestrated. Just real. Just them. Just a Tuesday evening in the life they’d built together.
“Marry me,” Carson said.
Nora froze. “What?”
He set down the serving spoon and moved to her. “I don’t have the ring on me—it’s in the bedroom, I didn’t think I’d do this tonight, I was going to plan something special—but I can’t wait anymore. Marry me, Nora. Be my partner for the rest of my life. Let me spend every day showing you how much you mean to me.”
“Carson—”
“I know it’s not romantic,” he rushed out. “I know I should have planned this better. Should have taken you somewhere special. Should have gotten down on one knee with the ring and a speech prepared. But this—” He gestured around the kitchen. “This is us. This is real. And I don’t want to wait for the perfect moment because every moment with you is perfect.”
Tears were streaming down Nora’s face now. “You’re proposing to me in our kitchen while cooking dinner.”
“I am. Is that okay? Or should I—”
“It’s perfect.” She laughed through her tears. “It’s so perfect I can’t even—yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Yes?” Had he heard her right?
“Yes, you idiot.Of course yes!”
Carson pulled her into his arms and kissed her, deep and thorough and full of promise. When they broke apart, both were laughing and crying and holding onto each other like they’d never let go.
“I really do have a ring,” Carson said. “It’s in my sock drawer. I’ve been carrying it in my jacket for two weeks trying to find the right moment. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed you to know. Needed to make this official.”
“Show me the ring.”
They went to the bedroom, and Carson pulled out the small velvet box he’d hidden under his socks. Opened it to reveal the ring he’d spent hours choosing.
Nora’s hand flew to her mouth. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s not too simple? I know some guys go for the big flashy diamonds, but Ithought—”
“It’s perfect. It’s exactly what I would have chosen.” She held out her left hand. “Put it on me.”
Her excitement filled him with more happiness than he could express. Carson slid the ring onto her finger, and it fit perfectly. Like it was meant to be there. Like this was always how the story was supposed to end.
“How does it feel?” he asked.
“Right. It feels right.” She looked up at him with shining eyes. “We’re getting married.”
“We are. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Good. I was planning on keeping you anyway.”
They stood there in the bedroom, holding hands, both processing what this meant. They were engaged. They were building a future. They were choosing forever.
“The chicken’s probably cold,” Carson said after a moment.
“I don’t care. We can reheat it.” Nora pulled him toward the bed. “Right now, I want to celebrate. Just us. Before we tell anyone. Before this becomes real to the rest of the world.”
