“Do you think we could have a baby soon?”
I freeze.
“Are you serious?” I finally ask.
He steadies us and looks at me intently. “With all my heart.”
I press my lips together, feeling hysterical laughterbubbling in my chest. “We’re kinda doing everything backwards.”
“Backwards how?” he asks innocently. Which means probably not innocent at all.
“Like most people get married before deciding to have babies. And all the future things.”
“Oh,” he says brightly. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
I choke on my own breath. “What?”
“I’m so glad I’ve gotten you to say what you want,” he says proudly. “A kayak proposal. I love it.”
I stare at him, my mouth dropping open. “I-I, uh?—”
“I accept,” he says grandly. “I, Dylan Whitman, accept your proposal.”
I sputter. “I didn’t?—”
“You didn’t think I’d say yes? I say yes with all my heart,” he says earnestly.
His lips twitch, and I splash water on him.
And then we’re both laughing so hard the kayak threatens to tip. The loons float to a quieter section of water.
“I can’t believe you,” I say, trying to catch my breath.
“You suggested it,” he says.
“I didn’t!”
“You implied it.”
“I really didn’t.”
“You’re thinking about it now, though, aren’t you?” he says smugly.
“Because you brought it up!”
His head falls back, and he laughs so hard. I splash water on him again.
“So you don’t hate the idea,” he says through his laughter.
“No.”
He lifts his arm in triumph.
When we’ve calmed down, he leans over and touches my face. “All teasing aside. I want babies with you. I want marriage with you. I want us living in the house of our dreams here…with random trips to California on a whim. I want it all in whichever order it happens, because I know whatever we do together will be amazing.”
“I want all of that too. A life with you. Marriage, babies,” I tell him.
“In that order, huh?” he teases.
