I shrug it off, careful not to make a big deal out of it. “Who knows? Maybe someone is just coming by to complain?”
Buddy hops up from his bed, following me to the door, completely unbothered by the delivery man being on the other side. He’s no threat to the mailman, that’s for sure. I give him a quick scratch behind his ears as I swing the door open, relieved to see the postal worker on the other side.
“Uh … Package for Brittany Harris?” He gives me a weird look, and then holds it out.
“For me?” Brittany’s voice echoes behind me as her hand slides across my shoulder to peek around me. “Did I order something? I don’t remember buying anything.”
“I don’t know.” I give her a wink that sends her blushing, and I can’t help but feel like I won the lottery every time I get that reaction. “In fact, since we’re all at a loss here,” I say the words a little louder, grabbing the attention of her father and his now-fiancé. “I think we should open it for all to see.”
“What if it’s something weird?” Brittany gives me a concerned look as her voice drops to a near whisper.
“I think you should totally just open it,” Harlee urges, wiggling her eyebrows at Brittany in the most telling way.
“Just have a seat right here, baby,” I tell her, shooting a glare at Harlee, who bursts into a giggle.
Brittany looks more confused than ever as she plops down on the couch, and everyone surrounds us. My heart races in my chest, and I can barely breathe as I wait for the entire thing tounfold. Deep down, I know this is going to be the best day of my life, but it doesn’t stop the nerves from exploding like wildfire through my entire body.
Please don’t pass out. You can do this, Wes. The card is going to do all the work.I wait patiently, hoping everything goes exactly as it’s planned. I hold my breath as she tears the tape off, and I run my finger over the empty ring box in my jeans.
Brittany
“I don’t know why you’re all so invested in this.” I laugh nervously, fumbling with the packing tape against the cardboard. My brain is going one hundred miles an hour right now, trying to come up with what I could’ve possibly gotten, and why I had it delivered to Weston’s? We’d been talking about taking the next step, but…
The flap finally gives, and I pull it back, revealing a bunch of packing peanuts. I giggle as some spill out onto the floor. There’s nothing about what I’m doing that makes any sense, and the tension that’s building in the room has my hands shaking.
“I really don’t know what could be in here…” I lift my eyes for a moment, my fingers stilling. “It could be anything.” I meet my dad’s gaze and he nods his head.
“Hurry up, hon. Open it up!”
“Is it from you?” I furrow my brow.
“Open it,” Harlee groans. “You’re worrying too much! Let’s see what’s in there!”
“Okay, okay.” I throw up a small gesture of surrender. “I’m going, I’m going.” I go back to focusing on the box, sifting through the packing peanuts until I come across a black envelope. It’s the size of a regular card, but a little thicker.
I puff out my lower lip, seeing a sticky note attached to it. I recognize the handwriting immediately.“Weston?” I look up and give him a funny look, and my heart jumps to my throat at the way his eyes are fixated on me.
This is something big…
I take a deep breath and read the note aloud.
“It’s National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.” I swallow hard and set the note to the side, tearing into the envelope. I pull out a card, and on the front is a bigHappy…
I flip it open.
And gasp.
Will You Marry Me Day?
And there, attached to the bottom of the card is an elegant pear-shaped diamond engagement band. I can barely breathe as I gently pull it free. As my lower lip begins to tremble with emotion, I look up … and there’s Weston, on one knee.
“Brittany,” he breathes out, nerves evident in his voice. “We’ve had an amazing trip, and it all started with being spontaneous pen pals, living in the same city.” I laugh, covering my mouth as tears start down my cheeks. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m ready to take the next step—the nextrealstep. So, will you marry me?”
I can barely nod my head, completely overwhelmed with the love that we’ve built over the last year. “I love you so much,Wes,” I choke out the words, then stand to my feet as he stands to his.
“I loveyouso much, baby,” he says softly, taking the ring from my fingers and sliding it onto my left finger. He pulls me into his arms then, planting a kiss on my mouth as everyone around us cheers. I kiss him back, hope and happiness exploding in my chest.
And it hits me all at once that this—he—is everything I’ve ever wanted. Not because he swept me away, or made promises he couldn’t keep, but because he’s standing right here, loving me without asking me to be anyone other than myself.
