It’s a bit surreal, and given my status, I likely should have warned my brother this would be happening.
I didn’t. I don’t know if she did. We talked to each other about it, but I don’t believe either of us talked to him about it.
It’s possible news will break since I’m doing this on a boat with workers present, but the chances are slim. I’ll get ahead of it. I’ll talk to him before it gets out.
The cruise sets sail, and even though it’s just the crew and the bar staff, I’m recognized almost immediately.
I just ordered a glass of champagne for each of us when the bartender asks, “Are you Ford Bradley?”
I smile. “I am.”
“Huge fan,” he says. “I’m Carl, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Carl. Thanks for cheering us on.”
He passes our glasses over to us, and we head out to the deck to look out over the water.
The sun is starting its descent into the water, and that’s when I decide to do it. I set my glass on the ledge under the railing, and I reach into my pocket, where I feel my phone.
Wrong pocket.
She’s rubbing off on me.
I reach into the other pocket, unzip the little secret compartment there, and finger the box.
I get down on one knee, and Tatum’s eyes widen as she watches me.
I hold the ring up. “Tatum Barker, will you marry me?”
Just as her mouth forms theyin “Yes,” I hear someone yell, “Oh my God! Look at all the dolphins!”
Our attention is pulled away from my proposal—one that’s as good as locked up, all things considered—and we spot a pod of dolphins leaping through the sunset not far from the side of our boat.
It’s a gorgeous view. It feels somehow lucky to be here in the presence of these magical creatures just as I asked Tatum to marry me.
She leans into my side. “Yes,” she says close to my ear, and I turn and catch her lips with mine.
We break apart, content as we watch the dolphins, and I allow myself to dream of what comes next.
So yes…I had planned to give Archer fair warning ahead of the news getting out.
But what I never accounted for was a viral video.
CHAPTER 28: Tatum Barker
Carl and Mindy 47
“Oh no,” I whisper.
I’m rotating between scrolling TikTok and staring at the diamond on my hand when I should be going to sleep since I have a full day of planning for my own wedding tomorrow when I come across the video.
The video.
It was posted four hours ago. It already has close to a million views.
It’s from the sunset cruise we were just on, and the username is carlandmindy47.
Wasn’t Carl the bartender’s name?
