Page 66 of We Drank the Dawn

“Come here a second.”

As if pulled by a giant magnet, my body slid to his until we were nearly chest to chest. I looked at his face, a beat of fear stumbling in my heart when I spotted the signature worry-crease forming between his brows. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” His hands came to my elbows. “I just—want to tell you something.” His voice was strangely breathless.

“Yes?”

He dragged one hand over the back of my arm until it reached my shoulder then he cupped my neck, swiping his thumb over my cheek. “I love you, Sarah.”

I smiled, relief turning my heart to a puddle. “I love you, too.”

“Remember when I laid out that five-year plan?” He rolled his eyes and shook his head as if embarrassed to bring it up.

Oh no. Not this again. Last summer, Peter laid out his plan to go to college, get a good job, then do things like get married. We argued about it a little, because four years seemed like a really long time to wait when we’d already been exclusively dating since our sophomore year.

“Yes.” My annoyed sigh made Peter chuckle again and he laid a hand over my lips to stop the bratty response he could probably see coming from a mile away. Though bossy, the touch in his fingers was warm and kind. “I know what you’re going to say, but I need you to listen.”

He removed his hand and cupped both my cheeks, reverently turning my face toward his. “I changed my mind.”

Energy drained out of my body as Peter moved, letting go of my cheeks to drop to one knee. Tears stormed my vision so fast I nearly lost my footing. A choked cry came from my throat and I moved too, following him down until the hot stone pressed into my knees. It wasn’t until we were face to face that I wondered if I should’ve kept standing, but I didn’t care. Peter was about to propose to me and I wanted to be as close as possible. As I blinked tears away, Peter grabbed my hands.

“Sarah Elizabeth Dunn.” He spoke my name like a precious treasure. “Will you marry me?”

Throwing myself against him, I squealed my high-pitched yes, and his arms instantly banded around my torso, hauling me into his chest so tightly we couldn’t even breathe. Tucking his face into the crook of my neck, he swayed us as bubbles of laughter lifted from our lips and tears streamed from my eyes. I couldn’t believe someone loved me this much.

When we finally broke apart, he swiped a curl off my forehead and lifted a tiny box I hadn’t even realized he was holding. The burgundy velvet cracked open to reveal the most beautiful little ring I could ever imagine. A gold band with a small circular diamond.

I gasped and ahhed as Peter took it from the box and slipped it onto my finger. It was just snug enough we had to fuss a little to get it on. But I didn’t stop to look at it—not really. Not when the real prize was waiting to kiss me. Threading my fingers into the back of his milk chocolate hair, I pulled his head down to mine and swept my thank you over his lips.

Peter’s mouth moved with mine, eager and hungry, and his hands traveled the length of my back to my neck then down again, like he couldn’t quite get enough. When we broke apart we were panting with laughter, tears, and elation.

Finally, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and whispered, “You ready to jump?”

I smiled. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my entire life.”

Slipping his hand into mine, he tugged me up and forward until we came into view at the edge of the cliff. Down below, lots of Thompsons looked up at us, hands raised over eyes as they waited for the verdict. Peter raised our joined hands in a victory fist pump and yelled, “She said yes!”

Cheers and whistles lifted over the water as Peter and I exploded in a fit of giddy laughter.

I was engaged to my best friend. It didn’t seem real.

We walked to the edge until our toes were mere inches from the place where ground turned to air. I leaned forward, peeking at the water which looked so black and cold under the cliff’s shadow. But I felt no fear.

He shifted our hands, getting a tighter hold. “I won’t let go of you. And you won’t let go of me. We jump together, alright?”

“Okay,” I whispered.

“On three.”

I nodded and took a deep breath.

“One.”

The water twinkled beneath us.

“Two.”

He crouched and so did I.