Page 82 of Mountain Impact

“Could you come outside with me for a minute before leaving?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

Drake moved towards the exit, his gait cautious and stiff.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There’s something I need to tell you, and I don’t want the others to hear.”

She stood awkwardly in front of him. “Are you okay?” She realized, suddenly, how pale he was.

What if there’s something wrong. What if his kidney―

Drake shook his head, licking his very dry lips. “I’m fine.”

Isolde wanted to kiss those lips. She closed her eyes against the image. She needed to focus on what he was saying, not stand here outside the bar with some kind of sex scene running through her mind.

Except Drake wasn’t speaking, and he wasn’t even there anymore.

Isolde started when she saw him go down on his knees. She dropped quickly beside him.

“Drake! Oh my God, I’ll go get―”

Belatedly, she realized he hadn’t gone to his knees. He’d gone to one knee.

What?

His next words were quiet. “Will you marry me, Isolde?”

He was holding something in his hand―a small, glittering object.

“What is that?”

He looked up at her, then down at the ring. It looked minuscule in his tough, calloused palm.

“It’s a ring.”

“I can see it’s a ring.”

He cleared his throat.

“I bought it this morning, after leaving the hospital. But if you don’t like it, we can―”

She liked it. Loved it, even. And she hadn’t even gotten a proper look at it.

“I love it,” she said. “And I love you.”

“Wait,” Drake said. “Does that mean your answer is yes?”

Isolde nodded. Happy tears threatened to fall, but she wiped them angrily away. She cupped his cheek gently. They were both still on their knees when the door to the coffee shop opened and somebody stepped outside.

“What are you guys doing―” That was Kat’s voice. “Oh man, hurry up and kiss her, because I’m going to tell the others!”

Three minutes later, there were more people outside the coffee shop than inside. By then, Drake and Isolde were both standing, his arm draped protectively over her shoulder.

Gael and Jens whistled sharply.

“About time, Drake,” Damien said, clapping him on the back―hard.