Page 106 of Keeping Knight

“Was one of them getting into something?” I ask. Sometimes there are little crabs scuttling around, and while I don’t think Sampson would try to eat one, I’m not as sure about Piper.

“No, it’s not that. I just—” An almost uncertain expression flickers across his face. “I have something I want to ask you about. And I don’t want to worry about one of them doing something they shouldn’t while I’m asking.”

My heart stumbles.

I’ve thought about it plenty of times over the last few months, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t fantasized about a proposal. I remind myself that we haven’t even been dating a year, that this is Micah’s first real relationship and he probably wants to take his time. I tell myself that an engagement ring doesn’t really matter, as long as I’m with the man I love.

But still, I hope.

And yes, I could ask him myself. But I feel like Micah would want to do the asking. For all his sensitivity, he’s traditional like that. He would want to be the one taking a knee and asking for my hand in marriage. He’d want to plan it out himself. And because I love him, I’m okay with letting him take the lead on this. For now, at least. If he doesn’t propose in another year or so… maybe I’ll take matters into my own hands.

My pulse races, but I try to keep my voice calm. “What do you want to ask me about?”

Micah shifts on his feet. He gets this cutely flustered look and his cheeks go pink.

Anticipation rushes through me. Could this be it?

“Well.” Micah glances around us. The family is further down the beach. A solo jogger cuts across the damp sand near the water, headed away from us. Aside from them, we’re alone. “I wasn’t sure if this would be the right time to ask. Or the right place.”

“The right time and place for what?”

Wordlessly, he holds my gaze for a moment. Then he lets out a shaky breath and drops to one knee.

Everything stops.

Reaching into his pocket, Micah pulls out a small blue box. “To ask you to marry me, Ruby.”

Even though I hoped, then suspected, I still gasp at hearing it. “You want me to marry you?”

“Yes. More than anything.” Flipping the box open one-handed, he angles the ring so I can see it. It’s enormous, but he could have a little chip of diamond in there, and I wouldn’t care. All that matters is the question.

“I love you, ” he continues. “At first, I wasn’t sure how love felt. I never let myself feel it. But you showed me. You made me realize how beautiful it is. How much better my life is with it.”

Tears spring to my eyes. “Micah.”

“I wish…” He stops to take a deep breath. “I wish I could have met your parents to tell them first. I would have asked your dad for permission to marry you. Not that I think you can’t answer for yourself. But I would want him to know how much I love you. How I’ll do anything for you. I’d want him to know I’ll spend the rest of my life protecting you.”

My chin wobbles. A tear trickles down my cheek. “They would have loved that.” Swallowing hard, I add, “But I think they know.”

“I thought asking you here might make you feel like they’re a part of it,” Micah says. “I don’t know if I was right, or if I messed up⁠—”

“You didn’t.” Leaning down, I cup his jaw while I kiss him, tasting salt on my lips. “This is the perfect place.”

Micah’s gaze searches mine. I’ve never seen him look more vulnerable. “I really love you, Ruby. And I promise, if you marry me, I will spend every day doing my best to make you happy.”

“So will I.” Sniffling, I continue, “It goes both ways. If you marry me, I’ll spend my life trying to make you happy, too. Because I love you with all my heart.”

“So you’ll marry me?” Hope shines in his eyes. “You’ll be my wife?”

I nod. “Yes. Absolutely.” Dropping to my knees, I fling my arm around his neck and kiss him hard. “I will marry you, Micah Sutton. I’ve been hoping you’d ask.”

A relieved smile spreads across Micah’s face. “You have?”

“Maybe once or twice,” I admit.

He carefully takes the ring from the box and slides it onto my finger, then hugs me to him again. “I’ve thought about it a lot.” He draws back to look at me. Then he chuckles. “I think the guys were taking bets to see when I’d propose.”

I glance at the ring on my finger. My chest swells with happiness. “I wonder who got it right.”