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Kevin reached for her other hand and pulled Jess up with him, their bodies flush against one another.
“Jessica, I believe we never had the chance to finish your bucket list that summer.”
Her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? Yes, we did. I finished all ten.”
“Yes, but you were so busy being brave, sweetheart, you forgot there was one more thing on there.”
“I’m so confused.”
He grinned, then reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He carefully pulled out a worn piece of paper, then unfolded it gently.
She chuckled at the familiar scrap of legal pad paper. “You still have it?”
He scoffed. “Of course I still have it, Jessica! Do you think I would toss away the most important part of our history?”
“You’re such a sap,” she teased.
He grinned. “You picked your last thing on the list, but if you try to remember closely…”
She gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth. “You also added something.”
“Sure did, sweetheart.”
“Oh my god, I completely forgot.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay, we both said we would clock ours in at the time of our choosing. You chose the end of that summer. I choose now.”
He handed her the paper. Jess lifted it and read through the list, smiling at the small doodles of dogs and beach waves and hearts that Kevin added throughout that summer. Check marks were ticked off for each number, until she reached the last one.
11. Say yes
She frowned. “Say yes to what?”
Jess looked up, realizing Kevin was gone. She dropped her arm and glanced around to find out where he went, then quickly realized he hadn’t gone anywhere. He only changed his position, the piece of paper blocking him from where he now kneeled down in front of her.
Her mouth fell open.
Kevin beamed at her, then popped open the small maroon box in his hand, revealing the biggest diamond ring she had ever seen.
“Kevin…that ring is huge.”
His grin was infectious. “It sure is.”
“How did you even afford that?”
“Secret savings account. It’s a good thing my hot girlfriend taught me how to budget. And I would very much like to make her my hot wife.”
She kept staring at the ring—white gold band, yellow teardrop diamond.
“That thing looks like it has multiple carats.”
“Good, because it does.”
“Kevin…”
“Jessica Valerie, I love you so much it hurts. I’ve been wanting to get down on one knee since the day we made that list. Since the day I made the offer. You may think this ring is ridiculous, but so what? You deserve to be pampered and loved. I want to show you off because you sparkle even brighter than this ring, brighter than the ocean beside us, brighter than the sun above that beautiful head of blonde hair. I want the entire world to know that you’re mine and I’m yours. You let me in and trusted me with your heart, and I intend on keeping it and protecting it for the rest of my life.”
She grinned. “What’s mine is yours and all that.”
