She gives me a strange look. “Are you okay?”
“Come here,” I say.
She comes closer and smiles sweetly at me. “What’s going on, Rye?”
“I know it might seem fast,” I stammer. “But when you think about it, we’ve known each other for almost ten years. Yeah, we hit some pretty big speed bumps along the way, but we made it through. And now everything’s perfect. I have you, and Nathan…this house. We can be a family. There’s only one thing that’s missing.”
She grabs my hand. “Everything is perfect. I couldn’t possibly ask for anything else.”
I shake my head. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I can think of one really important thing to ask for.”
She crinkles her brows. “What’s that?” I drop to my knee and pull the ring out of my pocket, opening the box. “Oh,” she gasps.
I take her hand. “Devyn, I meant it when I said that you’re it for me. There’s never going to be anyone else in this world that means more to me than you do. I’ve loved you for almost ten years, even though I was too stupid to admit it until recently. But I know, without a doubt, that we were meant to be together. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to teach Nathan how to play football and drive a car. I want to make more babies with you and watch our child growing inside of you. I want to run out at two in the morning to get you pickles and ice cream or whatever other nasty shit pregnant ladies crave. I want to bounce our grandchildren on my knee and look over at you when you’re old, wrinkly, and gray and still think you’re the sexiest woman alive. I want to be there through it all with you. I want to do it all for you. For us. There’s only one thing I need from you in return.”
She wipes a tear away. “What’s that?”
I smile. “I need you to say yes. Devyn Summers, will you make me the happiest sonofabitch alive and be my wife?”
She nods. “Yes.”
I slide the two carat solitaire on her finger and stand up. “Yes? Really?”
The tears are flowing freely now. “Really, Rye. N
ow take me to bed so we can practice making those babies.”
I grin. “Deal.”