For the Love of Dixie (Kings of Chaos 3)

“I’m sure, babe, just relax and enjoy it. We’re celebrating your graduation,” Echo says.

“You’re always getting me into trouble.”

“What? We never get caught.”

I giggle.

“There’s the smile I was looking for.”

He twines our fingers and leads me to the bench I’ve come to think of as ours. The flickering candle makes me look up at him. The gesture wasn’t like him. I glance over at him, confused. “Echo, did you do this?”

“Yes, and if you’ll be quiet and go with the flow, you’ll know why soon enough.”

I laugh. He’s my opposite; laid back and go with the flow, he compliments my list-making uptightness. Curious about where he’s headed with this, I let go of my worry about being caught. The pillar candles in glass holders light our way and add a romantic ambience I’ve only read about in books and watched in eighties movies.

We reach our bench and we both sit down.

He reaches under the bench and produces a tin pail full of beers.

“Nice.”

“I thought so.” He cracks open the bottles, hands one to me and keeps one for himself. He holds his beer up. “To the graduate.”

I clink my beer against his. “Cheers. Can’t believe I’ll be headed off to college in the fall.”

“I can, you’re way too smart to just stay here and work some mediocre job for the club or otherwise.”

I beam. He’s been behind me since the day he picked me up at that horrible party. His unwavering faith in me is one of the things I cherish most about our relationship. “Thank you.”

He chuckles. “You’re always so fucking modest, babe. I love that about you.” He leans forward and tucks strands of hair behind my ear.

“I think you’re only with me for my hair,” I say playfully.

He places a sweet kiss on my cheek. “No, but it’s a bonus. I wanted to ask you something.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Okay?”

He clears his throat. “You changed my life the day you called me to come pick you up from the party. You showed me the person I could be, and from there, I figured out the man I wanted to be, and the woman I wanted to be with. The past few years have had their ups and downs. I’m the first to admit that. But the good has always outweighed the bad. I can’t picture life without you, so I have to make sure that never happens.”

I understand his pre-college jitters. “Babe, I’m wearing your mark.”

“Yeah, that’s not enough. I want to make sure the dumbest civilian knows from the second they lay eyes on you, you’re mine.”

My heart races. He can’t be about to do what I think he’s going to do. I place a hand over my heart.

He reaches into the pocket on his cut.

With a gasp, I hold my breath.

“What I’m trying to say is will you marry me and become Mrs. Spencer?”

“Yes.”

He grins and opens the black velvet case. The ring resting on the white material is stunning. The circle

cut diamond is surrounded by a ring of diamonds and the band resembles an infinity symbol done in diamonds.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.