“Did you see my text about going to that new bar tonight?” I asked her.
“Yes, and I told everyone at the office about it. It’s only five people as of now, I know, but I told them to tell people, too.”
“Want to go sooner or later?”
“Sooner,” she said. “And then we can stay here tonight since your place is closer.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s get the dishwasher loaded now so we don’t come home to a mess.”
I shook my head. “Rosalina can clean up tomorrow.”
Sheridan arched her brows. “We aren’t leaving crusty, tomato sauce–covered plates for your housekeeper to scrub tomorrow. Let’s load the dishwasher.”
“I hope you don’t mess up your dress.”
“It’ll be fine.”
My stomach churned nervously. I was eager to get to the bar, where I was going to surprise Sheridan with one last thing on our first Valentine’s Day together. I didn’t want to spend time cleaning up the kitchen, but she was right; it was best to do it now.
“You scrape the food off dishes and put away the leftovers. I’ll prerinse everything and load the dishwasher,” she said, looking out of place doing housework in her glamorous makeup and dress.
These were my favorite times together. I loved doing domestic things with Sheridan, especially on those rare weekend days when we were both wearing sweats and didn’t have to run off anywhere.
“We got coffee from that new place next to the office today,” she said as we both worked.
“Yeah? How was it?”
“Marginal. It wasn’t hot, and they only filled Annie’s coffee three-quarters full. I think I’ll just buy a really nice coffee maker for the office.”
She dropped a spoon on the floor and I said, “I’ve got it.”
As I bent down to pick it up, I felt the bulge of the small box in my pants pocket and I got an idea.
It wasn’t fancy. I hadn’t planned it this way. But something about this moment felt perfect. I took the box from my pocket and opened it.
“Depending on the day, the Starbucks line is worth it, though,” she was saying. “It’s—”
“Sheridan?”
She looked down at me, at the little black box with a sparkling diamond ring in one hand and a dirty spoon in the other. I set the spoon back down on the floor.
“I love you more than measure,” I said, my pulse pounding. “You’re my best friend. I want to load the dishwasher with you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?”
She grabbed a dish towel and dried her hands, eyes welling with tears as a huge smile overtook her face, and she said, “Yes!”
Relief and joy flooded through me as I stood up and she jumped into my arms. I held her tightly and we kissed. She pulled back and wiped her cheeks, saying, “I’m going to get makeup all over you.”
“I don’t care.”
“Oh my God! I’ve never been so surprised in my life!”
I took her left hand and slipped the ring onto it. “I was going to do it tonight, with everyone there, but it felt right for it to just be me and you.”
“It was perfect,” she said softly, looking down at the pear-shaped solitaire on her finger. “I still can’t believe it!”
I kissed her again. “If you hadn’t bid on that date with me, I never would have found you.”
“Oh, you never know. We may have run into each other somewhere else. Would you have noticed me?”
“Absolutely.”
She laughed and a fresh round of tears spilled onto her cheeks. “I just can’t believe how happy I am. I’ve never been this happy.”
“Me either.” I smiled and reached for the spoon I’d set down, loading it into the dishwasher’s silverware rack. “Now let’s finish this so we can go celebrate.”
“Engaged?” Annie cried an hour later when she and Sawyer walked into Calypso shortly after Sheridan and I had arrived. “Oh, Sheridan! I’m so happy for you guys!”
Hadley hugged me, and then Sheridan, and then me again.
“You are a wise man, Lars Jansson,” she said in my ear. “You picked a great one.”
“Thank you.”
“Sheridan, welcome to the family,” Wes said. “Although it feels like you’re already part of it.”
Boone bought a round of drinks for everyone and we toasted to the engagement. Usually, Sheridan was off with Hadley and Annie when we were at team gatherings, but tonight, she’d stayed by my side. Tonight was about us.
I couldn’t stop looking at her and smiling. She was going to be my wife. Six months ago, I’d thought the bachelor life was the greatest. Little had I known.
“Congratulations, man,” Nash said when he arrived and I told him the news. “You guys are great together. I can’t think of anyone better for you.”
“Will you be my best man?”
He grinned. “Nothing would make me happier. But…I may have a scheduling conflict.”
“We haven’t scheduled it yet.”
“I’d love it if the wedding was before or after my thing.”