“Oh my gosh, how pretty,” she said.
“I wanted to bring you here the night of your graduation,” he said. “But I got real weird about it and I always regretted that I never took you here.”
“Well, better late than never,” she said and pressed a kiss to his mouth. Then she stepped forward, pulling her backpack off her shoulders. Now, she thought. Do it now.
“Josie,” he said, putting his arms around her from behind. “I can’t tell you how happy I am. This last year has been the best year of my life.”
“Me too,” she whispered. Even with everything that had happened to Helen and the grief that lay over the inn like a veil, she and Cameron had managed to have real joy. “More than I ever thought possible.”
“Well, once you quit that job,” he said, making the same joke he’d been making all year.
“Yeah,” she said. “It has nothing to do with you.”
He chuckled in her ear and kissed her neck before stepping back. She pulled the box out of the backpack, clutching it to her stomach, and set the backpack down on the hard dirt.
“Cameron,” she said. “I really want to ask you something.”
“Me first,” he said, and she turned.
And found him on one knee holding a little back box in his hands.
Oh, she thought. Oh my.
“Will you be my wife?”
“Well,” she said, tears in her eyes. “It’s funny, but I was going to ask you the same thing. I know it’s not a ring, but…” She held out the box in her hand, another, newer version of the high-tech camping coffeemaker she’d gotten for him years ago. “I want to be with you on all your adventures.”
He took the box from her and she opened his to find a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring. “Alice and your mom came shopping with me when they visited us in France last month.”
“That’s what you three snuck off to do,” she breathed. “It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”
He pulled the ring from the box and she held out her hand. Of course it slid right onto her finger like it had been made for her. “You’re perfect,” she said.
“So? Is this a yes?”
“Of course it’s a yes,” she said. “I’ve loved you…” Forever. Since the moment she saw him. For most of her life. Since before she even knew him. All of those were right.
“Me too,” he said, and stood and pulled her into his arms. The morning fell in beautiful golden sheets around them. And it felt like a benediction. A prayer. A holy agreement that they were the right two people for this promise.
“I brought some coffee,” she said. “To make in the coffeemaker. A toast…I mean, it seems a little ridiculous compared to this ring.” God, it really did glitter and shine in the sunlight. Had there ever been a more perfect ring?
“Come on,” he said, linking their fingers. “I know a perfect spot.”
And she went with him, right by his side, because for the rest of her life, the best spot for her was right by his side.