I step cautiously, as always, around the perpetually muddy ruts just outside the barn.
At my side, Billy stops suddenly and looks toward the ground. “Did you drop something, Kate?”
I immediately take two big steps away from him. “Very funny! I’m not falling for your dirty tricks today, Billy Taylor!” I’m ready to run if he lunges at me with mud.
He bends down briefly and then turns toward me with something in his hands. But it’s not mud; he actually is holding something shiny.
I watch him, trying to figure out what he’s playing at. He quickly closes the space between us and then drops down on one knee in front of me.
I see that the very shiny object in his hand is a diamond on a platinum band.
My mouth opens but nothing comes out.
I look down and see Billy looking up at me. His playfulness is gone. He’s gazing deep into my eyes as though he’s looking for the answer to a question he hasn’t asked yet.
I can’t believe this is happening. We’d talked about marriage, but only in abstract terms; a “someday” kind of thing. I was not expecting this. I can feel my hands shaking and my lip trembling in surprise.
Billy takes one of my hands in his and smiles at me. As my mind tries to catch up with what’s happening, I notice distractedly that he’s kneeling in mud.
I smile back at him, and my expression seems to give him the encouragement he needs to speak. “Kate?”
I nod and feel tears well up.
“I love you, Kate Randall, and I can’t imagine ever being without you.” He focuses on my hand in his and squeezes it tighter before looking back into my eyes with his gorgeous brown ones. “Will you marry me?”
I nod my head quickly several times, and then finally manage to vocalize my “yes.” It comes out as a cry of happiness. I don’t wait for the ring; I pull at his hand to try to bring him closer, while at the same time I lean down to meet him and throw my arms around his broad shoulders.
“Absolutely, yes!” I cry as I hold him tight. “I love you so much.”
We kiss, and it’s full of love and new meaning brought by the commitment we’ve just made to each other. His lips are soft and warm on mine as he folds me into his strong embrace. When we finally part, Billy takes my hand again and brings my attention back to the ring. It’s beautiful — an emerald cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones — but it could be a loop of aluminum foil and I would be thrilled with it, as long as it came with the promise of spending the rest of my life with Billy, the perfect man for me.
He slips the ring onto my finger, and then I hear clapping and calls of celebration nearby. My mom, George, and Tommy are gathered together a short distance away, and they’ve apparently just witnessed our engagement.
“She said ‘yes!’” Billy yells with a loud whoop. He gives me another kiss, and then he scoops me up in his arms and carries me toward our future.