It was perfect.
What wasn’t going well was the message from Becky warning him it wasn’t working. The last thing he wanted was to be away from his girl, but this would be the most amazing wedding proposal ever.
“You know, I think I liked you better when you didn’t care all that much.”
“Oh, shut up and get to work.” He pulled out his cell phone to see his texts hadn’t been responded to by Becky.
Not a single one.
Dialing her number, he put his cell phone to his ear, waiting.
Nothing.
Damn it.
After all the guys helped him, he’d promised them all pizza, and if he didn’t follow through, they would all be pissed. He wasn’t above bribery to get what he wanted. Pocketing his cell phone, he noticed John watching him. “What’s up, man?”
“Nah, just thinking.”
“Does it stop you from working?” he asked.
John burst out laughing. “You must really love her.”
“I do. I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“You don’t think that’s a little, you know, intense and heavy for being only eighteen?”
“Is that how you feel about your girl?” he asked, turning toward him.
“Point taken, but I don’t have your reputation when it comes to girls, do I? I’m just me. What made you change?”
Blue looked past John’s shoulder and smiled. “I looked at her one day, and it was like I’d never seen her before. At first, I thought it was a weird-as-fuck crush. Then, I just found myself watching her. I’d look for her smile, and then I’d stare at her during class. I wanted to know everything about her. Yes, I paid for people to find out as much as they could. I wanted to know it all. When I had all the information, I just, yeah, I completely fucking fell and it has been that way for weeks now. I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. There’s a shitload of firsts she never got of mine. I’ve had loads of hers, but she is the first and only woman I ever fell in love with, and there’s no way that is going to change. I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I know it’s corny as shit, but I want to get old with her. Raise our kids and have grandkids together. When I think of the future, she’s all I see.”
“Then marry me,” Laylah said, surprising him.
He looked down the long corridor and sure enough, there she was, watching him with a beautiful smile on her face.
“What are you doing here?”
“If you want to surprise me, you should find someone else to take care of me. Becky isn’t the best person for the job.” She took a step closer. “I thought you wanted to dump me, not ask me to marry you.” She offered him a smile. “I want to marry you. I love you so much. I … this scares me, a lot, but you’re the only one I want. The only one I can see myself marrying. I don’t know how you did it, Blue, but I am completely and totally in love with you.”
“You spoiled my surprise.”
“This is the best surprise a girl could ask for, but you haven’t given me your answer,” she said, giggling.
“Fuck, yes. Hell, yes.” He closed the distance between them, taking her into his arms. He sank his fingers into her hair, pulling her close and slamming his lips down on hers. She moaned his name, wrapping her arms around him, and this, right here, this was what he wanted. “I wanted to ask you to marry me.”
“Well, at least I got in there first. Please tell me I’m the first girl to ask you to marry me.”
“Well …”
She rolled her eyes.
“You’re the first girl to say yes to me, how does that work?”
She giggled. “I can handle that. How long have you been planning this?”
He looked at Becky then John. “A week.”
“Oh, please, he had this idea for like ten seconds and then he was totally winging it. Well done, Blue, I didn’t think you had it in you to actually take me by surprise but I like it.”
Blue patted his arm and then he pulled her friend in for a hug.
John came toward them and she hugged her best friend. “Thank you.”
“You’ve got yourself a keeper there. Hold on to him.”
“I intend to.” She looked at Blue. “We’ve got to tell our parents.”
“First,” Blue said, getting down on one knee. “At least I came prepared.” He pulled out a black velvet box. He opened the box to the most beautiful engagement ring she’d ever seen. “Can I put it on, fiancée?”
She held her hand out, and he slid the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.
“Oh, Blue.”