ChapterFive
Alexis
I stood transfixedas my boyfriend of two years knelt in front of me in his Armani suit, and I just blinked. Mortification slid over me, embarrassment slamming into it.
“Clint,” I whispered fiercely, wondering what the hell he could have been thinking.This was someone else’s wedding.
Not only were public proposals tacky, but they were also the worst things in the history of all wedding planning.You never proposed in public. What if the person wanted to say no? What if things got weird? Because they were already really fucking weird.
I loved Clint. I truly did. I knew we were going to get married.
But how could he not know me well enough to understand that a public proposal at a wedding I was working at would not be a good idea? Why did he think that that would be a good idea?
“Baby. I love you. You plan all the weddings. You put everyone else’s needs and happy ever afters in front of your own. Now, baby, it’s time to plan your own happy ever after. To plan ours.”
I just blinked at him, my mouth going dry. “Clint.”
“I know you’re looking at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. Maybe I have. But I love you. I’ve already talked to the bride and groom. You know I work with him.”
“Oh. Right.”
Why couldn’t I say anything longer than a word or two? Why couldn’t I focus or breathe? Why couldn’t I do anything other than want to run away but unable to do so?
“I love you, Alexis. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Here on the happiest days of two of my friends, they gave me permission to ask you to make me the happiest man on this earth.” I looked over his shoulder sharply at the bride and groom as they held each other, tears flowing down the bride’s cheeks. She gave me a thumbs-up and mimicked drinking tea, and I wanted to pass out. Over and away.
She had seen this in her tea leaves. Of course she had.
I looked to the right to see Emily rushing towards me, her mouth gaping open, her eyes wide.
I saw the look ofwhat the fuckon her face, and it mirrored my own.
However, if I walked away, if I broke down and broke Clint’s heart right here, I would be the bitch of all bitches. I would ruin this wedding and put a pall over everything. Nobody would ever want to hire me again. I would lose my job. Lose my sanity. I would lose everything.
This man, the love of my life, had proposed to me in the worst way possible for a wedding planner, but he seems so earnest about it.
I couldn’t ruin this day for anyone.
I wanted this, I reminded myself. I wanted happiness.
Clint was mine. He was my forever.
We might as well start now and not ruin everything that I had worked towards along the way.
I lean down, and whispered, “Yes.”
He beamed as he went to his feet and cheered, “She said yes!”
“Champagne for everybody!” The bride shouted out, and the room cheered, clapping each other on the back and laughing and taking photos. Clint cupped my face and kissed me softly.
“I knew you would love this. I knew this was perfect.”
I looked at the man that I loved, at my fiancé, as he slid the ring onto my finger, a ring I didn’t even notice because I couldn’t breathe, and had to wonder if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.