Alysa blushed. “I think we need to start slower than that.”
“Am I moving too fast?” I asked.
She raised a brow, looking puzzled. “Neither of us are in any shape to move fast, Jasper.”
“You know what I mean,” I said with a smile.
Alysa said, “Are you asking if I’m excited to be checking out of rehab today and getting to go home with you? Because I sure am ready for that.”
“Good. I know you will still need to come for PT every day, but it will be nice waking up with you next to me,” I said.
“I will be in a real bed, and I will be with you. Nothing is better than that,” she said.
I stepped to one side so she could see the table behind me. “I’m not so sure about that.”
Her eyes widened when she saw the box. “Jasper, what is that?”
“It’s my heart in a box,” I said. I picked it up and opened the box so she could see the black onyx heart surrounded by diamonds.
“Oh, my God, that is beautiful,” she said.
“There is only one requirement to be able to wear it,” I said.
She looked me in the eyes and asked, “What is that?”
“You must say yes.”
Alysa chuckled. “Jasper, there has to be a question before I can answer.”
She was right. In all the excitement of her first few steps, I’d forgotten to ask her to marry me.
Stepping closer to her, I took the ring out of the box, and took her left hand in mine. “Alysa LaHouse, you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Where you are is where home is. You have taught me the true meaning of love, and you complete me. I would love it if you did me the honor and became my wife.”
Even though Alysa knew what I was going to ask, her eyes welled up and she said, “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I slipped the ring onto her finger and bent to kiss her. The PT room erupted in cheers and Alysa pulled back, grinning.
“You should hear them clap when someone does the entire bar without holding on,” she said.
I tipped her chin up to look at me and I said, “That day is coming very soon. And right after that, we’ll plan the wedding so you can walk down that aisle and I can stand there waiting, knowing I’m the luckiest man alive.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and said, “I love you, Jasper.”
“I love you too, Alysa.” I kissed her briefly and said, “Now get back to work, because I can’t wait to make you my wife.”
Alysa turned around and headed back down the parallel bars. This time she picked up the pace. When she got to the end she turned and said with a smile, “There, I’m done. Now let’s go home.”
Home. My second favorite word.
I helped her into her wheelchair and instead of going back to her room, we headed home where we could celebrate our engagement properly.
If we could manage making love after her appendectomy, I’m sure we can handle a full leg cast and back surgery. We know how to be creative!
One thing I knew about Alysa, was when she wanted something, nothing stood in her way.