Sometimes I can’t believe we’ve been together nearly a year, and other times, I struggle to imagine what I did before he was in my life.
Together, we clean up from our quiet little gathering, just family and a couple of people from work I’ve gotten closer to over the past year. I can actually claim a few real friends from work now, after years of having only acquaintances. I don’t know how it works, but being in a happy, secure relationship seems to draw people in. I’ve made deeper connections with people I’ve known for years, like Elouise, the ER nurse I love working with, and I’ve even made new friends, like Colton, the labor and delivery nurse. My life holds so much more joy than I could have ever imagined.
After cleaning up, I grab Dylan, pulling him in close and nipping at his bottom lip when he leans down for a kiss.
“I’m not tired yet. Want to sit by the fire and have one last beer?” I ask.
He nods. “I’ll let the dogs out of the laundry room and meet you outside,” he says and heads down the hall to where we corral the three monsters when we’re too busy to watch them. I race upstairs to dig out the little box I’ve been hiding in my underwear drawer for weeks.
I know Dylan’s not expecting me to ask him to marry me. Neither of us feels like it’s necessary, but I want to make sure if anything ever happens to one of us, there’s no way the other one can be shut out of any decisions.
Sticking the little box in my pocket, I scurry back outside to find him in one of the Adirondack chairs surrounding the fire table, a beer in his hand, staring into the flames as they throw off a warm glow.
“Do you think you’ll miss this house?” he asks as I sit in the chair beside him.
“A little,” I reply. “This place will always be special to me because it brought us together, but I’m ready to be at the farm permanently.”
He smiles, the flickering firelight casting shadows that dance over his face.
Getting up from the low chair, he stands in front of me, extending his hand. “C’mere, you. You’re too far away over there,” he says, tugging on my hand.
When I stand, he pulls me in close, wrapping me up in his arms the way I like, making me feel safe and protected.
We move to the comfortable outdoor sectional, where he sits and tries to pull me onto his lap, but I resist.
“What is it?” He looks up, confused.
Taking a deep breath, I sink down to one knee in front of him. If I’m doing this, I’m going all in.
Confusion crosses his face, changing to surprise when I pull the small velvet box out of my jeans.
“I know we decided it’s not necessary, but the more I thought about it, the more right it felt to me. Dylan, when we met, I didn’t believe I was capable of loving anyone. I honestly didn’t think I knew how. I figured I was just fine on my own, not really connected to anyone else, safe by myself.
“But you showed up, and I tried so hard to resist you, but without even trying, you got around all my walls, and before I knew it, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.”
I have to pause to swallow the lump in my throat before continuing. Dylan looks as if he’s frozen in place, although he’s chewing relentlessly on his bottom lip.
“You surprise me all the time with your honesty and your curiosity and your passion for all kinds of things. You have taught me so fucking much, things about myself, about the world, about life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to show you how much I love you, how grateful I am for everything you’ve brought into my life, and how my feelings just keep growing. But I’ll keep trying, for the rest of our lives. So, Dylan Campbell, will you marry me?”
His eyes are shining, and he releases his bottom lip from between his teeth to whisper, “Oh my god, Reed… yes, of course yes!”
I slip the band onto his finger as he slides off the couch so we’re kneeling in front of each other. Grabbing my face in his hands, he gazes at me with tenderness before covering my mouth in a searing hot kiss that steals the breath right out of my lungs. I lean into him, letting his love wash over me. I finally have the sense of peace that comes with knowing I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and I’m never giving that up.