I love it when she does that.
“Mike?” she questions as she walks, dodging the baby chicks.
“Hi, sweetheart,” I chime and step over handing her the flowers.
Callie smiles and places the chick down, giving it a little pat on its head before it runs off over to Jeni. She stands and looks at me lovingly, then takes the flowers from me and smells them. “Did you do all of this for me?”
“I would do all this and more for you, Callie Anne King,” I claim, taking her hand in mine and kissing it tenderly.
“Oh, Mike, you didn’t need to go to all this trouble…” She pauses. “Wait, why are you doing this?”
I take a deep breath and reach out for the flowers and place them on the haystack. She looks at me with her eyebrows creased, but she has a huge grin.
I look over at Aiden, he’s smiling brightly, then he nods, giving me the go-ahead.
I kiss her hand again and then bend down on one knee. There is an audible gasp from everyone except Aiden, who’s smiling brightly.
Callie’s hand shoots to her mouth, and tears form in her eyes. “Callie, from the moment I met you, you have always been the unattainable woman in my life. Circumstances have shaped us and made us into the people we are today, and with our history, I knew we were going to one day end up together. We had to. Because if I lived a full life without you, I never would’ve truly lived. Callie, you complete me, and I love you more and more every day.” Her bottom lip trembles as I continue, “I’ve only ever wanted one thing since I met you, and that was for you to become my wife,” I say as her hands shake in mine.
“Callie Anne King… will you finally make me the happiest man in the history of the world and marry me?”
She’s looking at me so lovingly as I kneel and wait for her answer. She’s shaking so much, and I raise my eyebrow at her as I continue to wait. My heart is about to go off like a rocket out of my chest if she doesn’t say something soon.
“Callie?” I ask.
“Oh my God… yes. Mike… yes. Of course,” she bursts out with a giant smile.
I explode with pure happiness and get up with Callie’s help.
Damn this old age.
She lunges into my arms, and I hold on to her so tightly while the kids all cheer behind us. Callie is laughing and crying while I nuzzle into her hair, and she pulls back, looking at me through tear-soaked eyes.
“It was always you. Mike. We’ve wasted so many years, I never want to be apart from you again. I should’ve married you all those years ago,” she admits, then kisses me passio
nately, not caring who’s watching. I kiss her back with just as much enthusiasm. I love her and want to take her up to the top of that haystack right now, but I don’t think the kids will approve. Well, they would probably approve, they just wouldn’t want to know about it.
I can’t help the emotion running through me.
I’m finally getting my girl.
“Are you crying, Mike? You never cry,” Brielle asks.
“Oh, Brielle, if only you knew how untrue that statement is,” I say, and she laughs.
Aiden walks over and shakes my hand, and then the other kids take turns hugging their mother.
“Good job, Mike, almost as good as my proposal,” Aiden jests with a smirk.
“Oh, your proposal was pretty good, but I think Callie really liked this one. This place has a lot of meaning for us. Maybe one day I can tell you all about it,” I tell him, and he smiles.
“I’d like that, Mike.” Aiden smiles. “Congratulations, Mom.”
“You knew, didn’t you?” Callie asks, accusing Aiden.
He shrugs. “Sorry, Mom, but aren’t you glad I brought you out here now?”
Callie giggles, and that sound makes me melt as she looks at me with tears in her eyes. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life,” she admits and walks back over to me.