She let out an exhausted groan. “After that? I need a twenty-yearrest.”
I chuckled. “Too bad. I’ve got something to showyou.”
“Since when?” she asked, sitting up and mopping her forehead with the back of her hand. “I thought you had stuff to work on thisafternoon.”
“Changed my mind.” I cocked a brow at her andgrinned.
She made a short huffing sound, but she did as I said and put on some fresh clothes. I did the same, mind humming withanticipation.
“Where are we going?” Laney asked as we headed out the front door and turnedleft.
“You’ll see.” I directed her down the path that led toward Alton’s nicest feature—the sunkengarden.
It was an enormous gray stone sunken amphitheater on the edge of the campus with gardens, ponds, and terraced lawns. It was surrounded by thick trees, so a lot of people didn’t know it was there—even students who’d been at the university for years. Those who were aware of its existence knew its value, though. It was a safe haven for students and staff; a quiet, idyllic piece of heaven to relax in when the rest of the world seemed too fast-paced andcrazy.
It was Laney’s favorite spot at Alton. She loved the peacefulness of the place, the meandering paths throughout the gardens, the snowball-sized bursts of flowers, and the stepping stones hidden in the grass near the biggest pond. She also loved the small animals, bugs, and insects that made the garden their home; even the big creepy spiders spinning their webs between plants. She said it all reminded her of a book she loved as a child—The SecretGarden.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, peering around the place as we trudged down the terraces. There’d been a short downpour of rain earlier this morning, and the blades of grass and leaves in the gardens were glimmering with littledroplets.
“It’s your favorite place,” Isaid.
“I know, but you said you had something to show me,” she replied. “Did they add somethingnew?”
She turned and peered over at the nearest pond. By the time she turned back around to look at me again, I was down on one knee. Right between my thumb and fingers was a big sparklingring.
One hand flew to Laney’s mouth, and her eyes went wide as saucers. “Yes!” she managed to choke out behind herfingers.
I grinned. “You didn’t even let me askanything.”
She dropped her hand, cheeks flushing bright red. “Sorry,” shesqueaked.
I laughed. “Will you marry me,Laney?”
I was originally planning on proposing after our graduation ceremony in a few weeks. Then I realized there were two problems withthat.
Firstly, Laney didn’t like huge public displays, and secondly, I realized a proposal might detract from all the excitement of graduation. She’d worked fucking hard to get to Alton and earn her degree, so I didn’t want to steal that thunder from her by getting her and everyone else excited about a surprise engagementinstead.
This was much better. A quiet moment in her favorite place, with just the two ofus.
“Yes!” She couldn’t stop nodding as her eyes glistened withtears.
I stood and slipped the ring onto her finger. “I love you,” I murmured, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear before stroking my fingertips down her beautifulface.
“I love you too,” she said, beaming brightly. “I can’t wait to marryyou.”
I couldn’t waiteither.
My family had been decimated in recent years, but together, Laney and I were going to build a new one. Our very own family filled with love, affection, and security. Not like the shit we both grew up with, courtesy of ourfathers.
I wasn’t sure if we’d ever return to life in Royal Falls and let our future children grow up there. It would depend on the job Laney got after she finished law school in a few years. Where we ended up didn’t matter to me, though. Laney was my real home, so wherever she wanted to go, I’d happilyfollow.
I wouldn’t mind going back to Royal Falls for a few weeks just to show her off as my wife, though. No one from that town ever expected to see us together. Even after all the shit that went down there four years ago, a lot of our peers assumed we’d split at some point. They thought the money and class difference would eventually rear its ugly head and get between us, despite everything we’d gone throughtogether.
I knew that would never happen. Not a fuckingchance.
Maybe Laney didn’t come from so-called American royalty, like everyone else in Royal Falls, but that didn’t mean anything tome.
She’d always bemyqueen.
THEEND