I moved my arm from under his head and sat up. “I like your name,” I stated casually. “Sounds so nice. Very professional and important.” I stared at him, waiting until he looked at me. “Tate Finnigan,” I whispered, repeating his name. “See how good that sounds?”
“I never liked my name,” he admitted.
“How about Luke Finnigan?” I suggested. “That has a nice ring to it.”
Tate gazed up at me. I think he was wondering why I’d emphasized the word ring. “I like my name attached to yours,” he admitted. “Sounds nice just saying it. Luke Finnigan,” he whispered. “Yeah, that is nice.”
I lifted a corner of the blanket and secured a tiny box behind my back. “I’d take your name legally if you’d marry me.”
Tate sat up, his eyes, as usual, filling. Perhaps he was nervous or worried my statement was just a casual side comment. In any event, he pointed to the sky, changing the subject. “Will you live with me on that planet?”
“I’d live on any planet with you, Mr. Finnigan, but I prefer Earth for right now.”
“What are you doing, Luke?” he whispered, holding the hand I extended, the reservoirs in each of his eyes dangerously close to an overflow.
“What do you think I’m doing?” I asked, presenting a small box to him from behind my back.
“Do we have to stay on this planet?” he asked, lowering his eyes to the box he opened. The simple gold band within twinkled brighter than any of his stars. He lifted his face to me. “Because I’ll stay here for you if you want.”
“All you have to do is say yes, and I’ll stay, or go, anywhere with you,” I whispered, gazing at the man I loved. The man who rescued me, loved me, and shared his world with me.
“Well then, Mr. Luke Finnigan, the boy from Half Moon, my answer is yes.”
THE END
