Everything around me stilled; even the bubbling water sounded far away and distant as I stared up at him and down at an antique-style oval-shaped diamond.
“You want to marry me?”
“I want to be everything with you. Life partner, friend, lover… partner in crime.” He smiled and brushed the side of my cheek. “I know we have obstacles ahead, but that’s what marriage is—taking a leap of faith with someone and figuring it out together as we go along. I can’t imagine sharing that experience with anyone but you.”
Faith makes all things possible. Hope makes all things work. Love makes all things beautiful.
I felt no doubt. Only love. I gently took the ring from him and slid it onto my finger.
He cupped my face in his hands with reddened eyes. “I love you so much.”
I responded with a kiss. “So,” I said, “how many kids do you want?”
He grinned. “As many as you’re willing to give me.”
“Ten, okay?”
He laughed and slipped his hands in mine. “How would you feel about adopting a four-legged child first?”
“Heidi will love Cedar Gardens.”
“I know she will.” He picked up Lainey’s carving knife. “Should we carve our initials next to theirs?”
I looked over at Mortimer’s and Marlena’s faded initials inside a heart. “Yes. You first.”
Lucas caved L. M. F. with a plus sign beneath it. I took the knife from him and wrote out my full initials, T. M. R. To finish, he grabbed the knife and engraved a heart around our names.
A Freeman and a Reed engaged to be married. Who would’ve thought that would ever be possible?
