I tried to laugh. "Oh, stop it. You don't really want ten kids."
"Wanna bet?" His expression grew suddenly serious. "The night you told me that you weren't pregnant, wanna know what I was?"
"What?"
"Disappointed."
I blinked. "What? Why?"
"Because I don't wanna wait." He gave me a crooked smile that melted my heart. "And I don't think you want to either."
My head was swimming. "Wait for what?"
"For any of it," he said. "You. Us. A family." His voice softened. "Like the one you lost. And the one I never had."
I stared down at him. He was still on one knee, and the longer he was down there, the more surreal this all seemed. "Really," I said, "you should get up."
But again, he shook his head. "No way."
"Why?"
"Because I haven't even asked you yet."
Almost in a panic now, I blurted out, "Maybe you shouldn’t."
I almost expected him to be angry. After all, this wasn't what the script called for. Yes, I wanted him. I wantedthis, more than words could express. But what if he didn't? What if he was just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear? What if, once again, I'd be crying in the end?
My statement hung between us, like a bomb waiting to explode.
But it didn't.
Joel flashed me a sudden grin. "Or maybe, Ishouldand see what you say." He reached for my hand. "Melody—"
Breathlessly, I said, "What?"
"Will you marry me?"
"I, um…"Oh, my God.I could hardly think. Desperately, I wanted to say yes. I loved him, and if he meant all those things he'd just told me, he and I wanted exactly the same things. But it all seemed so far-fetched.
I searched his gaze. He looked surprisingly unruffled in spite of my unconventional reaction. I said, "How can you be so calm? I mean, isn't this awkward for you?"
He grinned up at me. "Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because I know you're gonna say yes."
"But what if I don't?"
He gave something like a shrug. "Then I'll just ask you tomorrow."
I stifled a sudden laugh. "You wouldn’t."
He was still grinning. "Try me."
But I didn't want to try him, and somehow, his smile was contagious.
Joel said, "See?"
