Page 135 of A Taste Of Darkness

Keeping the note in my hand, I followed the rose and candle path across the floor to another set of stairs.

The door at the top of the stairs was open, shining some of the evening sun into the restaurant, but it wasn’t a lot.

Making my way up the stairs, I found one last envelope glued to the wall. I ripped it off, tears swimming in my eyes as I read.

Five things I love most about you:

- How you care so much about everyone

- The way you get super excited about little things

- How you’re always supportive of the people you love

- The way you smile, especially at me when you think I wouldn’t notice you’re looking

- The way you pretend you can’t do certain things just to ask me for help and make me feel useful

My heart skipped a beat or two. When I read the first line, I expected superficial things, but these were details. They were deep things that he noticed because he actually paid attention to me.

With every step I got more nervous, tears were already streaming down my face, and it didn’t seem like they would stop any time soon.

We’d been talking about this for a while, and while others thought it was too early, neither Milo nor I thought so. Still, I didn’t think it was going to happen this year.

As I approached the top of the stairs, the soft hues of dusk painted the sky in shades of pink and lavender. Candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow on the rooftop, and pink rose petals were scattered all across the deck.

My heart quickened, beating so heavy that it would’ve jumped right out of my chest had it been possible.

Milo stood in the middle of the rooftop, watching each of my steps. “You didn’t really believe I was going to be late for our date, right?”

I shook my head, even if that was a lie. Frankly, I wasn’t even sure if I was reacting to his words or everything before me.

He smiled nervously once I stood right in front of him, and I realized his hands were shaking as he took mine.

“I know you only have limited memories of the day we met, and you pretty much forgot about me… but for me, there hasn’t been a single day ever since that you didn’t cross my mind,” he said, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to laugh or cry, so I did both.

“You’ve been my escape for so many years before that escape fantasy turned into my reality, into my home. I know that no matter how bad my day is, I’ll come home to see your face, hold you in my arms, and suddenly, nothing matters anymore. You’re the only person on the entire planet who can turn bad days into something amazing. The only person who can turn frowns into smiles by simply being there.” He enveloped my face, swiping his thumbs underneath my eyes to wipe away my tears. “And you’re definitely the only person who needs at least a minute to know what one plus three equals.”

“It’s four,” I replied, laughing through my tears. “I’m not that bad at math.”

“Whatever you say, cuore mio.”

I hit him lightly, only getting a chuckle in return. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to hear the rest of the speech.”

“Honestly, there isn’t much more to say. Just that you’re the best person in the entire universe, and that I’m proud of the fact that you’re all mine. I can’t imagine living another second without you by my side, without you wearing my ring on your finger, and without you filling each of my days with laughter and an endless amount of love. I want you to make me the most selfish person in the entire universe for stealing you, taking everyone else’s chance of ever having the best person to exist in their life.” He reached a hand into his pocket, pulled out a velvet ring box, and went down on one knee. “Marry me, Sterlie. Let me be selfish and call you mine for the rest of our lives.”

My vision was so blurry from all the tears, that I couldn’t even see the ring when he opened the box, but it didn’t matter because I would’ve said yes even if he hadn’t gotten me a ring at all.

“Yes,” I cried, not being able to find my voice. I fell to my knees, swinging my arms around his neck. “I’ll marry you.”

His arms wrapped tightly around my body, the sigh of relief so audible, I would’ve laughed hadn’t I been overwhelmed with too many of my emotions already. Milo fell back, sitting down on the floor to ensure he could hold me as comfortably as possible, while still making sure I wasn’t the one who sat on the cold stone.

Time seemed to stand still for a while, the world around us fading away as I enjoyed the warmth of my fiancé’s embrace.

“Let me put the ring on your finger,” he said after a while before pulling away and reaching for my hand. Milo took the ring out of the box, sliding it onto my ring finger.

It was a bit too loose, but I was sure it wouldn’t take long until Milo got it resized. And knowing him, he’d pay extra to stand and watch just to make sure whoever was going to resize the ring didn’t mess it up.

I finally looked at the ring, gasping at how beautiful it was.

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