Page 54 of Keeping Mr. Sweet

We’re not alone in the kitchen, but the crew has gotten used to our public displays of affection. They continue on as if there’s nothing to see as I tidy Sam’s collar and he touches his lips to mine.

“I have a feeling this is going to be a great night,” he says, his hands wrapped around my hips. “But then every night for the past four months has been pretty damn great, Ash. I just need you to know that.”

“I know it,” I say, unable to keep my smile at bay. “Best nights of my life.”

“I have to tell you something else.” Lust turns up the corners of his lips as he toys with the off the shoulder straps of my dress and lays them flat against my skin. “This dress is enough to give me a heart attack.”

“That isn’t funny,” I tell him. My heart still bottoms out when I think about that night. I can’t bear the idea of not living each day with him.

“I suppose not,” he agrees. “But I couldn’t find the words to tell you just how perfect you look tonight.”

“Come on.” I take his hand. I feel like I could take flight from how nervous I am. “Let’s go in.”

All of our friends are gathered in one room and we spend a good hour just talking and laughing and being together. I’m not the same girl who came back to Sam with nothing but trouble. I’m not the same girl who thought she was completely alone in the big bad world. Sam is my constant. And these people are my family.

I don’t get those same feelings of guilt and shame and loneliness when I wonder what my mother would think of me now if she were alive to see how I’ve grown. I don’t think about my father and wish things were different. I don’t hate my past, because without it I wouldn’t have this beautiful, close-knit group of people. Or Sam. And Sam is everything to me.

I grab Summer while Sam is deep in conversation with Dylan. Every now and then he glances in my direction and my heart skips a beat.

“Here.” She pushes the small blue box into my hand.

“Does anyone know?” I ask.

“No.” She says. “But I’m dying for them to find out.”

I clutch the box behind my back like my life depends on it as I make my way to Sam. He breaks away from Dylan before I can get to him. He clears his throat and the whole room goes silent.

“Ash, love?” He extends his hand for me to take. I frown at him, confused by the sudden attention of our friends, and he looks a little uncertain as I place my hand in his. “Everything okay?”

“I have something to say to you,” I tell him. “It’s important.”

“I have something to ask you,” he says, sticking his hand into his jacket pocket. “And I don’t think it should wait.”

“Holy shit,” Summer says with a gasp. I swing my gaze to her. She has the biggest smile on her face and her eyes are like sparkly saucers as she stares at me and her brother.

“Ash?” Sam lowers himself onto one knee in front of me as he pulls a box from his jacket pocket. “I’ve known you all your life.”

I gape at him, my eyes tearing up. Completely stunned, I fall on my knees with him. “I’ve loved you for almost as long as I can remember.”

“And I made a promise to you.” His voice trembles, but he continues on as though if he doesn’t get it out right now it might not be exactly what he wants to say. “One you didn’t know about. One that I kept secret since before you were born.”

“I don’t know what you said to me before I was born.” The words tumble out. I’ve rehearsed them so many times this past week that I can’t stop them now. “I don’t know if you knew that we would be friends, or lovers, or family in our own way. But there’s this feeling I get in my heart that makes me believe you told me you would always be mine.”

“I promised you I would always be yours.” His eyes are suspiciously bright as he squeezes my hand. “In whatever capacity you needed. I would be your friend when you needed one. I would be your family when you felt like you had none. I would be your rock when the world didn’t make sense. And I would be your shoulder when you fell apart.”

“You’ve been all those things.” I nod. “Always. And you’ve been more. So much more. Even when I didn’t deserve it.”

“I didn’t expect we’d fall in love.” He opens the box to reveal his grandmother’s gold filigree ring. The oval sapphire is surrounded by a row of round diamonds that glitter under the lights. “I didn’t expect that when I promised to be yours you would choose to be mine.”

“I didn’t think we’d get a second chance after I blew it the first time.” I pull my own box from behind my back. Our friends laugh, and someone says ‘unbelievable’.

Sam does a double take. “Are you proposing to me?”

“I’m trying to.” I beam at him through the tears of joy that are blurring my vision.

“But I’m proposing to you.” He takes the ring from the box. “Or at least I’m trying to.”

“If I don’t get this out, Sam, I’m going to start bawling.” I press my lips together as I open the box I’m holding and pull out the slim gold band I bought. “You loved me at my very worst, you know. You loved me when no one else could. I didn’t want to wait for the perfect moment to ask you to marry me. I didn’t want to wait until you asked me. I just wanted you to know that I’m yours. Always. Now. Forever.”

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