Page 67 of More Than a Match

Alex appears from the kitchen with two glasses of wine. “Of course, babe. Dinner is served.”

I follow him into the dining room and gasp. There’s an array of delicious food on the table, surrounding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. “Oh shit! Did I forget an anniversary? Is it a holiday?” I can’t help but panic slightly.

“No! No, not at all,” Alex is quick to reassure me. “I just wanted to do something nice for my favorite girl.”

“Oh good,” I sigh. “You scared me!”

He pulls my chair out for me. “Eat up! I’ve got something cool to show you after dinner.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, thought you’d like it. Remind me after dinner so I don’t forget.”

“Can you give me a hint?”

“No, sorry. It’s funnier if you go in blind.”

“Fair enough.” I take a bite of my food and my taste buds light up with familiarity. “Hey wait, is this…?”

“Yeah! I was kind of craving it today and we haven’t eaten there in forever, so I thought it would be a nice treat.”

“Well, you thought right! It’s delicious.”

We eat and chat until I feel like I can’t eat anymore. I stand to clear the table, but Alex stops me. “We’ll get that in a minute. I wanna show you the thing first.”

“Oh yeah, go for it!” I’m expecting him to pull out his phone to show me a video, but he beckons me toward the back yard. We step outside onto the dark patio.

“Hey, can you flip on the lights?” He asks as he heads out into the yard.

“Sure,” I reply, reaching behind me to flip on the switch. The little porch light flips on, but so do a thousand twinkle lights, hanging delicately from the trees in the yard. Soft music plays, though I can’t pinpoint the source. I gasp in delight, taking it all in.

“Oh my god, baby! It’s beautiful! What’s all this?”

I step out onto the grass and realize that there are rose petals strewn all over the lawn. He’s waiting for me under the largest tree, the lights swaying gently in the breeze above him.

“What’s going on?”

Alex takes both of my hands in his. “What’s going on is that I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you. I needed to know you, to hold you, to be near you. And I was lucky enough that the universe granted my wish. Every day with you is a blessing, an absolute miracle. I would die for you, a thousand times over… but I’d rather live, if it means you will be by my side.”

He drops to one knee and continues, “you make my life immeasurably better by being in it. You are the sunshine on my darkest days, the rain in my drought, the warmth of a fire on a cold night. You are my forever, my eternal love, and I would be the happiest man if you’ll do me the honor of promising me a forever after with you.”

Tears sting my eyes and I don’t hold them back as he pulls out a ring that sparkles like fire in the soft swaying lights. “Mina, will you marry me?”

I nod several times before choking out, “yes! Yes of course!”

He stands and slips the ring on my finger, then holds up my hand triumphantly, shouting to the sky, “she said yes!”

Our patio door slides open and my parents rush out, blowing party horns. I can’t help but laugh at the sight of them hustling across the flower-covered lawn to embrace us.

“Oh my gosh, look at you guys!”

“We’re so happy for you!” mother yells, tears streaming down her face. She pinches my cheek before pulling me into a crushing embrace. “Look at you, my little Mina. All grown up!”

“Congratulations, my princess,” my father says huskily, fighting back his own tears. “I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become.” He turns to Alex and shakes his hand, adding, “and I’m looking forward to officially having you in our family.”

“Wait a minute.” It finally occurs to me that my parents are standing in our backyard. “Were you guys hiding in the house the whole ti—"

“Congratulations!”

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