Page 25 of In the Light of Day

“Ace, I'm starting to worry now. What do you need to know?”

Taking a deep breath, I ask the question that I've thought about since I understood the concept of what was being asked.

“How did I propose?”

Not quite hearing me, the words tumble out of her, “Look I'm sorry if I overstepped. It was a natural response seeing we were literally in a wedding dress shop. Wait? Did you say, how did you propose?”

Her eyebrows scrunch up in the cutest frown ever to exist, it's like watching a confused kitten ... minus the fur.

“Um, I don’t know, I don’t think I said anything about that.”

She pulls her lip into her mouth, sucking on it slightly as she thinks about what I've asked.Lord have mercy.

“Think, love. Was it on a tropical beach? A hot air balloon? Did I have a light-up sign sayingMarry Mehanging on the side of a horse in a field? Was I wearing rhinestone-encrusted cowboy boots? Chewing on straw? I've always thought I could pull off a cowboy look but where do I even buy an outfit like that? This is important, Nova. I need to know word for word how I did it.”

My hands absently rub up and down her thighs, thinking of all the ways I could have done it.

“Ace?” she laughs shaking her head, bringing her hands to my face, relief flooding her. “Thisis what you've been worried about?”

“Thisis important, Nova.” I practically whine, pushing away from her so I can truly express the importance of this. “Every little boy dreams of the day he gets to ask his special person to be his! To live with him through the good and bad. The worse and the worserer.”

“I don't think that's a word,” she says, interrupting my speech, chuckling.

Ignoring her, I continue, “That he knows no matter what, he will face the world with the most important person in his life standing by his side.”

“Ace, come here,” she grins, trying to hold back her laughter as I resume my position snuggled between her thighs. Her hands move down my neck, resting on my chest, over my heart, and I want to tell her of all the ways I've thought about us becoming more. Of how I would ask her if we ever got to that point in our relationship. That I would choose a way worthy of her and everything she brings to my life that makes it better.

“I'm sorry, but I'm almost certain we didn't even discuss it. I think I just said we eloped and left it at that.”

Gasping in mock horror, I fling my hand to my brow. “Must I do all the work here, darlin'. Where did we get married? What kind of suit was I wearing? What colour? I know black is classic but I've always thought I was more of a navy blue kind of man. You know, the little pond behind the barn is beautiful in the summer, if you don’t look back at the barn that is. Oh gods, I'm sweating. I'm sweating and rambling. I don’t think I've been this nervous since the day I joined the service. But you said yes. You said yes to me. You're my wife, and I'm your husband.” I have to take a moment to collect myself, this is like every dream of mine coming together all in the space of a few hours.

You need me to kill a guy. No worries. Am I making it look like an accident or is it a kill shot? But this, planning out my fictional perfect wedding to the woman of my dreams, that's fucking scary.

“I just want this to be perfect. You’re my family, love.”

I can't help the huge smile on my face now. I've had my second to panic and process. On my list of things to do today, I can say with utmost honesty, that I was not expecting this. The woman of my dreams told her sister we’re married, and even though it's not real on paper, it's real in every way that matters.

“Okay then, baby, we’re correcting some wrongs right now.”

Lifting her from the bench, I place her gently in the middle of the kitchen, the sun shining brightly in the warm summer air. It glows, sparkling behind her, making her look like an angel as her hair catches in the light.

Kneeling before her, she gasps as she realises what I'm about to do, stepping close to me and mumbling that I don’t need to. But that's what she doesn't realise. I do need to. Every fibre of my being needs to do this properly. I may not have had time to make a movie trailer ofour special moments or a proposal scavenger hunt. But this, me asking for her hand. We don’t need to make up a story about this.

On bended knee, I’m almost eye level with the woman who captured my heart in every sense of the word. I take her hand, gently holding it as she covers her mouth with the other, her eyes glistening with unshed emotion.

“Nova Davis, from the first day we met I knew you were special, that I had to have you in my life. Then those feelings grew and changed and now I stand before you, well, I'm kneeling, but you know what I mean.” Oh my gods, can I muck this up any further? “What I'm trying to say is, you’re my person, love. For better or better, you’re it for me. You’re my lobster, baby, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. If you would do me the honour of giving me your hand in marriage.”

“Ace,” she cries, her voice hitched as tears overflow, a big smile spread across her face. “Youhaveto stop watching re-runs ofFriends.” She throws herself at me and we come together like two magnets that will never part.

“It would make me real happy if you said yes now, baby.”

My balance falters and I fall back on my haunches, keeping her safe as I end up sitting unceremoniously on my ass in the middle of the kitchen floor.

“That was beautiful,” she whispers, nuzzling into the crook of my neck.

You're beautiful

“You still have to say yes, darlin',” I say, holding her tightly against me, gently rubbing her back as she nuzzles into the crook of my neck.

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