Page 44 of Dibs
Deacon and I lock eyes, and then he glances up and smiles. I follow suit, and when I look up, I’m dazzled by the stunning Northern Lights that streak and swirl across the sky. Closest to the water is a thick band of neon green, leading up to a brilliant fuchsia that seems to go on forever.
“Holy shit! It’s—it’s so close to my tattoo!” I realize as wonder consumes me. It’s not my first viewing of the aurora borealis, but it’s my first from the middle of a lake with the love of my life beside me.
But Deacon is no longer at my side when I glance back. I sit up, the blanket sliding down, and notice he’s carefully pushed the table in the other direction, and now he’s down on one knee at my feet.
He holds up an open box featuring the set of black diamonds I’d selected from his mother’s rings, and he gives me a wide smile and says, “Beck, baby, I love you. I’ve loved you every minute for the last ten years, and I’ll love you every minute until the day I die. I can’t wait another second to beg you to be my wife. Be mine forever. Marry me, Aspyn Lane Beckett. Please?”
Tears stream down my face at his sincerity, the way his eyes stare at me like I’m the most spectacular thing on this lake under the Northern Lights. I drop to my knees, press my chest to Deacon’s, and I manage a nod. “Yes, of course.” I encircle my arms around his neck and melt my lips to his with all the love and affection in my heart, joy spreading through my veins as the Northern Lights twinkle their approval in the epic way only they can. When we stop kissing, we stand up, and Deacon slides both rings onto my left finger. They fit perfectly. The brilliant colors overhead hit the black diamonds and rubies on my finger, and they twinkle almost as bright as the stunning lights above us.
Deacon rocks me in his arms as I rest my chin on his shoulder and stare up, suddenly feeling a presence so strongly, I can’t deny it. The hair on my arms stands on end, not in a scary way, but one that knows something I can’t explain is happening.
I whisper, “I think your mom is looking down on us. I feel her here. If you have something to say, I think this is your moment.”
Deacon looks thoughtful and finally looks up at the sky. “Mom, if you’re here, just know that everything worked out the way it was meant to. You were right all along, as always. I should have told you it was okay for you to go, Mom. Shouldn’t have begged you to stay like that.”
Tears drip down Deacon’s face. “I wish I had made it easier on you. It’s okay that you had to go, and I hope you’re out of pain now. And I’ll be better at looking in on Dad and my brothers, I promise. I should have told youI got thisbecause I do. I love you, Mom. Thanks for stopping by.”
Two shooting stars streak across the bright pink sky, and I wipe Deacon’s tears before kissing every part of his face.
“She’ll probably stop by at the wedding, too,” I tell him before I kiss him deeply, and the night turns into one we celebrate until we fade off to sleep as the sun rises.
24
ASPYN
It’s only five days later when I wake up on a beautiful morning, the sun streaming in through the curtains, and catch a glimpse of Deacon staring at me. He’s propped up on his elbow beside me in bed. I give him a smile, glance at my rings, and the reality hits me like a freight train, the same way it does every single day.
I’m going to be his wife!
“Good morning, dream girl,” Deacon whispers, leaning over to give me my usual good morning kiss. Even when he wakes up early to go to the office, he never forgets my kiss. “So, I’ve been thinking…”
I giggle. “Uh oh.” I wipe my eyes and yawn, barely out of my dreams yet.
“How would you like to get married today?” Deacon's gaze searches my face as my eyes widen. My mouth falls open in shock as I stammer, “What do you mean, get married today? It’s like a regular Friday, a week before Thanksgiving, and we haven’t planned anything! Not to mention the fact we’ve barely shared with anyone that we’re engaged because we want to do it at Thanksgiving!”
Deacon chuckles with a twinkle in his eye. “Hence my suggestion. The justice of the peace at City Hall has a two o’clock slot free today, and I don’t want to wait another minute to make you my wife. We don’t have to tell anyone if you don’t want to, but I think we should call Steele, ask him to be our witness, and pledge our undying love to one another before the day is over. It just feels like today is the day. I woke up with a sense of urgency I can’t explain. Maybe it’s crazy, Beck, but I love you so fucking much, I can’t handle a long engagement. I need you to be mine forever, starting now.”
I gulp. “It’s a big ask at 6 a.m. on a Friday.” I sit up and lean against the tufted headboard. I want our friends and family to share in our special day, but maybe what they don’t know won’t hurt them. We could still have a wedding, and getting married to Deacon by the day’s end? The more I think about it, the better the idea sounds. After all, I’m ready to be Deacon’s wife, and to call him my husband. We could play it close to the vest until the right time.
“You’ve convinced me, Deac. Let’s do it.” I make the decision, grab his hand, and squeeze it tight. “I love you, and if this is how you want to do it, I’m game!”
“Oh, thank god. Thank you, Beck. I’m so happy!” Deacon claps his hands excitedly. “You’re going to be my wife by 2:15!”
Holy shit. What will I wear?
“Wait, I have a cream-colored dress somewhere,” I realize, kissing Deacon softly before I practically run to my closet to peruse my dresses, finally finding it. A tea-length, mid-weight, lace dress that hugs my curves perfectly, with puffy iridescent sleeves that are on trend for the fall. I rummage through my drawers and pull out a light blue lace bra with matching panties. “And I’ve got something blue.”
He materializes behind me in the large, fancy closet. “Yes, you do. And something borrowed.” Deacon holds out an expensive pearl necklace that had been his mother’s.
“Oh, classy. That’s going to be perfect!” I grin, taking the necklace into my hand and staring down at it. “Plus, I have blue shoes!” I rummage to grab the suede heels that I haven't had a worthy occasion for yet. They’re fancy and smush my baby toe, but they’re worth it.
After Deacon makes me a big breakfast, I use a wave crimper to turn my pink hair into beachy waves, and I step into the dress just as a knock comes at the bathroom door.
“Come in!” I yank the side zipper shut.
Steele appears, and he stands there with his mouth open for a few seconds before he manages an awed, “Wow.”
I giggle. “Thanks, dude.”
