Page 150 of Rare Blend
I was so overcome when he was down on one knee, I never actually looked at the ring. This time when he opens the box, I make sure to inspect every detail.
Though we both knew marriage was the path we were on, we never discussed rings or what I would want. I’ve never been a big jewelry girl, usually keeping it simple with a dainty necklace or a modest pair of earrings. The ring Ethan chose is absolute perfection. A sleek, gold band with a single, oval-shaped diamond at the center.
“What do you think?”
His voice comes out husky and thick, like he’s nervous about my reaction.
“I love it. I love it so much,” I say and tilt my head up to kiss him softly. “I love you more, though.”
He plucks the ring out of the box and takes my left hand in his.
“I had to sneak one of your rings out of your jewelry box to figure out your size, so hopefully it fits.”
The cool metal slides around my finger, fitting like it was made for me.
I stare at it, once again flooded with a rush of emotion.
“I can’t wait for you to be my husband.”
Ethan brings my hand to his lips and kisses my palm, brushing his thumb over the diamond.
“You look good with a ring, baby.” He kisses my palm again. “You look like mine.”
Once we’re back in the truck, I catch a glimpse of myself in the visor mirror.
“Why didn’t you tell me I look like a scary racoon?” Frantically, I start wiping at the runny mascara under my eyes.
“A very sexy racoon,” Ethan says with a chuckle.
“We’re going to have to run by the house before dinner. There’s no way I can go to the restaurant looking like this.”
“About that…”
I still, as whirls of nerves and excitement dance in my stomach. “What? What is it?”
Ethan dips his chin, watching me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“The whole dinner thing was more of a distraction.”
“What are we really doing?” I ask hesitantly.
This is the same man who whisked me away in a helicopter on our first date and hasn’t stopped surprising me since. I don’t think I could guess even if I tried.
“We’re going back to our house,” Ethan says casually.
“And?”
“And…there might be some people there waiting for us. They might have been hiding at Gavin’s earlier, waiting until we left to sneak over.”
I shake my head, biting my lips to suppress my smile.
“Always full of surprises.”
When we get to our house, my dad, Jenn, Sadie and Caleb are there, along with Ethan’s parents and siblings. Even Hillary, Archie, and baby Josephine made the trip over. Leanne connects with my mom over a video call, allowing her to join in on the celebration despite being thousands of miles away.
A year ago, I was broken. Stripped of all the hopes and dreams I had for myself. And thank goodness for that. I’ve never been more grateful for that lost girl, because she got me here, to a room surrounded by the people I love, with the man of my dreams. I thought I knew what I wanted. I thought I knew exactly how my life would go. Turns out it took a minor car accident, a grumpy neighbor, and a reset on life to realize sometimes you have to lose your way to find the journey you were always meant to take.
As my gaze meets Ethan’s from across the room, everything else fades away, the chatter becoming a distant whirr, leaving just the two of us in our own world. He smiles gently, stirring a familiar rush of warmth through me as my chest swells, fuller than it’s ever felt. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us, knowing no matter what life throws our way, our love is rare, rare enough to last a lifetime.
The End
