Page 73 of Beneath the Midnight Sky
“No. Now tell me about the piece you’re working on right now.”
She glared at me for a moment before her shoulder slumped in defeat, and she started telling me about the piece she’d been working on for a local doctor’s office. They’d called her a few days ago, saying their space was boring, and the resident doctor saw a piece she’d recently had commissioned over at Buns of Delight. Basically, they saw what I already knew—my girl was the best.
“They sort of left the ball in my court as far as designs go. The office is just white at the moment, so anything will match, but I don’t know what I want to do yet. I think something calming that makes you think.” I knew I’d distracted her successfully because she had that deep, artsy look in her mind now that she’d get before she’d disappear into her studio for hours at a time. Although the more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t a good choice, seeing as she couldn’t run off to her studio this evening. That would ruin the plans.
“You should do something that takes their minds off being at the doctors since no one actually enjoys that,” I said with a shrug.
Her eyes lit up as she smiled at me. “You’re a genius, Rowan! That gives me a great idea! Oh, my go—” She stared at me, and I knew what she realized. “You won’t let me go home, will you?” she pouted. Normally, I would. Countless times, I’d let her postpone our dates or hangouts so she could go sketch out an idea she’d had. I knew it helped her work through things, and that’s what I wanted more than anything.
“Not this time, little angel. And don’t pout about it, it won’t work tonight.”
“Fine. I know this is important to you, so I’ll be good. Can I at least sketch something on my phone really quickly, so I don’t lose the idea?”
I smirked. “It’ll cost you, angel, and when we get to the top of this clearing? Phone goes away, and I get yourfullattention. Whether the sketch is done or not.”
I watched as her lips parted, and her eyes widened slightly. “O-o-okay. I get it,” she nodded her head quickly. I watched as she swallowed and started sketching on her phone, but her eyes kept darting over at me every few feet we moved up the mountain.
We were currently on the back of two horses, on our way up to our favorite date spot. It was the same place I’d brought her on our first official date, and I couldn’t wait for her to lay eyes on it now that it was all done up. I’d already been up while she’d gotten ready with Ivy, and truly, I owed my brothers and sister for doing this for me. They’d truly outdone themselves.
As we reached as far as the horses needed to go, I pulled Toffee, the light brown mare I was riding this evening, and Cash, who Aspen was riding, off to the side of the path.
“Are we there already? I thought they’d go up where we normally do,” Aspen asked, as she locked her phone and slid it into her pocket.
“We normally do go up a bit more, but I told you, I have a surprise, little angel.”
She smiled as she hopped down off of Cash. She’d been doing so much better riding lately since we made it a point to try to come up here as much as we could before the weather was too damn cold to enjoy it. This would more than likely be one of the last chances we had before winter hit in full Colorado swing, which was why I was refusing to back down and making this date specialnow.
It needed to be perfect.
I tied our horses off on a nearby tree and took her hand in mine, guiding her up the path. I had the entirety of this evening planned in my head; I just had to get her there without her being Aspen and asking a hundred questions.
“You seem nervous tonight, Ro. Want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked as she gently squeezed my hand. She read me too well. I swallowed back the nerves plaguing me so maybe, just maybe, I could not sound nervous as fuck.
“I’m not nervous. This is just one of the last times we’ll probably get to come up here until spring hits, and I wanted to make it special for you,” I said with a casual shrug.
She stopped in the middle of the trail and stared at me. “Okay, now you’re making me nervous. What is going on?” she questioned, pulling her hand away from mine and crossing her arms. “Did you bring me here to dump me or something?” She started chewing on her bottom lip and swaying slightly—things she only did when nerves were starting to get the best of her.
I chuckled and placed my hands on my hips, staring down into her beautiful blue eyes. “Aspen, fuck no. Not a chance in hell. Can we please just get up the mountain, and I promise I’ll explain everything when we get there, okay?”
She let out a breath and stared at me for one more moment. “Fine, but if you’re about to make me cry, I’m going to push you off this damn mountain, cowboy. Don’t think I won’t.”
I smirked. “I know you would, angel. Don’t worry.”
I took her hand in mine again and guided her the last twelve feet of the trail before we came into the clearing where we had that picnic three months ago. Only instead of just the typical grassy covered clearing with the tall trees surrounding us, there were string lights all around the clearing and dozens of daisies scattered all around the space.
When the music started playing, she pulled her hand from mine and covered her mouth as tears started forming in her eyes.
“Rowan…I’m pushing you off the fucking mountain,” she whispered.
I chuckled as I took her hand back in mine and pulled her further into the clearing where I had a blanket laid out for us.
“You’re more than welcome to push me off the mountain, little angel, but I’d like to talk to you first if that’s okay.” I looked down at her again, and I couldn’t help but smile at the way she was nodding her head incessantly. I pulled the small box from my pocket and knelt down on one knee in front of her.
“Fuck, you suck,” she mumbled through tears. I knew she wasn’t actually mad; it was just that she hated crying.
“I know, but I’d like to continue to suck for the rest of our lives if you’ll have me, little angel. You are by far every single thing I could ever want in a woman, Aspen, in a wife, a partner, a best friend. From the moment I saw you laughing at the bar with Ivy, you’ve been all I’ve wanted. The moment I first saw you smile, heard you laugh, it’s been etched in my brain as part of life I never want to miss out on.” I took her hand in mine and gently squeezed. “My life wasn’t meaningless before you, angel, but it damn sure wasn’t full. Now? It’s full of love, and I want to ensurethat it stays that way, with you by my side every day, for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me, Aspen?”
Before I could even open the ring box and show her the ring I’d spent our entire relationship holding onto for her, she launched herself at me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as I fell backwards onto the ground and pulled her into my lap. Her face was buried in my neck, and I swore I couldn’t tell if she was sniffling back tears or just smelling me—with her, it could be either or both.
