Page 145 of Fierce-Zander

“You have better taste than me,” he said.

“I do.”

“I think I do have decent taste though. And maybe good timing too.”

“At times,” she said.

“How about now then?” he asked, getting down on his knee on the grass.

He had a ring box in his hand and flipped the lid. “Oh, my God. Are you proposing?”

“I am,” he said. “I told you once months ago that when I saw you I was just done. I feel that way still. I’ll feel that way fifty years from now, plan or not. You’re my world. You’re all I want. I was done looking, thinking or caring about anyone else once I saw you.”

Her hands went to her mouth. “You do a good job of talking when you want to,” she said.

“I’m learning,” he said. “And speaking from the heart. Will you marry me? Will you give me your heart?”

“Yes,” she said. “Because the minute you told me you were done, I knew I was too.”

He slid the ring on her finger and pulled her in for a hug.

He turned when Royce’s truck pulled up on the property. “Was that what I thought it was?” his friend asked.

“It was,” Zander said. “You’re the first to know.”

“Damn,” Royce said. “Congrats. I might be the first, but tomorrow I’ll be telling everyone.”

Regan slapped his arm. “You timed it this way on purpose, didn’t you?”

“I did. You wanted to go so badly to the Fierces and now we can just announce it to the world. Pretty much.”

“We can,” she said. “In our way.”

“I’m soglad you both could come to the party this weekend,” Grant said to Zander the next day.

“Regan has heard all about your annual Memorial Day party and was looking forward to this,” Zander said.

“I’m happy to hear that,” he said. Grant lifted his hand and waved his brother over and then saw both wives come too.

The new couple was here and they were all going to circle around and see if they could figure out more of what was going on.

“Regan,” Diane said. “We are so glad you made it.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Regan said, her left hand coming up and brushing her hair across her face.

“You’re engaged,” Carolyn shouted. All heads turned and his eyes landed on the large diamond on Regan’s hand.

“We are,” Regan said. “Last night. I didn’t even get a chance to say it.”

“Around us,” Garrett said. “We see it all.”

“So I’m learning,” Regan said.

Grant caught the silent humor between Zander and Regan and knew they’d done well.

Hours later he was on speaker phone with his sister-in-law, Jolene, and brother, Gavin.

“How was the party?” Jolene asked.

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