Page 74 of All of Me

The soft strum of a guitar drifts from the Bluetooth speaker I placed on the patio table, filling the space between us. Callie hums along quietly, her fingers absently tracing patterns on my palm. Her voice is soft, unpracticed, but it’s one of my favorite sounds.

“It’s so quiet out here,” she murmurs, tilting her head back to look at the stars. “I almost forgot how peaceful it can be.”

I smile, squeezing her hand. “Figured we could use a little time to ourselves after today.”

She turns to look at me, her green eyes soft in the golden light. “This was perfect, Owen. The trip, seeing my dad, everything. Thank you for making it all so easy.

“You make it easy,” I say, my voice low. “Being with you… it feels like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

Her cheeks flush slightly, and she leans her head against my shoulder. The warmth of her touch seeps into me, easing my nerves. The familiar intro toMarry Meby Train begins to play, and I glance down at her, wondering if she notices.

She tilts her head, her expression softening as the familiar notes of the song drift through the air. “I love this song,” she says, her voice wistful. “It was on one of my favorite shows. I used to watch that episode all the time.”

“I know,” I say softly, glancing at her. “I remember.”

Her eyes flick to mine, surprise mingling with the warmth in her expression. My heart starts to pound, the realization sinking in that everything about this is falling into place. It feels like the perfect moment handed to me on a silver platter.

“I’ve got an idea,” I say, reaching for the Polaroid camera resting beside us.

Her lips twitch into a curious smile. “Another photo? I think we’ve already documented every angle of today.”

“Not quite,” I reply, fiddling with the camera settings as I glance at her. “This one’s special.”

I hold the camera up, angling it to capture both of us with the string lights glowing softly in the background. Callie leans into me, her laugh light and easy as the flash goes off. The lyrics to Marry Me drift softly through the air.

As the photo develops, I slip it from the camera and hold it close, my heart pounding in my chest.

“What are you doing?” she asks, narrowing her eyes playfully as I pull a pen from my back pocket.

“Just adding a little touch,” I say, keeping the photo angled away from her as I write.

I glance at her, and the anticipation in her eyes makes my chest tighten. She’s watching me like she knows something’s coming, but she’s not quite sure what. And God, I want this moment to be perfect for her.

“You’ll see,” I tease, slipping the Polaroid back into her hand.

She looks down at the photo, her grin widening as the image comes into focus. It’s the two of us, smiling against the backdrop of the glowing lights, but it’s the words I’ve written along the bottom that make her breath hitch.

Marry Me.

Not a question, but a plea, a demand that she be mine forever. The words seem to hang in the air, mingling with the final notes of the song. She lifts her gaze, her eyes wide and shimmering, and I see it—the exact moment she realizes what’s happening.

I shift onto one knee, pulling the small velvet box from my pocket and opening it to reveal the ring. The diamond catches the string lights, casting tiny reflections across her face.

It’s not a traditional diamond, it couldn’t be. Callie’s not the kind of woman who wants what everyone else has. Instead, I’d spent weeks finding something as unique as she is: a square-cut black diamond, bold and striking, surrounded by a delicate halo of tiny white diamonds. The band is platinum, sleek and timeless, a perfect contrast to the boldness of the black stone. It’s her in every way—elegant, confident, one of a kind.

“Callie,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “You’ve changed my life in more ways than I can count. You and the girls have given me a kind of love I never thought I’d have, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. Will you marry me?”

Her hand flies to her mouth, and for a moment I can’t tell if she’s going to cry or laugh. Maybe both. But then she’s nodding, her smile breaking free as the words tumble out in a breathless rush.

“Yes. Of course, yes.”

Overwhelming relief floods through me. My hands are steady as I slip the ring onto her finger, the black diamond standing out against her pale skin, the tiny white stones catching the light in a magical way. She throws her arms around my neck, her laughter spilling over into a kiss that feels like every perfect moment wrapped into one.

The Polaroid slips from her hand, landing in the grass beside us. The words glow faintly under the soft light:Marry Me.

And just like that, every doubt, every fear, every moment of hesitation I’ve ever had fades away. She’s my home, my everything.I pull her closer, the final notes ofMarry Mefade into the night, leaving us surrounded by nothing but the stars, the glow of the lights, and the steady rhythm of our hearts.

twenty-seven

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