Page 129 of Blindly Yours

The blood rushes to our heads and I take his face in my hands and kiss him determinedly as we’re lowered to the ground.

“That was…” he gasps as he reaches for my hand and takes it in his.

“Fun?” I grin at him.

He smirks as crew members guide us onto an inflatable mat on the ground. “Yes, but I’m never doing it again.”

I laugh and hug him tighter just before we touch down and the crew begins to unlatch our harnesses. “So, I’ll be the one to jump with Kara when she’s old enough, then? Because you know she’s gonna want to go.” Kara is turning into an absolute daredevil. After she was given a clean bill of health from the neurologist earlier this year and the ringing in her ears ceased, she’s been begging for rollerblades, a pogo stick, and a trip to the Mall of America to ride the coasters.

Nate peers up at the platform and chuckles. “Yeah, that’ll be your job.”

“You’re all set, guys,” one of the crew members says.

Nate stands and extends his hand to pull me up. “I need a cool down from that. Want to take a walk before we head out?”

“Sure,” I reply, falling in step alongside him as we turn toward a paved path overhung with pale pink flowering trees. Kara is at school, and Nate and I both took the day off work so we could do this on a weekday and avoid the crowds. We’re alone on this path, and I lean into him with a smile. “Has your heart rate returned to normal yet?”

“No,” he says simply, and when I peer up at him, he’s staring straight ahead, biting his lip.

“But at least you can say you did it, now,” I laugh.

He squeezes my hand and comes to a stop, then he turns to me and inhales slowly. “Thank you…for encouraging me to do this.”

“Well, like you said, we all need to step out of our comfort zone a little,” I grin. “For me, that was tending a few chickens” —who I adore now, by the way— “and for you, it was jumping off a 150-foot tower. Same difference.” I wink.

He smiles warmly and takes my other hand. “You’ve opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

“Like brand names and fine wine?” I grin.

He inhales slowly. “For a long time, I had trouble imagining I could build a new life for myself…something different than before.”

Suddenly, the world quiets around us, because when I look up into his eyes, my gut tells me he’s not just making casual conversation.

“I truly never thought I could love someone the same way again.” He blinks and shakes his head. “No, not the same way. It’s completely different with you Rose. I love you in a way I could never love anyone else.” He squeezes my hand. “Your gentle nature, your incredible drive, the way you challenge me…the way you are with Kara…you’re her friend and her role model at the same time. These are things that could never compare.”

I watch him as a knot forms in my throat and pink petals drift softly to the ground around us.

“And I know it probably hasn’t been easy for you to accept the history I have—”

“Nate…” I step closer to him and shake my head slowly.

“Really, though,” he continues. “I never want you to feel like you were a second choice…because that’s…sofar from the truth.”

“I know,” I say quietly.

“I am so…” he pauses and gulps, “so thankful everything happened the way it did. I wouldn’t change anything…none of it… because it brought me you. You’ve always been part of my story, and I want to love you for the rest of my life.”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes, and I try to blink them away, but one drops down my cheek. Nate wipes it away with his thumb and then reaches into the zippered pocket of his jacket and pulls out a small velvet box.

“And more than anything,” he continues. “I want to make you happy for the rest of your life, too.” He drops down to one knee and opens the box as I lift my hand to my mouth. “Rose, will you marry me?” He smiles with so much joy I think I might drop to the ground in front of him too. This is the man I love more than absolutelyeverything. And he’s asking me to spend my life with him.

“Yes,” I breathe. “Yes, yes, yes,” I repeat it like a mantra as I take his face in my hands and bend down to kiss him fervently. “Let’s love each other for the rest of our lives,” I whisper against his lips.

Without breaking our kiss, he stands and wraps his arms around my waist, lifts me from the ground, and spins me in a circle. And it’s magic. I’m home. I’mfinallyhome.

When he sets me down, he steps back and lifts the box to me again. Inside is the most elegant ring I’ve ever seen; a delicate yellow-gold band featuring a single solitaire diamond. Alargediamond.

“Oh, Nate…” I gasp, peering up at him.

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