Page 38 of A Reaper's Devotion
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The party was alreadyin full swing by the time they arrived.Willow loved the Halloween-inspired music playing in the background.The bar was completely covered in cobwebs and fairy lights.The lights were also turned down low.
The drinks menu also had ghoulish names, like Vampire’s Blood, or Witch’s Pus.She went for a Pumpkin Guts, which was a regular orange soda.She didn’t want to drink, and it wasn’t like she got to finish the whole can anyway, as Cyrus led her right onto the dance floor.It felt good to just dance.
They said hello to Hank, Amy, and Daniel, and so many of the people of Lost Creek.They had all spent weeks preparing for this Halloween extravaganza.Tomorrow, when the sun came up, it was going to be geared toward Thanksgiving, and it was going to be a celebration as well.Then, after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course New Year.Then, it would be quiet until the tourists started to arrive in March.They did a little something for Valentine’s Day.
Mary and Charlie were there.
Willow got the sense that something was going on.She didn’t quite know what it was, but Cyrus would not allow her to leave his side.Not that there was any place he would want to be.
They had been at the party for a good two hours, when all of a sudden, Cyrus led her back onto the dance floor.What confused her was everyone left.Also, the lights suddenly came on, and the music stopped.Willow looked around as everyone looked toward them.
“Cyrus, are they like ...haunted?”she asked, trying not to freak out.They were all watching her.
He didn’t answer her, but his grip tightened on hers, and she looked toward him to see that he had gotten down on one knee.He still held her hand, but in the other was a velvet box.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said.
“Cyrus?”
“Okay, so I am about to propose to you and in my head, I had this whole big speech prepared that was super romantic, but it’s kind of getting lost as you’re looking at me, a little freaked out.”
She pressed a hand to her mouth.“I’m not freaked out.”
Her heart pounded.
“Your hand is a little sweaty.”
“I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Willow, babe, I love you.I have always loved you, and I don’t want to even imagine my life with anyone else.You’re my woman.You’re my girl.You’re my forever.I want to get old with you.I want to argue with you and know that at the end of the day we’re going to make up, and it’s all going to be okay.I want to wake up beside you and fall asleep.I want to have kids with you, and like tonight, we’d be one of the couples taking care of a bunch of kids.”
This made her laugh.He painted a beautiful picture.
Tears filled her eyes.It wouldn’t matter if she cried, her makeup was already a mess.She pressed her lips together.He loved her.
“Will you marry me and make me one of the happiest men in Lost Creek?”
“I love you too,” she said.She didn’t want to wait another second without him knowing that.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, it’s a hell yes!”
He opened the velvet box, which he hadn’t done as he’d been holding her hand.She held her hand out, and he slid a ring right onto her finger and stared down at it, a little shocked.
Cyrus had proposed to her on Halloween.
She cupped his face and moved in close.The whole room erupted in cheers.“You planned this?”
“Yeah, I kind of did.I wanted it to be perfect for you.You know.Not a single thing out of place.”
“It’s perfect.”
The music came back on, the lights went off, and for the next couple of hours, they didn’t get a chance to dance, as people stopped to wish them congratulations.
Willow still couldn’t believe it.The ring felt strange on her finger, but it also felt good.It felt right.It was hard for her to put into words how she was feeling.It felt better than cloud nine.
