Page 65 of Hiding Rose
My head snapped up and my chin trembled. “Sawyer?”
He slid the ring off the stem and held it up. In the moonlight, I made out the design. The ring was the stem of a rose with diamond leaves jutting off the edges. It came together at the top and the diamond created the rose.
“Sawyer, it’s exquisite. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I found it in Honolulu and bought it while you went to the restroom. I’ve had it with me every day since. I planned to wait, simply carrying it in my pocket to remind myself to be patient, because the time was coming when we could be together.” He picked up my injured hand and rested it carefully on his knee. “While I had all of this ready, popping the question wasn’t part of the plan, until this afternoon. I don’t want to wait to ask you to be my wife. We’re meant to be together, so whether I wait two weeks, two months, or two years, all I’m doing is prolonging what’s already written in those stars,” he said, pointing up. “I know we have some things to work out yet. We have some hurdles to jump and the final race to run, but if we do it together we’ll get through it stronger than ever.” He shifted and knelt on one knee, the ring clenched in his fingers. “Rose Diane Scott, will you do me the honor of being my wife? If you say yes, I promise to hold you from this day forward, and I promise to take care of you forever, no matter what.”
My hands went to my mouth and my fingers shook. “Sawyer…” I cried, unable to go on.
He smiled nervously. “Don’t be scared, baby. If you can’t say yes, I’ll understand, but I won’t give up. I’ll wait as long as you need me to, but one day, I will put this ring on your finger.”
I nodded, tears falling from my eyes. “I think it should be today,” I whispered. I sucked in air and a sob escaped my lips. “I want to be your wife more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”
He let go of the breath he’d been holding and took my left hand, slipping the ring on my finger. It fit like a glove and he kissed it. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me, beautiful.” He gathered me in his arms and laid his lips on mine, my tears mixing with his as we shared the first kiss of our forever.
