“No, it’s not.” Ashley blinked at him. “It makes much more sense to—”
“Just go out the damn back.” Alex placed his hands on the back of her shoulders and guided her toward the back door, his grip gentle but insistent. “Trust me, okay?”
She shot him a look over her shoulder. “Why are you—?”
“Dude,” Alex muttered. “Just go.”
Still shaking her head at his odd behavior, she stepped through the doors…and into a whole other world. The air was freezing cold, as it should be on New Year’s Eve, but there were white carnations everywhere.
Her breath escaped her in a little whoosh, fogging up in the air in front of her, and she froze. She spun in a slow circle, taking it all in.
It was as if she had stepped into a greenroom of sorts, or a fairytale land, and there were flowers everywhere. “Hello?”
“A-Ashley,” Ethan called out from somewhere to the left. He cleared his throat and added, “I’m back here. Follow the flowers.”
Heart racing, she headed that way, following the trail of flowers he must have laid out for her. She swallowed hard and rounded the corner—to the sight of Ethan on bended knee.
She covered her mouth and closed the distance between them, each step bringing her closer to the love of her life. “Ethan?”
He grabbed her free hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently before holding onto her fingers. “Ashley, I l-love you.”
She licked her parched lips. “I love you, too.”
“Sometimes, I feel like I have spent my whole life loving you. And that’s because I have. Ever since you walked into Pre-Algebra wearing a pink shirt, an adorable braid, and a smile…I’ve been yours.” His fingers flexed on hers. “We m-might have not been together every day, but I gave you my heart years ago, and I never took it back. I want to wake up next to you every m-morning, and hold you in my arms every n-n-n-night.”
He broke off and closed his eyes, obviously taking the time to form his words for her. She kept silent, giving him all the time he needed.
He opened his eyes again and caught her gaze. “We have so much love between us. I know we can be one of those old couples, rocking on the porch of our beach house and w-watching the sunset. I know we can do that and be here together in thirty years, celebrating New Year’s together and kissing each other at midnight every single year. The question is, do you agree?” He pulled the ring from behind his back and held it out. After taking a steadying breath, he asked, “Ashley, will you m-marry me?”
Ashley pressed her fingers to her mouth, shaking from the emotion overwhelming her senses. This had to be the most romantic, perfect proposal to ever happen—and it was no surprise it came from her Ethan. She just stood there, taking it all in. Memorizing every single small detail that she could, from the roses on the ground to the champagne waiting off to the side to the way the moonlight lit his hair.
Finally, once she’d committed it all to memory, she nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He let out a breath of air and stood, a smile lighting up his face. His arms wrapped around her, and he swooped down on her lips, kissing her with all the love and promise of their life together. He broke off the kiss, resting his forehead on hers. “Happy New Year, my love.”
She laughed happily, the tears streaming down her cheeks made of pure happiness. “Happy New Year.”
“Now give me that hand.” He caught hold of her left hand and lifted it to his chest. As he slid the ring onto her finger, his hands trembling, he never looked away. “I hope you like this one. Alex helped me pick it out.”
“I love it. It’s perfect.” She twisted her hand, admiring the princess cut diamond set on white gold twinkling up at her. “You’re perfect.”
His eyes were on her, soft with love. “I feel like the luckiest guy on earth right now. What did I ever do to deserve you in my life?”
“You loved me.” She rested her hand over his heart. “That’s all I ever wanted.”
“Time for a toast.” He grabbed the filled champagne flutes off of the bench and handed one to her. “To us and a lifetime of happiness.”
“To us,” she echoed. They touched glasses and smiled. After taking a sip, they sat down on the bench, hands entwined. “Last New Year’s, we got together. This New Year’s, you asked me to marry you.”
“Mmhm,” he murmured, tracing little circles on her hand and kissing the top of her head. A smile tugged at her lips. “What are we going to do next year?”
He rested the champagne flute down and turned to her, his brown eyes so rich and deep and happy. “How do you feel about a wedding? We could get married on the thirtieth, and spend New Year’s Eve on our honeymoon. Maybe somewhere warm…”
“Like the Bahamas,” she said when he trailed off. A vision of them lying out in the sand, with fruity drinks in their hands, hit her. “Or maybe Hawaii.”
He grinned at her, and then kissed her nose. “So a winter wedding it is?”
“Yep.”
“It’s a date,” he murmured.
She set down the champagne and climbed onto his lap, straddling him with her dress falling on either side of her hips. She pressed down against him, sighing at the jolt of pleasure the movement sent through her veins. “How long do you think we have before someone comes out here…?”
“With Alex standing guard?” He leaned in, stopping when their lips were almost touching but yet not quite in contact. His hands gripped her hips, and he arched his hips into her, rolling his erection against her clit. “Long enough…”