Finally, he slapped me on the shoulder and gave me a wide smile. "Seriously? Do you even have to ask? As if I could even stop you if I tried."
Waves of relief surged and crashed down on me. I could finally release the breath I’d been holding. As much as I wanted to break out into the Carlton in celebration, I maintained my composure. Barely.
"Still. I’d like your blessing. You and your wife have done so much for me, and it would mean a lot to me."
"I appreciate that, Jeremy. Of course you have your blessing. We couldn't ask for a better man to marry our daughter."
A throat cleared from across the back deck. "Umm…about that, sir…"
Ty had set the grilling spatula down and taken a step forward. With a ring box in his hand, he gave Nick a bashful grin.
"Seriously, man? This is my parade. Take your rain elsewhere," I told Ty, laughing so he'd know I was kidding.
Nick raked his hand through his hair and groaned. "You too? A double whammy? Did you two plan this ambush?"
I held my hands up. “No. No way. This was supposed to be my night, my time to shine. He’s just horning in on it now that I’ve softened you up.”
My dad let out a curse, which Nick echoed.
Ty nodded. "I know it seems fast and I'm edging into Jeremy's time, but I love Lexi with everything in me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
Nick eyed him. "You love her?"
"With all of my heart."
"You'll be good to her?"
"For as long as I live."
“Yeah, or I’ll kick his ass,” I chimed in, causing Nick’s lips to twitch.
“And I’d let him,” Ty confirmed.
Nick eyed him warily then brought out the big guns. "Do you solemnly swear to never wear a Steelers jersey in my home or in my presence?"
Without hesitation, Ty raised a fist and hollered the Bengals war cry. "Who Dey!"
Damn, the guy must’ve been in love to go that far. He was a hard-core Steelers fan. Watching him and Lexi fight during games was one of the best parts of football season.
“I can’t believe I just did that.”
Nick laughed and shook his head. "Then you have my blessing as well. Now, someone get me a drink. My two little girls are getting married."
Ty and I high-fived, but then Nick brought the rain.
"Then again, they both still have to say yes."
With that last parting shot, he walked back inside. Dad grinned at me and gave me a thumbs-up.
I pointed my finger at Ty and warned him. "I get to propose first. Got it?"
Ty gave me a challenging grin.
Game on.
"I can't believe he's moving out." Mom was getting all weepy as she stirred the baked beans. Her other hand was dabbing a tissue at the corner of her eye.
Stifling my laughter, I patted her on the shoulder then gave her a quick squeeze. "Mom, he's only moving a few streets over. It's hardly the end of the world. You’ll still see him all the time. Probably more than you want to. Like he’ll be able to stay away from your home cooking."
Even though I was trying to be reassuring, part of me totally got what she was saying—not that I'd admit it out loud. Jeremy'd been living in my parents’ basement for the past three years, and now that he had a good job, he'd rented his own home. My parents had insisted he could stay until he’d built up his savings, but he’d declined, spouting off something about how he was a man and he needed to be independent.
Personally, I thought there was more to it, and I’d had to stop myself from checking his sock drawers for a ring box. Not that we’d talked about marriage or anything any time soon, but I was kind of hoping it was around the corner, sooner rather than later.
Before she could respond, however, the back door slid open and I looked up to see my dad stalking inside, an unreadable expression on his face. He went straight to the liquor cabinet and poured a healthy amount of scotch into a glass, tossing it back and quickly refilling it. I’d seen that happen before. It usually wasn’t good news.
“Nick, what’s gotten into you?” Mom asked, frowning at the glass in his hand.
"Somethin’ in the water," he said cryptically as he gave himself another couple of fingers. This time, however, he only sipped, so whatever it was couldn’t have been that bad.
We exchanged a confused look before he muttered something about not being ready for this and disappearing.
Weird.
It wasn’t much longer before I realized what Dad’s sudden drinking spree was all about. Halfway through dinner, Jeremy scooted his chair back and rose to his feet. Everyone stopped talking when he cleared his throat. Suddenly, my hands were clammy, and my heart’s tempo increased until it was practically racing.
"Umm," he started off, coughing then picking his wine glass up to take a sip.
I did the same as my mind ran a hundred miles a minute, wondering what was about to happen.
"I just wanted to say I appreciate you all being here for my graduation. Mom, Dad, Jenna, Chris for traveling to be with me to celebrate. Nick and Vicky for graciously opening your home to me. Lexi, for all of those nights you helped me study. I wouldn’t be standing here, a college graduate and the new agent at Keller-Williams Realty if it weren’t for all of you sitting here today."
My heart warmed as he went around the room, thanking each and every one at the table, even Ty, my sister’s boyfriend, who had quickly ingrained himself with my family. But, when Jeremy turned to me and took my hand, pulling me up out of my chair, I forgot that anyone else was in the room. He leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek before dropping on the ground to one knee. Gasps echoed all around us, but suddenly, I had tunnel vision. All I could see was his face. All I could hear was his voice. At that moment in time, the only thing existing was us.
"Sierra, I love you. I’ve loved you since I was eight years old, and somehow, even way back then, I knew you were it for me. At eight years old, I knew you were going to be my wife and, one day, I'd be the luckiest man on the planet because I'd get to spend the rest of my life with you. And that's what I want. You, me, forever."
Heat rose on the back of my neck, and my eyes widened. My heart was beating faster than ever before. My lungs refused to take breath as Jeremy continued.
"We may be young, Sierra, but none of that matters. I want forever with you, and I always will. So, can't it start right now? Will you? Marry me."
The last part wasn't a question, yet it was still perfect. He knew my answer—and that he didn’t even have to ask. I could never say no to this man. I would never say no to this man. I looked up to see the faces of my most loved ones watching us, waiting for my response, even though they all knew what it would be. Mom and Lexi both had tears in their eyes while Dad appeared proud.
I smiled down at the face of the only man I'd ever loved. The only one I would ever love.
"Forever started a long time ago with us, Jeremy. Nineteen ninety-two to be exact. "
He nodded, unmoving from his kneeling position. "You've been with me every step of the way, and now, I'm headed out into the real world. None of it means anything if you're not by my side. I knew when I was eight years old that I was going to marry you. I still know that now. So, how about it Sierra? Will you make my lifelong dream come true? Will you be my Mrs. Michelangelo?"
He waited with bated breath as I gazed down at him. I knew exactly how to give him the perfect answer. My hand rose to my mouth and I spit directly into my palm. As realization gleamed in his eyes, the corners of his lips turned up in a slow grin, transforming his face from the cute boy-next-door to the gorgeous man I was ready to pledge my love to.