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"That one," I breathe, pointing to the ring in question. "May I see it up close?"
The jeweler beams, carefully extracting the ring and placing it on a small pedestal for my inspection. "Exquisite choice, Mr. Winthrop. The 'Eternelle' is one of our most sought-after designs. See how the diamond seems to float within the latticework of the band? It's meant to symbolize two souls intertwined, forever joined as one."
I swallow hard, emotion welling up in my throat as I picture the ring adorning Amara's delicate finger.
It's perfect.
She's perfect.
And I can't wait another moment to make her mine.
"I'll take it," I declare, my voice ringing with certainty. "It's...it's everything I've been searching for. Just like her."
The jeweler claps his hands together, his expression one of pure delight. "Wonderful, sir. Simply wonderful. I'll just need to take a few measurements to ensure the perfect fit, and then we can discuss the finer details of the setting and engraving if you so choose."
As I work with the jeweler to finalize the particulars of Amara's ring, my phone buzzes with an incoming call. "Excuse me for just a moment," I murmur to the jeweler, stepping away to answer the call. "Grayson Winthrop speaking," I answer, a bit puzzled as to why Amara's best friend would be calling me out of the blue.
"Grayson! Hi, it's Sarah. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?"
"Not at all, Sarah. As you now know, I’m asking her to marry me." I say, stepping further away from the jeweler to give myself a bit more privacy.
"Smart man. I’m so excited for you two.”
“Got any advice?” I ask her, eagerly. “Anything I should know before I take the plunge?”
“Well, I think I know just the thing. We’d been planning this since we were kids, you know. "
My heart skips a beat, my mind immediately racing to the ring I was just moments away from purchasing. "Is that so? What...what exactly can you tell me?"
Sarah laughs, a knowing lilt to her voice. "Oh, Grayson. She’s been dreaming of the Maldives. Of those incredible overwater bungalows she's been obsessing over since we were little girls. She used to drag me to the library every weekend, just so she could drool over the pictures in those fancy travel magazines. We’d pick out our boats and our grooms. So you better step it up, Mr."
I find myself grinning, picturing a young Amara with her nose buried in glossy pages, her eyes wide with wonder and longing. "That sounds like my Amara, alright. Always dreaming big."
"Exactly!" Sarah agrees, her enthusiasm palpable through the phone. "And you know what she used to say to me, every single time? She used to say, 'Sar, one day...when I find my soulmate, my perfect match...that's where we'll go. That's where we'll start our forever, in a little slice of paradise made just for us.'"
Emotion clogs my throat, my vision blurring slightly as I imagine the sheer joy, the utter contentment on Amara's face as she whispered those long-ago dreams to her best friend. And the realization that I, Grayson Winthrop, am the man she's chosen to make those dreams a reality...it's almost more than I can bear.
"Sarah..." I manage, my voice thick with feeling. "Thank you. Thank you for the inside info. You have no idea how much it means to hear those words, to know that I can give Amara the honeymoon she's always dreamed of."
"Of course, Grayson." Sarah's tone softens, warmth and understanding radiating through the connection. "I just...I wanted you to know. Because I've never seen Amara as happy, as utterly at peace as she is with you. You're her soulmate, Grayson. Her perfect match. And I know that when the time comes...you'll make all her dreams come true."
I swallow hard, my grip tightening on the phone as a fierce rush of love and determination surges through me. "I will, Sarah. I swear it. I'll spend the rest of my life making sure Amara has everything she's ever wanted, everything she deserves."
We exchange a few more pleasantries before saying our goodbyes, Sarah extracting a promise from me to keep her little revelation under wraps. "Let it be a surprise," she urges, a smile in her voice. "For when you finally pop the question."
As I slide my phone back into my pocket and return to the waiting jeweler, I feel a new sense of purpose, of absolute certainty settling over me. This ring, this proposal...it's not just about declaring my love for Amara. It's about promising her a lifetime of dreams come true, of paradise found in each other's arms.
And I'll be damned if I let anything, or anyone, stand in the way of that promise.
With renewed determination, I point to the gleaming 'Eternelle' ring, my voice ringing with conviction. "I'll take it. And I'd like to discuss the possibility of booking a very special honeymoon package as well. To the Maldives, if you please."
The jeweler beams, his eyes crinkling with delight. "But of course, Mr. Winthrop. It would be my absolute pleasure to assist you in crafting the proposal, and the honeymoon, of a lifetime."
As I lose myself in the intricacies of planning the perfect surprise for the love of my life, I can't help but marvel at the twists and turns that have led me to this moment. To Amara, my guiding light, my forever home.
And I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that no matter what challenges may come our way...our love will always lead us back to paradise.
The next day I stride into the office, my mind still reeling with the excitement of my proposal plans. The ring feels like a lead weight in my pocket, a constant reminder of the monumental question I'm about to ask the love of my life.
