Page 119 of Lovestrung

“True.” A small frown appeared between her eyebrows. “Where’s that young man of yours?”

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

She opened her mouth but didn’t get a word out as the next thing I knew, people started to laugh and pointed out the big window. Before I knew what was going on, people milled outside. Flummoxed, I looked at Mama as she stood in the doorway, hands covering her mouth.

“What is going on?” I murmured and quickly went to her. “Mama? What’s wrong?”

She smiled through teary eyes and shook her head. “Nothing, baby girl. But I think you should go take a look.”

Alarmed, not to mention completely confused, I went through the throng of people; they carved the way for me as they saw me, all smiles, only making me more suspicious as to the cause the closer I got to the road. When the last few people let me through, I gasped at the sight before me.

Four white horses in front of a carriage that looked exactly like a pumpkin, only white instead of orange, would make any woman speechless, and when I saw Ethan step down, lips stretched in a shy smile, my heart immediately went into overdrive. For once, he was wearing gray slacks and a white button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and when he walked toward me, I blushed at the way his eyes turned to molten lava – or that’s what it felt like – as he scanned me from head to toe. That adoring flop of hair that always fell into his eyes was gone, tamed by some kind of hair product, I guessed, and he was clean shaven.

Totally delicious, of course.

When he reached me, he stopped, but he didn’t bend to kiss me like he usually did. And he didn’t even say anything. He just looked at me in that quiet way he always did, but for once, I didn’t feel comfortable in his silence. I grew more and more nervous the longer he kept quiet.

“What on earth is going on?” I asked as the people around us tittered. They made me feel self-conscious and insecure, but the minute Ethan placed his hand against my cheek, my friends and family faded away.

“Eight months ago, I told you I was going to ask you to marry me, Penelope,” he said as he flashed me a smile.

“Oh, my gosh,” I whispered. “Don’t tell me…”

“I thought long and hard about how to do this, so please don’t interrupt,” he grinned. “I need to do this while I still have the courage.”

I laughed in disbelief. But my laughter got stuck in my throat when he got down on one knee before me and took my left hand in his. Love shined in his gaze, enthralling me and I had to catch my breath at the enormity of what was about to happen.

“Penelope Montgomery, you are the light of my life. You are my soulmate, my lover, and my forever family. From the moment I met you, I wanted to claim you as mine, but I never dared to hope you’d ever feel the same way. But you did – you do – and I’m desperate to make you mine forever. Marry me?”

Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked furiously, needing to see his beauty before me.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Yes?” he asked.

I nodded, laughter bubbling up my throat. “Yes!”

His smile was so wide it almost split his face, and needing to reinforce my love for him, I bent to kiss him.

“You’re insane,” I smiled against his lips.

“Insanely in love with you,” he beamed back. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

I shook my head in wonder. “That was one heck of a proposal, baby.”

He straightened, still holding on to my hand, and when I looked down, my breath clogged my throat at the small, black box resting on his outstretched palm.

“Open it,” he murmured.

My hands shook so much, I missed the clasp on the box twice, but when he steadied them, I managed to open it. When I did, I couldn’t hold back a sigh in wonder. The rose gold ring nestling on the black velvet shined at me, dazzling me with its beauty. In the centre of the thin band, a bright, clear diamond set in a halo sparkled as the sun caught it, and I almost feared to put it on.

“Ethan,” I sniffled.

“Let me put it on.” He extricated the ring from the box and as he pushed it gently on my left ring finger, he sighed. The soft contentment made my heart flutter in my chest.

“It’s beyond beautiful, baby.” I stepped closer and curled my hands in his shirt. “Kiss me again.”

He grinned and did as I asked.