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“What is all this?” She couldn’t take her eyes off how beautiful their simple barn looked.
“It’s been one month. One month since you took me back. One month since you told me you love me.”
She smiled over her shoulder at him. “Our one month anniversary? That’s a pretty good reason for celebration.”
He came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, and she grabbed hold of them, leaning her head back against his chest.
“You spoil me.” She smiled as he nuzzled her neck.
“Get used to it.”
When Charisma neighed, Genevieve went to her. “Do you like all the lights, girl? Aren’t they pretty?”
She had never seen such a beautiful sight or met such a thoughtful, romantic man. When she turned around to tell him that very thing, her eyes went from the empty space where Sebastian had been standing to the place where he was now kneeling on the floor, holding a small teal box with a sparkly diamond ring inside.
Her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my gosh!” Her words were muffled.
“I told myself I’d wait a while to do this, but I’ve known since the day I met you and you called me Sea Bass that you were the one for me.”
Genevieve started laughing. “I told you I was sorry about that. I didn’t know who you were.”
He laughed along with her. “Since that day, I’ve fallen in love with your kindness, your sense of humor, your intelligence, your to-do lists—”
Genevieve giggled and made a checkmark in the air with her hand, like she was marking something off her list.
“Your love for your family, the way you love Charisma and all the horses you work with. Your beautiful heart won me over completely.
“I will forever regret the pain I caused you—” She tried to wave him off, but he continued. “The fact that you forgave me says so much about who you are. And I want you in my life, Gen. Now and forever.”
She began to sniffle as tears filled her eyes and spilled over.
“I love you, Genevieve Willis. More than I can ever express in words. More than my Great Granny’s truffles.”
She laughed through the tears.
“Will you marry me?”
Her eyes fixed on the round diamond solitaire in the box, then on his face, and her head began to move slowly up and down, over and over, until she was quickly nodding. “Yes. Yes. Yes!” She crashed into him and knocked him onto his backside as she wrapped herself around him like she had at the airport.
He laughed and held her tightly in his lap.
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” she whispered into his ear, lingering there, pressing soft kisses across his cheek.
He pulled her so they were face to face again and brushed a tear from her cheek before leaning in to kiss his fiancée on the lips for the first time.
She hadn’t expected a proposal. Not this soon. But every time they were together, every time she was in his arms, kissing like they were doing at the moment, it felt more right than anything in her life ever had.
When their kisses slowed, he rested his forehead against hers. “Want me to put the ring on your finger?”
She leaned back as he moved his hand, which was still gripping the box, so she could see the ring.
“It’s absolutely beautiful.”
“Do you like it?”
“What’s not to like?” It had to be at least three karats and was the sparkliest ring she’d ever seen.
He took the ring from within and slipped it onto her left ring finger. “Perfect.”