Page 39 of Delayed

“Anything.” She’d do anything for him. He’dbeen nothing but supportive to her especially in her careertransition.

He dropped to his knee and pulled out avelvet black box.

She stopped breathing.Oh. My. God.Her mouth flew open, and she covered it with her hand, but no wordswould come out. Her pulse kicked in her chest and her insidesvibrated. This was really happening.

“I know this is quick. You said threemonths—minimum.” He winked.

Their conversation after she’d accepted thejob at Wesley popped back into her mind. She giggled. She had saidshe would need afewmonths.

“But I’m through waiting. I don’t want totake our time getting here. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Tears leaked down her cheeks. One slippedfrom Rex’s eye.

“Let me make you my wife. Please say you’llmarry me.” With shaky hands, he popped open the top of the blackvelvet box. A beautiful diamond ring perched in the red velvet.

“You don’t really follow the rules, do you?”She swiped at her tears.

“Is that a yes, Sunshine?” He bit his bottomlip.

She laughed. “Yes. Yes, it’s a yes.”

His grin stretched across his face and hestood. He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her. A deepenthusiastic kiss.

People cheered and filtered out of thebrewing area, startling her. She broke the kiss and glanced around.Brady and Taylor waved. Jane ran over to them and squeezed themboth in a hug. Her parents walked toward them, her mother grippingher face and kissing her cheeks. Janella and her co-workers allraised their pints of beer.

“What is this?” She bumped her nose tohis.

He nodded. “This is our private engagementparty.” Then he bent and kissed her again.

The End