Page 60 of Into The Rabbit Hole

“How can you ask me that? You know I love you. I love you,Wade.”

“Howmuch?”

“This much,” she declared proudly, making a circle, or it could have been a zero, with her thumb and index finger. He hoped it wasn’t azero.

“A circle?” He narrowed his eyes ather.

“Infinity. A circle has no beginning and no end. It goes on and on, around and aroundforever.”

He couldn’t help it. A feeling of contentment settled over him, making him appreciate her evenmore.

“You love me that much?” heasked.

She nodded confidently andsmiled.

“I love you that much, too, and I was wondering…” Pulling in a deep breath to clear his mind he felt for the little box in his side pocket that contained the engagement ring he’d bought before they leftL.A.

“What?” She searched hiseyes.

He wanted to do this exactly like how he imagined, but nerves were getting the better of him. Wade didn’t think he’d ever felt nervous around a woman in his life, but this was the one thatmattered.

So he reached for the box, took her hand, and when he lowered in the sand to one knee, she brought her free hand to her chest and looked at him completelystunned.

“What are you doing Wade?” Her voice was low, just above awhisper.

“Proposing.” He could barely get the wordout.

She drew in a sharp breath when he flicked the delicate pink box open, revealing the diamond ring inside that took him hours to choose, even with Wes’ help. Yes, he’d asked Wesley, Wes, to go with him to choose her ring. Taylor was the first person that popped into his head, but he knew that somehow she’d manage to tell Chloe and ruin the surprise. He could have asked Kelly, too, but Wes seemed to be the right person. Wade was terrible with choosing anything of sentimental value, and since this was important, he knew he’d need help. This ring he picked because it reminded him of her. Delicate, but strong and beautiful. It was an oval cut set in the center of an extra-thin band for more effect. He could tell from the look on her face that he’d made an excellentchoice.

“Beautiful Chloe, I look at you and I see everything I want. Everything. There is no one else like you, and there is no one else for me except you. I want to spend the rest of eternity with you, making you happy and trying to be what you are to me.” It was so good that his heart was taking over like he hoped it would. It was important to him that he did this part right. He wanted her to always remember. “Chloe, will you marry me and be mywife?”

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she gazed down at him. “Yes.” Shenodded.

She said yes! It took him a few seconds to register that she had and he was momentarily stunned. He forgot he held the ring and was supposed to put it on her finger. It was as he was about to get up that he remembered and snapped out of hisreverie.

Wade took the ring out and slipped it on her finger, prompting more tears from her. It looked perfect on her finger, just as she was.Perfect.

Instinct and a rush of adrenaline then took over and he swooped her up into his arms, spinning her around as they hugged andlaughed.

* * *

Chloe

* * *

She couldn’t help it.

Her eyes were permanently attached to her ring. She’d gotten lost in just looking at it. It was overly beautiful and beamed in any light, like it had a life of its own. But that wasn’t why she was so fascinated with it. It was the meaning. It was what it represented. Wade asked her to marryhim.

As a little girl she’d dreamt of that and obsessed over him asking her. It was just a dream and she was having a hard time believing it cametrue.

She’d called everyone and told them, starting with her parents, who both confessed that the news didn’t surprise them. She was actually thinking that her mom might have had a few words of caution for her, only because of the talk they had before her mother left to go back to France. But, no. Her mother was thrilled and happy for them. Her excitement made Chloe hope she would have the kind of marriage that her parents have, where they were perpetually inlove.

When they got back, everyone had come by to congratulate them. That was nice, and it feltunreal.

The day after they returned she thought she’d go to the beach house to spend some time with thegirls.

They talked for hours and ate all the treats in the house. Kelly went out to get more, deciding that the occasion and the day warranted morechocolate.