Page 34 of Kiss and Makeup
She let me take her in my arms, looking up at me with a face full of curiosity. “Oh?”
“It’s not too far away,” I promised. “The gist is holidays, lights, show…”
“You had me at holidays. Sure. I guess since today is New Year’s Day, it’s really the last day of the holiday season, so we should enjoy it.” She followed me outside, and my car was brought around shortly by the valets. “So where is this place?”
“It’s a surprise.” How much effort it took to speak normally and not trip over my own words out of nerves, she would never know.
I pulled out of the valet parking line and onto the street. The next street I turned on should have been very familiar to Kristen, but her gaze wasn’t focused on our surroundings. Faraway things held her attention, untouchable ones like thoughts and memories.
I didn’t take those away from her until I stopped the car against a curb, put it in park, and shut it off.
“Are we there?” For the first time, Kristen tried to examine her surroundings, but I leaned over quickly and gave her a kiss.
“Will you get out with me?”
“Sure?” Confusion followed her as she opened the door and got out, but before I lost sight of her face outside, I saw the trust in her eyes.
I grabbed something out of the center console and followed her quickly. My steps took me around the back of the car and behind her, each touch of shoe to pavement a thump of my heart. Lit wire snowmen, snowflakes, candy canes, and presents hung from the lamp posts, throwing cheerful brilliance across the sidewalk and outlining the path to Kristen.
“Wait,” she began slowly. As her upturned face examined the uniform windows that marched up the building into the sky and spotted the logo above the door, realization started to dawn. “This is…”
Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and her hand crept to her mouth at the sight of me on bended knee, holding out a little velvet box. “Kristen Shay, the time we spent together, in college and after, has been the best time in my life. I lost you once, and now I know why—and I believe I’ve become the man I can be for you and Emma. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and make that time we spend together forever? Will you marry me?” Light glimmered against the stones in the ring as I opened the little box, rainbowing through them and turning them green and red with the hope of the holidays.
Those memories of refusal, heartbreak, and years of emotional loss stayed just that—memories. They were there to remind me of the past, but they didn’t matter because a glow of love, happiness, and tearful delight lit Kristen’s face brighter than the streetlamps. Then I couldn’t see her face because it was buried in my shoulder.
We sat there, holding each other, until Kristen emerged, sniffed, and wiped her eyes. “Sorry.” She shook herself, combed her fingers through her hair, stood, and said, “Yes, Xavier Caruso, I will marry you.” The ring fit perfectly—as it should, and Kristen noticed immediately. “It’s the same ring, but…” Her fingers touched the stones and her lips moved as she counted. “Five stones?”
I reached forward and pulled my wife-to-be into my arms, then took her hand. “This is our love. It couldn’t be broken even though we were apart for nine years.” I pointed at the original diamond. “Then one for me, and you, and Emma—” I touched the last one, softly and fondly. “Our children to come. Brothers and sisters for Emma.”
Kristen’s tears had dried, and no more fell. My heart felt full to burst, and looking at my beautiful, wonderful fiancé, I knew she felt the same. I was so grateful I had stuck to my early New Year’s resolution in so many ways.
The ring would last forever, just like our family and the bond between us, and the diamond of undeniable love would watch over us all with unbreakable strength—
—the perfect gift to us all.