Page 128 of Structure of Love

Catching his hand, I leaned in to kiss him hello, a soft brushing of lips that was pure affection. This man had stood by me through the roller coaster of this past year, and my heart knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was the one I could trust with everything.

Gage was quick on the uptake though, and he pulled back to ask, “What are you up to? There is champagne on that table, unless I missed my guess.”

“You guess correctly.”

I didn’t explain, just drew him forward until he was positioned right. Then I sucked in a breath and sank to one knee,all the while pulling out the ring from my pocket. With the way his eyes widened, jaw dropping, he hadn’t expected a proposal.

Good! Meant my plans had worked.

“Gage Andrew Banachek, you are an incredible man. Someone I aspire to be like. You draw out the best from me, no question, and have stood by me. It didn’t matter whether I was working on a bar, burying a family member, or rescuing a sibling, you had my back every step of the way. I can’t imagine going the rest of my life without you by my side. I love you so, so much that words feel inadequate. May I call you husband?”

Gage seized my face and leaned in, kissing me thoroughly, leaving us both breathless. Tears shone in his eyes as he whispered, “I love you so much. Nothing could bring me greater joy than to have you as a husband. Put that bad boy on me.”

Laughing, I stood and slid the ring onto his finger. It felt so incredibly right to see the warm gold there. A riptide of emotions swept over me. Relief that my proposal had gone over so well, but mostly joy. Breathtaking, searing joy that left me near breathless in its wake.

“You wanting me here an hour earlier now makes complete sense,” Gage muttered. “Wait. That was Shanice’s car across the street, wasn’t it?”

Shanice popped her head out over the railing, making herself more obvious. “Hi, I’m just here to get pictures.”

Gage busted out laughing. “Holy shit, I thought I was being paranoid! Of course he recruited you to take pictures.”

“She’s the best photographer I know,” I defended myself, teasing. “Want a more formal shot or two before she skedaddles?”

“That’s…You know what? Yes.”

Shanice was happy to come all the way downstairs. She posed us for a quick standing shot, then a sitting one, then hugged us both before leaving, giving us some privacy.

Well, at least for the next hour, before everyone else descended.

I owed her favors. Or I would have, if I wasn’t damn sure she was going to use those pictures to her own benefit.

Gage held up a staying hand. “You wait for a second. I’m fetching something from the truck. Pour us some bubbly.”

“Alrighty.” I poured but had deep suspicions. I’d been reliably informed by a few people that Gage had been working on a proposal present. I had no idea what it was—no one would tell me—but it was something he had on hand, despite not knowing what I’d intended tonight?

He hadn’t designed me something, had he?

Gage was back by time I had the second drink poured and was seated. He’d brought in a tablet, and look at his face, he seemed as giddy as a kid expecting the mother lode of all Christmases. Just what had he done?

Gage slid into the chair next to mine, sitting close enough our thighs brushed. “In truth, I’d planned on proposing in January.”

“Shut up, you had not.”

“I was just having trouble figuring out your ring size.” Gage glanced at my left hand. “Something we’ll fix shortly, as I want you wearing a ring too. People need to understand you’re mine.”

He was possessive of me in all the best ways. “I’m okay with it.”

“Good. Um, about the present.” Gage turned on his tablet, then pulled up a file, but there was this tinge of pink to his cheeks, as if he felt shy? “This might be too much. I just couldn’t help myself.”

Without any more explanation, he flipped the tablet so I could see the screen.

It took me a second to realize I was staring at a blueprint of a house. This image was something computer rendered, of a two-story house that had a distinct Tudor look, with arounded, towerlike stone structure on the right side, basically incorporating the feel of a medieval structure with modern architecture.

I loved it immediately.

“Gage,” I breathed, still taking the image in, “did you design us a house? Did you fantasize about living with me to the point youdesigned a house?”

His shyness dropped, and he beamed now, smile stretched from ear to ear. “You love it, I can tell.”