Page 157 of The One

I reached inside the pocket of my suit jacket, and I took out the small velvet box, opening the lid while I got on one knee.

Lainey’s eyes filled with tears, her hand finally dropping from her face as I reached for her left one to hold, her chin quivering now that it was uncovered.

“My Lainey.” I smiled. “You came into my life to show me who I really was. You came in to teach me about love—a word I never knew the meaning of before. You came in to make my world a better place. You give me purpose. Passion.”

I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand. “I breathe because of you. I want because of you. I learn and I grow and I need—all because of you. You’re more than my why, baby. You’re my reason. My one.”

I opened the lid of the box, the diamond nestled inside the velvet folds. “Our journey has been made up of three phases. Freshman year was one. Junior to senior year was two. And this has been our third. When I designed this ring, I wanted those stages to be present, like steps leading us to where we are now.”

I took the diamond out and placed the eternity band in front of her finger. The five-carat center stone was oval, shaped like the inside of an infinity symbol. The two-carat rectangular stones beside it sat lower on the band, as if they were actual stairs leading to the main diamond, symbolizing our life now.

“I love you, Lainey. I’ve always loved you. I will love you until I take my last breath.” The emotion was building in my throat. “Will you be my wife?—”

“Yes!” She collapsed on top of my leg, sitting there while she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed. “I love you so much, Rhett.”

Still holding the ring, I put it in my palm, and I hugged her back, tucking my face in her neck, breathing in a scent that a roomful of roses couldn’t even compete with.

“My wife,” I whispered. “Lainey, you’ve made me the happiest man.”

I clutched her hair, clinging our bodies together. And when I finally let go, I placed the diamonds on her finger.

“Rhett, this is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.” She stared at it, her eyes wide and watery. “It’s truly a staircase with an infinite amount of love.”

I wiped a tear off her cheek and another that was starting to fall. “My baby.” I kissed her tattoo. “Mine forever.”

“My husband,” she said softly. “I already call you that … you just don’t know.”

“Then, kiss your husband, Lainey.”

I got a smile, and then I got her mouth. I got her to exhale, and I got her to moan.

Her grin didn’t fade when she pulled back. “I can’t wait to tell everyone. Only two more days until they’re all here. Won’t they die when they come for the hotel opening and find out we’re engaged?”

I palmed her cheek. “Baby, they already know.”

She searched my eyes. “Did you tell them you were proposing?”

I leaned in until my lips were in front of hers. “No. But they just heard.”

I snapped my fingers three times, and the wall across from us began to open, a parting that revealed our group of family and friends on the other side of the ballroom.

“I wanted them to share this moment with us.” While I stayed kneeling on the floor with her on me, I took in the faces that were smiling at us, the roar of applause, the shouting. “It was a long road of unhappiness for the both of us, Lainey. It’s time to celebrate some love.”

“Rhett, is that my mom and dad over there?” Her hands were on her face, steepled over her nose and mouth.

“I couldn’t ask you to be my wife without having them here to hug you after.”

She looked at me. “I love you. To the moon and back—endless times.”

I wiped the bottoms of her eyes. “I love you more.”

I guided her up to her feet, and my hand clasped around hers as we joined the party that had miraculously stayed silent while I proposed.

Everyone was here.

But the first trio we approached were the Taylors and my mom.

As my mom hugged me, she whispered, “I wish your dad were here to celebrate you and Lainey. He’d be so proud of you, Rhett.”