“Righto. Best of luck. It was nice meeting you, Mel. Anytime you wanna skydive, you know who to call. Bringing the K-man’s totally optional.” The words carried the essence of a jaunty farewell.
She thanked him again for everything.
“Can I open my eyes now?” Melissa asked, once certain they were alone.
Another set of warm hands picked up hers.
“Yes.” Sam’s voice held a nervous energy she couldn’t place.
Opening her eyes, she saw Sam looking dapper in a dark suit with a bright blue tie. Mel suspected Neil had led her in a few wide circles before stopping here beneath a canopy of tall trees. She had to admit, Sam’s choice of location was superb. A gentle breeze moved through the trees high above them, allowing the sunlight and leaves to create a dazzling light and shadow show.
One second, she stared up into Sam’s smoky, gray-green eyes. The next second, her gaze was drawn downward as he knelt, still holding her hands. Her mind went blank.
Sam smiled and let a moment pass in complete silence before attempting to speak.
“I know I have timing issues, and I know this might seem fast or wrong in some other way. But I love you, so I have to ask.” He stopped long enough to draw a box out of his right pocket. “Dr. Melissa Novak, will you marry me?”
A dozen reasons to turn him down clamored for attention right alongside her heart doing triple-time in her chest. To buy a moment to think, she tugged him to his feet and wrapped him in a tight hug. When she thought her voice might work again, she cleared her throat, leaned back, and looked deep into his eyes.
“Are you sure you want the trouble?” she asked hoarsely.
Resting his forehead on hers, Sam said, “I’ve never wanted anything more, but if—”
She cut him off with a very long, satisfying kiss.
“Yes,” said Melissa when the kiss concluded. Leaning back, she poked him in the chest. “But you should have warned me. I’m feeling underdressed here.”
Sam grinned.
“I thought you might say that.” He changed position and offered her his elbow. “My sister’s waiting just over that hill in her toy car with some wardrobe choices Josie picked out.”
Melissa laughed.
“You thought of everything,” she said, looping her arm through his.
He shrugged.
“We tried, but I think we forgot appropriate shoes,” Sam explained. “If you’d prefer, I can use the car to climb back into the plane-jumping monkey suit, so you won’t feel out of place. By then, Neil should have our picnic ready.”
“How’d you get Neil to agree to that?” Melissa wondered.
Sam’s grin had a slightly evil quality to it.
“By agreeing not to punch him when he asks Jenn out sometime today.”
“What a good brother,” said Melissa.
The statement sobered her by bringing up thoughts of her own brothers, but with Sam by her side, she refused to let regrets steal the day.
THE END
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