by MJ Fredrick
That was certainly a different tune than he'd sung before. Noah was glad to see it. Maybe they needed him to get out of the way so they could find their own relationship.
“So where are you going to pop the question?”
“It’s on the cake in the fridge.”
“What’s on the cake? The ring?”
“The ring, and the question.”
“Really?” Ben gave him a disgusted look. “That’s how you’re going to ask her?”
“She knows I’m not big on words and gestures, so yeah. I thought it would be the best way.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “You better hope she loves you enough to say yes.”
Noah was sure she did.
Once the kitchen enough for his satisfaction, he sent Ben to call everyone back in for dessert, putting out the plates, then waiting for Miranda to sit down before he brought the cake out from the refrigerator. He set it on the table in front of her, box and all.
“Ooh, from Riley’s,” she said appreciatively, and opened the box.
Then let the lid fall closed and dropped back in her chair. She looked from the box to Noah, and he hoped the expression on his face was a smile, and not what looked like the effect of a stroke. She said nothing, but leaned forward again and opened the box slowly, as if the cake would jump out and bite her.
When she didn't say anything, his heart started to pound. He reached past her for the ring and plucked it from the icing, then went down on one knee beside her. He was aware of her mother’s gasp of surprise, of Selena’s squeal, but only had eyes for Miranda, for the smile that replaced the shock as she scooted out of her chair and knelt before him.
He wanted to give her the ring, because the look on her face said “yes” in so many ways, but he needed to tell her, too, why he needed her to say yes.
“I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, Miranda. You have a joy in you that is like nothing I’ve ever known. I was afraid of it when I was seventeen, I was afraid of it at thirty-two. But I know it’s something I never want to live without again. If you’ll have me, I’ll never give you a reason to lose that joy.”
“Noah.” She reached up and twined her fingers through his hair. “Seeing you last summer made me realize what I was missing in my life. A home, a family. And I want that family with you.”
“So, yes?” He held up the ring that he knew was a chip compared to what Damian could have given her. But Noah would give her so much more.
She looked at it, covered his hand with hers, and laughed. “Yes.”
About the Author
MJ Fredrick knows about chasing dreams. Twelve years after she completed her first novel, she signed her first publishing contract. Now she divides her days between teaching elementary music, and diving into her own writing—traveling everywhere in her mind, from Belize to Honduras to Africa to the past.
She's a four-time Golden Heart Award finalist, and she won the 2009 Eppie Award with Hot Shot and the 2010 Eppie with Breaking Daylight. She was a 2012 Epic Award finalist with Don’t Look Back.
Connect with MJ online.
Website: http://mjfredrick.com
Blog: http://mjfredrick.wordpress.com
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