The food was amazing, nothing with this restaurant disappointed. It absolutely measured up to the hype.
“How about a walk outside with the tower all lit up,” I suggest, hoping that she agrees with my suggestion.
“Yes! I’ve been waiting all day to get to do just that,” she tells me, and my plan is falling together perfectly. Once I sign the credit card slip, we make our way from the restaurant, and down the elevator. Once finally outside, we head toward the open square that surrounds the tower. I walk us directly to the area I’d discussed with the photographer, knowing that she’s blending in with the people sitting amongst the tables that line the outer edge of the square.
“What do you think?” I ask Megan as we come to a stop. We both look up at the magnificent scene before us. I notice from the corner of my eye, a woman stands up and comes closer, a camera in her hand. Even if Megan noticed her, she wouldn’t realize that she’s purposely capturing us, as almost every person out here is snapping pictures.
“It’s absolutely breathtaking. I know I’ve said that about multiple things on this trip, but it’s true. I just can’t explain what it feels like to see something you’ve seen so many times in pictures and movies, but to finally experience it for myself, especially something like this, that I never thought I’d get to experience. It’s just magical, and something I’ll never forget. Thank you for giving me this,” she says, tugging me down and kissing me.
I break the kiss, knowing that now is the perfect time. I slide my hand into my slacks, wrapping my fingers around the small bag the ring has been in this entire time. I’m able to get it out of the bag and slip it out of my pocket. I grab Megan’s hand with my empty one and turn so that I’m directly in front of her. I drop down onto my haunches, so I’m at her level. Something that isn’t unusual, so she hasn’t caught on yet that anything is happening.
“Megan,” I say her name, stopping as I clear my throat. The emotions all hit me. I love this woman more than anything in this entire world, and I can’t wait to make her mine forever. “I love that I get to experience so many of your firsts in life. That I’m able to provide the opportunity for those firsts, from galas to flights, nights in London and Paris. There isn’t anyone else in life that I’d want to experience those things with. I might have been the one to trip into your world, but you’ve flipped my world upside down, and all for the better. I love you with everything that I am. You make me a better man. You make me want to reach for the stars and know that I’ll always have your support no matter if I reach them or fall trying. I can’t imagine doing life without you.” I pause, feeling like I’ve just word vomited all over her, and I kind of have. “Megan Lively, will you do me the honor and marry me?” I finally ask, remembering at the last second to hold up the ring.
“Drew!” she gasps, covering her mouth with her free hand as her head starts to nod up and down frantically. “Yes!” she squeaks out as I lean in to kiss her hard.
“I love you, so fucking much,” I say against her lips.
“I love you, too,” she says, once we break apart. I wipe at the tears sliding down her face before I lean my forehead against hers. “I had no idea you were planning this,” she says a moment later, pulling back to look at her ring.
“Good,” I say, kissing her lips again. “I did my best to keep it under wraps. I wanted it to be a complete surprise.”
“Well, you pulled it off, I absolutely didn’t expect it or know about it,” she says, a smile fully plastered on her face. “It’s gorgeous, I can’t believe we’re getting married!” she squeals excitedly.
“Excuse me, Drew,” the photographer interrupts. “Can I get a few posed pictures for you?” she offers, as we’d already previously arranged.
“Yes, thank you,” I tell her, then turn my attention back to Megan and fill her in on the fact that we’ve been being photographed this entire time. “Everything was captured so we can look back on it, as well as share it with our friends and family once we’re back home.”
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?” she asks in astonishment.
“I tried, but I can’t take full credit for the photographer idea. That was all Lucy,” I confess.
“Lucy knew you were proposing?” she asks.
“I think the only person that didn’t know this was happening, was you,” I tell her, tapping the pad of my finger on the tip of her nose. “Your parents are expecting you to FaceTime with them at some point this evening, and I’ll text mine, so they know you said yes.”
“Wow!” she exclaims. “Wait, my parents even know?” she asks in astonishment.
“Of course, they know, I had to call and get their permission,” I tell her, filling her in on the FaceTime call her parents and I had not that long ago. “And so that you know, your ring has been in my family for three generations. I had it reset, as the previous one was broken beyond repair, but it was the diamond that my great-grandfather used to propose to my great-grandmother, my grandfather went on to use it when he proposed to my grandmother, and the same with my dad and mom. Now, it’s yours until we have a son or daughter of our own to pass it down to.”
“It’s seriously beautiful. I’ll always cherish it, and knowing that so many amazing Montgomery women before me wore it makes it that much more special to me. Thank you for trusting me with it,” she says, holding her hand against her chest, as if she’s trying to get the ring as close to her heart as possible.
“I’m glad you love it. It looks good on your hand, if I do say so myself,” I tell her before we turn our attention back to the photographer. She has us pose for a few images before she finishes up her shoot for us.
“I’ll email the files over in a couple days. Congratulations and thank you for entrusting me to capture such an important event,” she tells us before she heads off, quickly getting lost in the crowd.
“What do you say we go back to the hotel, fiancée?” I ask, knowing I want to do nothing more than strip her from her clothes and bury myself deep inside her luscious body.
“Take me back to the room, fiancé,” she answers me, allowing the title to roll off of her tongue. “It’s so weird to say that word and think that I have a fiancé, and that I am someone’s fiancée,” she muses.
“Has kind of a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” I ask, a little cocky and a whole lot confident.
“It does,” Megan agree.
“I don’t think I’ll tire of calling you that,” I tell her once we’re in the elevator and on our way up to our room.
20
MEGAN
DECEMBER
“ARE YOU READY?” my dad asks as we make eye contact via the mirror in front of me. He’s here to walk me down the aisle, as today I get to marry my best friend. The man who literally tripped into my life and turned it completely around.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I tell him honestly.
“You look beautiful, honey. Drew is a very lucky man and we’re honored to call him our son-in-law, after today.”