I was inserting Eliot’s key into the lock of his door when I sensed something and raised my head. I had an overwhelming sense I wasn’t alone. The second my chin lifted, a slew of crisscrossed string lights flared to life, illuminating the street in colors, from blue to purple and from orange to green. It was as if somebody flipped a switch and lit up the world.
“What the ...?” Confused, I stepped forward. “How are they going to clean the streets with all these lights?”
It turned out to be a stupid question, and not just because nobody was there to answer it, but because a new sound took over the night, drowning out everything else. I turned to the street, to the source of the music, and found what appeared to be a high school band. They were playing the music from the end of Star Wars: A New Hope.
“Oh, geez.” I realized what was happening too late to race back into the store. He’d set up everything, covered every avenue, and even tricked me into parking my car behind the shop so I couldn’t run. I looked to where he should’ve been, but he hadn’t come through the door behind me.
I tried the handle. It wouldn’t open. “Son of a ....” I viciously swore under my breath and turned back to the approaching band. People began drifting toward the street to watch the impending spectacle.
My mother — she actually looked happy — stood next to my grandfather. He looked smug more than anything else. My cousins, both the ones I liked and the irregular ones, leaned close and whispered to one another. Lexie and Derrick. Andre, one of my sources who lived something of a colorful life. Jake and Lauren.
I focused on Jake as my heart threatened to explode out of my chest. He gave me an easy smile and head nod, tacit agreement that it was both okay to say yes and also expected. I wanted to strangle him for it.
On the street across the way, stood most of my co-workers from The Monitor. Most of them I didn’t like — and the feeling was mutual — but they were probably there for the show and nothing more. Even Sabrina was present, though she’d pouted the entire day when she found out she’d been cut out of the action yet again. Fish promised there would be other stories, but she didn’t seem placated. She was out with the rest of them now, though, and I had no idea what to say.
Eliot appeared on the street corner, and I realized he’d cut through the back of the store and walked around the building to join me. He’d changed clothes and was now dressed as a certain intergalactic smuggler I knew. He held a box in his hand.
This couldn’t be happening. Not now. I thought I would have more time.
He looked nervous when our eyes connected, as if he was second-guessing himself. Probably not about proposing, of course, but about doing it in front of an audience. I understood why. It wasn’t just a way to ensure I wouldn’t break his heart, the people in my life serving as witnesses who wouldn’t allow me to run. It was also a way to include everyone in what was probably the biggest moment of my life.
He’d thought of everything ... and I still wanted to run him over with his truck.
“Are you ready?” he called out, causing me to briefly press my eyes shut.
“You’re not going to get mushy, are you?” My voice was a raspy whisper.
“Do you want me to get mushy?”
“No. Please, just ... no. I can’t take it.”
“I guess it’s good I’m not going to get mushy then.” He winked and opened the box, revealing a large, yet simple diamond. There were no frills, nothing making it look overly girlie. It was a simple ring, and the emotion on his face matched the setting.
He dropped to one knee and my stomach clenched. If I was going to run, this was my last chance. If I was going to hide, I could get a head start now. I remained rooted to my spot.
“You’re a difficult woman, Avery Shaw,” he started.
“I thought you weren’t going to get mushy,” I groused.
“Hey, I’m having my moment whether you like it or not.” He was firm, his expression serious. “You’re a difficult woman. I’ve grown to realize that you’re exactly the sort of woman I need, though. I want you in my life forever.”
I held out my hand. “Oh, just give me the ring.”
He yanked back the box. “I’m not done. You need to suck it up.”
“Fine. Get it over with.”
“Oh, you’re too good to me.” He smiled and held up the ring a second time. “I don’t want to change you. I don’t want to inhibit you. If I could occasionally arrange that you thought before speaking, I would totally embrace that … and yet it’s not a necessity.”
I glared at him.
“I love you more than anything,” he continued. “I love you more than I will ever love anything.”
I found a lump had formed in my throat.
“I want to spend my life with you,” he said. “I want to be your husband. I want to move forward and not look back.”
I felt as if I was swallowing jagged glass.
“So, Avery Shaw, will you marry me?”
I stared at the ring for what felt like an extremely long time. This was the moment I could’ve turned tail and ran. This was the moment I could’ve made things worse, like I always do. Instead, I sucked it up and nodded.
“Yeah.” My voice was barely a whisper.
“Say it again,” he instructed. “Nobody heard you.”
I cleared my throat. “I said yes. We’ll get married. We’ll ... do the whole vows thing. I draw the line at baking cookies, though.”
He smiled as he slipped the ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit, of course. He’d thought of everything. He pulled me to him and kissed the
