I stared at her, wondering why she was so grumpy. I knew why I was grumpy, but come to think of it, Vee had been grumpy a lot lately.
“Everything okay, Vee?” I asked sincerely.
She sniffed, but pasted on a smile. “Peachy. Let’s go already. We’re late!”
I rolled my eyes, but climbed out of the car, following her carefully down the dirt path to the beach where I could hear a bunch of people talking and loud music already playing. We came around the bend and I looked up to try to find Wyatt’s head over the crowd.
I gasped. “What in the world?”
Vee ran off giggling, leaving me there at the foot of the path, my feet sinking into the sand. Thousands of tiny white lights were strung high in the air across the beach from palm tree to palm tree, the blazing bonfire in the middle. Off to the right, someone had laid down a bunch of plywood boards, forming a makeshift dance floor which was already crowded with all kinds of people I knew from growing up in Auburn Hill. This was far fancier than any bonfire I’d ever been to.
The music decibel lowered, and the crowd shifted to the sides, leaving Wyatt standing alone in the center of the dance floor. He raised his arm and beckoned for me to come closer. I did, my gaze focused solely on him, but aware everyone was staring at us. My knees wobbled, and even though I smelled the salty breeze off the ocean, something else was in the air tonight too. Something big and important.
When I reached him, the music stopped entirely, and I noticed Mom and Dad standing in the front of the crowd. Since when did my parents come to a bonfire party? It was as I was gazing at them with that question in mind that Wyatt moved.
He dropped to one knee, holding a tiny black box.
My hand went to my mouth, and I knew. He’d only told me a hundred times over the last four months he intended to propose the first second he felt I’d say yes.
“Oakley, I’ve loved you from the moment you put me in my place on day one.”
Dad interjected with a muttered, “Thatta girl.”
Mom shushed him, and I couldn’t help the smile that split my face.
Wyatt cleared his throat and continued. “I admire you for putting your life on the line every single day for the town you love. I respect you for your ideals and beliefs about right and wrong. And I love that I’m the one you trust to let your hair down with. I promise to always be your safe shelter, the partner who will never let you ride solo as long as I’m still breathing. Will you do me the honor of marrying me and taking whichever last name you prefer?” He cocked a sly grin. “I clearly don’t care what our last name is, as long as I’m standing next to you.”
“They should totally hyphenate,” Esme whispered loudly.
“Shh!” Izzy responded.
I shook my head, still smiling. Everything in me shouted just one word. “My answer will always be yes. Over and over again yes.”
Wyatt’s smile intensified. He popped open the box to show two rings. I tilted my head. One was a white gold band with tiny diamonds lining the entire circle. The other was an enormous diamond surrounded by smaller ones, the setting fit for a queen.
“My mom wanted you to have the family ring, but I also know you can’t wear that to work, so I got you a smaller one.”
I ignored both rings and cupped his face, more precious than any jewel. “You think of everything, don’t you?”
His eyes sparkled. “When it comes to you, hell yes.”
I kissed him then, not needing the words, or the rings, or the people around us. I only needed him. I gave him my answer with my kiss and I’d give him my answer later tonight with my body.
A throat clearing had us both backing off, remembering the entire town watched us. Wyatt stood and Dad clapped him on the back. The girls rushed in, along with Mom, to see the rings in the box.
“Oh, I know which one I’d wear!” Vee exclaimed.
“I think they’re both beautiful,” Izzy declared.
Emmeline popped her head into our huddle. “That big diamond could be a weapon, right, Oakley?”
I grinned at her, realizing how excited I was to get yet another sister in the deal. Wyatt pushed back into our group. “May I?” He nodded toward the ring box.
I put my left hand out and let him place both rings on my ring finger. He’d been right to get me a smaller ring. The family ring would take some getting used to. Might have to do some hand-strengthening exercises before I wore it again. Hell, even my Glock was lighter than that thing.
The music cranked up again and Wyatt spun me away from my family, where we danced most of the night away. When the parents had all left and the alcohol was flowing freely, I tapped out of dancing and headed over to my sisters while Wyatt got us some drinks.
“Will you help me plan the wedding, Esme?”
The girl could plan a presidential inauguration in her sleep. Organization was her middle name.
She smiled so brightly I knew it was worth it to have her nag me for months on end about every detail. “Yes, I’d love to!” She pulled out her phone and scrolled. “Let me just check my calendar. Okay, so I can meet you Monday of next week after I get back from Tahoe. Does that work?”
I nodded, not having anything planned but work. While that might have made me feel inferior six months ago, now I knew there wasn’t anything wrong with me for not being a social creature like Esme. We were
