Cut Too Deep(74)
Ryker shifted away from her on the couch. He appeared nervous, and she noticed his hand trembling. “Actually,” he said, slowly, and her heart dropped. “I kind of wanted to talk to you about that.”
Suddenly she felt sick. Was this it? Was he finally going to ask her to leave? Things had been going so well for her, but she always misread situations, and perhaps she’d finally out stayed her welcome.
He took her hand. “Jenna, there’s something I want to ask you. I know I should probably have taken you somewhere fancy and romantic, but I didn’t want to wait, and also someone else wanted to be here to hear the answer. This is your home now, and I know a home isn’t something you’ve had for a very long time.” He reached behind a cushion and pulled out a small box, before dropping to his knee in front of her. “We haven’t been together for very long, but the time we have been together, we’ve been through more than most couples would go through in a lifetime. You’re smart, and beautiful, and quite possibly the bravest person I have ever met. Jenna Armstrong, I hope you’ll consider this to be your home for the rest of your life, and I hope you’ll allow me to be in your life for that long as well. Will you marry me?”
He flicked open the box to reveal an eternity ring of diamonds. A lump rose in her throat and she choked back tears.
He looked at her with those deep, blue eyes, tears swimming in their depths. “It belonged to our grandmother on our Dad’s side,” he told her. “We both thought you should have it.”
Jenna clutched her hand to her mouth, overcome and unable to speak.
His face took on a worried look. “Is it a yes?”
She nodded frantically, wiping at her tears and finding her voice. “Yes! Of course it’s a yes!”
She threw herself into his arms, so they both ended up on the floor. Ryker caught her up in his arms and kissed her through her tears. His mouth was warm and sweet, and felt just like coming home.
They broke the kiss long enough for Ryker to take the ring from the box and slip it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.
She twisted her hand in the light, the multi-faceted diamonds glinted rainbows back at her. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Feet pounded down the stairs and Mikey’s head popped around the door. “Have you asked her yet?”
Ryker rolled his eyes. “Good thing I have, because you’d have spoiled the moment.”
He grinned. “I knew you had, really. I was listening from upstairs.”
Ryker gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
Jenna held out her hand, displaying the ring.
“It was our grandma’s,” Mikey said.
“I’m honored to be wearing it, Mikey. Thank you.”
The boy shrugged. “Don’t thank me. It was Ryker who gave it to you.”
She gave the boy a smile. “You know what I mean. It means the world to me.”
Mikey blushed and gave another shrug. “Yeah, well, you’re family now.”
Jenna glanced between Ryker and Mikey and smiled. He was right.
She was home and she’d finally found her family.