“Let’s see what you’ve got,” her dad said.
Shane turned, took her hand, and got down on one knee.
Sighs from the peanut gallery sounded. Birds flitted among the trees and chirped in harmony. The sun’s rays warmed her skin, and she chewed on her bottom lip to stop it from quivering. She couldn’t stop the rest of her body from shaking with joy so she zeroed in on Shane’s handsome face and knew he’d be there to catch her if she fell.
“Jelly Belly,” he said with a playful smile that undid her. She gave a nervous giggle and got down on her knees too, because her legs had turned to mush.
Their audience chuckled.
“Hey,” he brushed the hair away from her face with his free hand.
“Hey,” she breathed back.
“You look beautiful.”
“So do you.”
“Get on with it already!” somebody—Luke maybe?—shouted.
He took a deep breath and held eye contact. “Kay, you are the woman of my dreams, the woman I want to make proud, the woman whose every kiss I savor. I want to help you spread your wings and watch you become the woman you’re destined to be. I want to coast through life with you by my side. You brighten every moment I’m near you. Like the song I just belted out said, I’m whole because I’ve found you. And if you’ll let me, I promise that every day I’ll love you more than the last.
“Kagan Owens Donaldson, will you marry me?” He pulled something out of his pocket—a bright red ring pop. “I’ll replace this with the real thing soon,” he said under his breath.
“It’s perfect,” she said, holding out her hand so he could put it on her finger. “And yes, I’ll marry you, Shane Sullivan.”
Cheers and applause rang out, but the second Shane took her mouth in a searing kiss, she tuned everything else out. His arms went around her waist. She wrapped hers around his neck. He ravished her with a kiss that flipped her stomach in a way it never had before—because this kiss was the start of forever.
“Ahem.”
They broke apart and scanned each other’s faces before Shane helped her to stand. Their ridiculously delirious smiles were probably permanent. Then they turned, side-by-side, to answer to her father.
“You make sure not a day passes that she isn’t happy,” her dad said, his voice a little raspy.
“That’s the plan.” Shane tightened his arm around her.
“Good.” He took a deep breath. “Kay, I’m sorry it took me this long to see… to give you…” He swiped at the corner of his eye.
Kagan took him in her arms. “It’s okay, Dad.”
“I love you,” he said, returning the hug.
She squeezed him tighter. It had been a long time since he’d told her that. “I love you too.”
“So, Shane,” he said, releasing her. “You and I—”
Her father didn’t get to finish his sentence because Charlotte and Sela and Luke and Meg and Henry descended on them with congratulations, laughter, and affection. Introductions were made, of which her father was more gracious than she’d ever seen him.
Other friends filled the street too, but all the while, Shane held tight to her hand. When he tugged her away from the crowd, she willingly went.
He led her into the backseat of the cab. “Think you can back out of here?” Shane asked the driver.
The cabbie gave a wink into the rearview mirror and slowly put it in reverse. Cones be damned.
“Where are we going?” Kagan asked.
“Back to my place where I can show my bride-to-be how much I love her.”
Kagan climbed into his lap. “I think that might take awhile.”
“I’m planning on a lifetime.”
“Me too.” She touched her nose to his and thanked her lucky stars she was right where she wanted to be, with the man not only of her dreams, but who dreamed beside her.