by Raquel Belle
“Possibly,” he says.
But it’s not hard to see that he keeps watching the back of the room. He’s picking at his sea bass, and I begin to think something’s wrong with that too.
“Is it any good?” I ask him.
“Oh, yeah, it’s excellent.”
“But you’re barely eating it.”
“Maybe we should just go to dessert, huh?” He says.
“Why? Are you ready to leave?” I don’t understand what’s going on. “What about the complimentary meal?”
The waiter appears at that time, and walks directly to us. He has a silver tray in his hand with a matching food cover.
“Would the lady like dessert on the house?”
“Me?” I say, and look over at Trip. “He’s the one who got the bad food.”
“It’s okay,” Trip says. “I asked the chef to just make something really great for you, and I know you love your Mom’s apple pies, so he said he has something special he does with apples. I don’t know the name of it.” He laughs. “He said he’d do it for you, though. For me, that was the compensation I wanted.”
“Trip, that’s not necessary,” I say. I don’t even feel that hungry anymore, and I still have a way to go with my lobster.
“I insist,” he says.
“I can’t return this,” the waiter says, “and it’s already made.”
I heave an exasperated sigh. “Fine…” I notice the way Trip is smiling at him. “What’s going on?” I ask both of them now. I hate being in the dark and feeling left out. I fold my arms across my chest and sit back in the seat.
“Ma’am?” The waiter calls from behind me now, and I turn to look at him. This is getting ridiculous, and my patience is wearing thin.
“Why did you have to go back there?” He lifts the silver cover, and I notice the black box underneath. There’s no apple mousse. “What …Trip …?” I begin to ask and turn around to find him on his knee, just as the lights start dimming in the room.
And then I get it. I do a facepalm. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.
“Jasmine Taylor, love of my life, my North star, my everything, my past, present and future… Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
I’m shaking, and I still have my palm over my face. I move one finger, so I can see, and he has the box in his hand now.
A Thousand Years begins to play in the background, and the tears roll down my cheek. “What did you do?” I say, and sniffle.
“I don’t know, but I know what I want to do. Say you’ll marry me, Jazz.” His eyes are hopeful and expectant, as my heart hammers in my chest.
“Yes,” I say, weakly, choking on the tears.
“Yes?!” He asks louder.
“Yes!” I say, wiping my eyes.
“Ladies and gentlemen, she said yes!” He shouts, and a chorus of applause follows. He slips the ring onto my finger and jumps to his feet. He pulls me to him and holds me tightly before he twirls me around, close to his chest, his forehead resting on mine. “Yes…”
“Congratulations,” the waiter says and slips away, just as Trip’s lips land on mine.
“Wait,” I say and pull back. “The trout…”
He laughs. “It was perfect. I had to give the chef my commendations.”
“That’s why you were gone so long,” I say, and slap my hand to my forehead. “You totally duped me.”
“I totally did,” he says, and kisses me again. “I love you, Jazz.”
Barely able to breathe, and with all the energy in the world pulsing through me, I pull him into me, as if we are one. “I love you too.”
This is the happiest moment of my life and I’m exploding with joy right now. Then it occurs to me that there’s just one more thing I need to make this complete. “Wait, wait, wait…” I tell Trip, “just a sec, I have to do something.” I quickly grab my phone out of my purse and turn the camera to selfie mode. “Come here!” I strike a pose with me and Trip and my beautiful new engagement ring.
Trip laughs while trying to hold the pose I’ve got him in. Click!
“There,” I say, beaming with a smile so big I feel like it’s going to split my face in two.
“Who’re you sending that to?” He asks.
I answer. “My best friends in the whole world. The NYCE Girls!”
The End.
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That’s more money than Jacqueline Cross makes in three years! Click here to read more