Touch

by Sarah White

  Without another word, he reaches into the car and retrieves the leather folder with my diploma. He tucks it under his arm, then tugs me up the steps and toward the church. I look around nervously, but I guess there’s no need for a security guard in the daylight. The church is stunning against the purple sky in the background. I try to peek inside, but Noah shakes his head and points to the grass where we slipped the night we tried to flee and got ambushed by the sprinklers.

  I hold his hand tight, the memories of that night running through my head, making my heart swell with love for him. When we reach the center of the yard he sits down and pulls my arm so that I sit right beside him.

  “Leah, do you remember the night we lay here under the stars?”

  “Of course. How could I forget?” I laugh and kiss his lips, wrapping my arm around his and pulling him closer.

  “I don’t know if I ever told you, but I already knew then that I loved you. You were such a breath of fresh air. I loved the way you were a hopeless romantic, the way you perched on the counter every night as I cooked. I loved the way I looked forward to talking to you every night and falling asleep with you in my arms. It would take all night to tell you all the things I loved and still love about you. I guess the only thing left is to tell you that I’ll love you for the rest of my life.” His voice is soft but steady.

  My heartbeat picks up as I look into the eyes of the man that still makes my stomach flutter. He hands me my diploma and I give him a curious look.

  “Open it, Crash. I think there might be something important inside.” I open the black case and tucked inside the ribbon is a map, just like the one he gave me that night so long ago. I stare at it for a second and he moves in front of me, rising up on one knee and holding out a small velvet box. The writing across the map in bold letters reads, Will you marry me?

  I’m speechless as I gaze at the beautiful ring. “Leah, I love you,” Noah says. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can’t promise you that we’ll always take the easiest road, but I can promise that I’ll never leave your side. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes!” I scream, and throw my arms around his neck. I kiss him fiercely as we kneel on the grass, and when I finally pull back I hear cheers behind us. I turn to see our family and friends snapping photos and clapping. I’d thought this day could not get any better, but I was wrong. I don’t know how he managed to arrange this, but I wouldn’t change one minute of it.

  Noah set out to prove that couples who stop touching fall apart, but he also proved that couples who keep touching can pull through. He might have seen a million reasons not to trust in love again, but that one piece of knowledge was enough to make him give it a try. I can’t speak for everyone else, but when it comes to Noah and me, I am confident in saying that we will live happily ever after.

  About Sarah White

  Sarah White was born and raised in California. Graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and California State University, Long Beach, she has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling. In addition to being a mom, Sarah spends her days as a therapist and her nights and weekends reading and writing love stories. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and two boys.

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  Also By Sarah White

  Rookie in Love

  Rookie Playing for Keeps