Page 88 of Enticed

“It’s a great day, Captain. About to be even better.”

“Well, I agree since you decided to auction yourself off for another date again. I guess the last one didn’t work out, I assume?”

I cringe as Clara’s mouth drops open. I fight the urge to laugh, but I have to see this through. “Well, there was something about it that just didn’t end well for me. I wasn’t happy with the ending at all. I hopethisone ends better, that’s for sure.”

“Wow. Okay. Well, tell us about your date planned and then we’ll start the bidding… how does that sound?” Captain turns to the audience and applause rings out. Clara looks like she’s going to kill me, but I continue.

“Well, for this date, I see a beautiful woman wearing a white dress, with a delicate bouquet of red roses in her hands. Her long brown hair is curled and down around her face, a delicate lace veil drapes around her cheeks and down her back, and her smile is the brightest it’s ever been as she walks towards me down an aisle lined with rose petals,” I lock in on Clara now, whose face has completed changed as her eyes widen and I see her mouth fall open just slightly.

“I see me in a black tux, handsome as ever with a fresh haircut and a bow tie, with tears in my eyes as I watch the love of my life walk towards me on our wedding day. Our family and friends all sit in white wooden chairs as we declare our love for one another in front of everyone—kind of like what I’m doing right now. What do you think, Captain? Does that sound like the perfect date to you?” I flash my eyes at him before finding Clara’s once more as a few tears stream down her face now.

“Sounds like the perfect day to me, Walsh. When is this date planned for?”

“Well,” I tilt my head and look up to the sky for a moment. “Probably next summer sometime. I’m not in any rush, but all I know is that every day I don’t put a ring on her finger and make sure everyone knows that she’s mine for all eternity, I regret it. And, it’s really fun to do it in front of everyone, since she won me the first time I was on this stage,” I smile down at Clara and she just shakes her head. Liv clasps her hands around her shoulders and then urges her to join me on the platform.

Clara swipes at a few stray tears on her face before walking up the stairs and stopping right in front of me.

“You are crazy, Cooper Walsh. I was seriously so pissed at you when I thought you were auctioning yourself off again,” she twists her head and then smiles wide at me.

I grab the microphone from Captain as he retreats from center stage, leaving all of the attention on Clara and me.

“The only person I ever want to bid on a date with me is you, Clara Anderson. And thank God you did back in April, because now I’m offering you aweddingdate in the future with me. What do you say, beautiful? Will you marry me? Be my wife? Give us the happily ever after that we both want more than anything?” I ask as I drop down to one knee and reach into my pocket, retrieving the ring.

She gives me a small nod and then grabs the microphone from my hands, shouting, “Yes! I will marry you, Cooper Walsh!”

I throw my head back in laughter before reaching for her hand and placing the ring on her fingers. She helps me stand and then crushes her mouth to mine, dropping the microphone as it hits the stage and the sound echoes through the speakers.

I love this woman. She sure has been hard to tame, but she’s constantly keeping me on my toes, and I can’t wait to surprise each other with public displays of affection for the rest of our lives. She enticed me with her beauty, drew me in with her humor, and has secured me with her heart—giving us both the future we never realized we had when she was eighteen and I was fifteen and she used to call me Twiggy.

THE END