Page 91 of Lost in the Neon Lights
“Yeah. I wonder how long the power will be off for.”
“No idea. It’s been a few hours in the past. Sometimes, a few days. Really depends on the situation.”
“A few days. You can’t be serious,” I stammer, unable to fathom not having power for that long. That’s never something I experienced in Chicago, nor growing up.
He shrugs. “If a bad winter storm hits, it can take a while to get everything fixed down here. We’re not as prepared for that type of weather as everyone is farther north.”
“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”
Jake gets out of the truck and comes to open the door and help me out. I take his hand, grateful for the support because the three-inch heels I decided to wear to elongate my legs are slightly treacherous. They’re also incredibly uncomfortable, another reason why soaking in the tub is next on my list, assuming we even have hot water without electricity. This night really isn’t going as I thought.
Jake holds my hand as we slowly make our way up the steps to the front door. I’m completely lost in my thoughts as he unlocks the door and we walk into the foyer. Inside, the house is almost pitch black, except for the moonlight creeping in through the floor-to-ceiling windows along the back of the house. Heheads toward the living room with his hand in mine, and my heart stops when we turn the corner.
There are hundreds of flameless candles everywhere, illuminating the space with the warmest glow. Vases of my favorite roses are sprinkled throughout the room, and the floor is practically covered in rose petals.
My mouth drops open as tears fill my eyes. I can’t help but tremble, knowing what’s about to happen.
He leads me to the center of the room and turns to look at me, taking both my hands in his. The sweetest smile takes over his face, and there is so much incredible love in his eyes.
“Kate, when you came back into my life last year, I was excited about getting my best friend back. Finding out who you’d become. I never expected to fall hopelessly in love with you. It was so easy to fall for you. I couldn’t have stopped even if I tried. It was inevitable.”
Tears fall down my face as I chew on the corner of my lower lip, locking eyes with the man of my dreams. My true soulmate and best friend.
“I know in the very fiber of my being that you and I are meant to be. You were my other half when we were growing up as kids. My best friend. And when I fell in love with you, I realized what you really were to me all along—my soulmate. The love of my life.”
He gets down on one knee, the candlelight glowing behind him, as he looks up into my eyes. “There is no one else in the entire world for me, Kate. You’re it. My everything. Will you please make me the happiest man in the world and become my wife?”
“Yes. I want nothing more than to be your wife and spend the rest of my life with you, Jake. I love you so much.”
Jake’s smile grows even wider when he slips the two-carat emerald diamond ring on my left hand. He quickly stands andtakes me in his arms, lifting my feet off the ground and swinging me around. Once he stops, his arms go around my waist, and his lips crash onto mine. This kiss is passionate and soft, full of love and appreciation for what we’ve been through and where we’re headed. The perfect kiss to end the very best night.
Everything I’ve been through in my life was worth it to get to this moment. I’d go through all heartache, insecurities, and drama again if it meant I’d get to stand by his side for the rest of my life. Because a love like this doesn’t come around often, and when you find it, you have to grab hold and never let go. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.
