I was sweating through my shirt, the jewelry box in my pocket starting to feel heavy. All the events leading up to this had been easy. Deciding when and how to propose, buying the ring, even planning out the things I wanted to say as I asked Bianca to marry me had come naturally.

In the six months that we’d been officially dating, I’d left no question about my intentions of marrying her and keeping her forever. But planning out your life with someone was a lot different than asking your girlfriend’s father if he approved of you enough to allow you to take over his number one responsibility – taking care of his kid.

I didn’t take that responsibility lightly. He hadn’t taken it lightly either. All his children had grown up watching him love their mother unconditionally – in sickness and in health. He had provided for their family financially, and most importantly had been a steady and reliable fixture in their lives. Each of his kids loved him and looked up to him and he’d earned that.

I wasn’t nervous about being that person for Bianca. I’d give anything for her. She’d blossomed in the short time I’d known her. Come into her own and found her way. And I loved her more every day. No matter who she decided to be or what changes life brought us. There was no version of her I wouldn’t love.

But I was nervous her father wouldn’t see all the things in me he needed in order to feel comfortable that I’d be able to provide and love his daughter for the rest of our lives. I was ready to make my case, though.

“Mr. Winters.” I cornered him in the back yard. Bianca and her mother were at the store getting groceries for our Sunday dinner and the boys were lounged out in front of the TV inside.

“Court,” he lowered the newspaper and smiled. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Glenn?”

“Glenn,” I said and took a seat across from him on the wicker patio furniture.

“Beautiful day out.” He looked up to the blue sky as if he’d just noticed and folded the newspaper and sat it on the table. He leaned back and pulled his coat tighter around his midsection. The sun might have been shining bright, but the late winter temperatures were still brutal.

I nodded. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say about the weather.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

A flash of concern crossed his face, but it was gone quickly. “Of course. Everything okay?”

“Yes. Things are really great. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Bianca. I know we’ve just been dating a short time, but I’d like your blessing to ask her to marry me.” I pulled out the ring box and sat it on the table.

His eyes were glued to the box and every second of silence felt like an eternity.

“I love your daughter, sir. I’d do anything for her, for any of you. I didn’t have a traditional family like this growing up, but I promise I’ll do my best to give her everything she wants and needs. You may think it’s crazy to propose this fast, but I’ve been as patient as I can. I was ready to propose six months ago.”

I had other things I’d planned to say, but I stopped and waited for him to say something. Anything. If he had questions, I’d answer them. If he had concerns, I’d tell him how they weren’t justified.

“I proposed to Lucy on our third date. I didn’t have a ring, I hadn’t asked her father – hell, I hadn’t even thought it through. I just knew I needed her. Love makes people do crazy things, but you and Bianca… that’s not crazy. She loves you. You’ve made her happier than I can ever remember her being. That’s all I want for her and for you.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I held. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Lucy called out from the house as she and Bianca returned, and Glenn and I stood. I tucked the ring back into my pocket and he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Welcome to the family, son.”

He pulled me into a hug and I let him envelop me and found my arms moving up to embrace him back before I’d even thought about doing it. Family. I’d finally found my family.

This had always been part of the deal with Bianca. She held her family close and I’d known there was no way to be with her without loving them, too. And I did. They’d all become important to my life. Even Donnie, who had been the hardest to get to know, felt like family. But Mr. Winter had given me something I didn’t realize I’d needed. He’d become the male role model, father-figure, I’d never had. I’d thought I’d outgrown the need for such a thing, but he continued to teach me things about family and love and I couldn’t wait to see what was next.

Things I’d learned about Court Adams:

1. He was smart. Like, really smart. He’d always teased me about my book smarts, but Court was a knowledgebase on every subject. Sports, Pop Culture, History, Arts – his brain was sexy.
2. His brain wasn’t the only thing that was sexy. Okay, I already knew this, but my new favorite thing was lying in bed on Saturday mornings and exploring his body. Every hard line.
3. He was romantic. He sent me flowers to work every week and planned elaborate date nights showing me parts of the city I didn’t even know existed.
4. He loved my family. I knew bringing him into my family would be hard on him, but he’d taken it in stride. He always showed up – birthdays, doctor appointments with my mom (he was a saint for this alone), Donnie and Leo’s school events, even Sunday dinners.
5. He loved me. He never left any room for me to question his feelings. He told me every day, he showed me in every touch, every look, and every word that came out of his beautiful mouth. His love was shown in ways I hadn’t expected, too. He was adamant that I get to experience everything. When I’d suggested living together he’d told me no, that he wanted to wait until we were married. When I’d told him, I couldn’t wait to get married and have kids, he’d told me there was plenty of time for all that and I should enjoy being young.

I mulled over all the amazing things about my boyfriend as I helped my mom wash the dishes from our Sunday dinner. The boys, dad, and Court were all outside on the patio. I could hear hushed whispers and laughter as I rinsed plates.

“What are they doing out there?” I asked my mom with a curious glance.

She just smiled. “Your father has some ideas on how to renovate the patio this spring. They’re probably talking about that.”

“Donnie and Leo are talking home improvement? I doubt it,” I said as I finished the last dish.

“Grab the wine and let’s join them.” She pointed to the half-empty wine bottle Court had brought over for dinner.

I grabbed it and my wine glass and followed my mother outside. It was early February and the winter chill hung in the air. The fire pit was lit, and the propane heaters were going, but I still hunched my shoulders up as the wind whipped around the small enclosure.

The men stilled as they spotted us joining them and then my brothers and dad parted away from Court.

“What’s going on out here?” I asked hesitantly, stepping toward Court.

No one said a thing and I turned a circle looking at all their faces. My mother had joined my father and she wore a giddy smile as my father wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into his chest. Leo and Donnie had matching conspiratorial smirks like they were in on some big secret and happy to be privy to something I wasn’t.

When I turned my gaze back to Court, he held a small red box in one hand and reached out his other to me.

I barely registered the sound of my mother whimpering over my own gasp. “Oh my God.”

Leo appeared at my side, taking the wine and glass so my hands were free. With tears building in my eyes and my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I reached for Court. He smiled down at me with a cocky grin, but I felt the hint of nervousness in the firm grasp he had on my hand.

“I think you’re probably getting tired of me telling you how much I love you and what you mean to me, but since I only plan to do this once in my lifetime you’ll have to forgive my selfishness in doing this the way I want. And Bianca, I want to tell you I love you. I want to tell you now and tomorrow. In front of your family, our friends, and random strangers I pass on the street. I never thought that I’d have someone like you in my life. I didn’t think I deserved it. Even now as I ask you to spend the rest of your life with me, I wonder if you’ll be settling by saying yes. But I desperately want you to say yes and let me spend the rest of my life loving you the best way I know how. You told me once that I made you feel electric, but you got it all wrong. You’re electric, 8B. Everything you touch sparks and comes to life. That’s what you did for me – you brought me to life and I want to spend what’s left of that life with you. Will you marry me?”

I didn’t pull my eyes away from Court as he got down on one knee and opened the jewelry box. I didn’t look at the ring, I didn’t look to my mother whose cries of joy rang out into the evening, or at Donnie and Leo who were snickering like school girls. I kept my eyes on Court’s when I said yes because he was all that mattered. He breathed out a sigh of relief and stood and took my mouth with his. And it was there – voltage and current and love.

No more shuffling my feet, no more cursing the failed attempts. Current flowed from him to me and arced. An electric discharge that glowed. That was what Court and I had. Love framed in an electric blue glow.

THE END