I’m nervous as a teenager about to ask his crush out for a first date.

No, way more nervous than that. This isn’t a date, this is… life.

I know she loves me. I know she wants to marry me.

I know she’ll say yes.

But somehow, my knees are still knocking.

Jenny went for a long walk with Brenda and her dogs, so I’m taking the opportunity to have a secret Skype session with Angel and Elaine.

I’m telling myself it’s just to show off the ring I bought.

But really…? I could use the moral support and encouragement, too.

The Skype call connects and their relaxed, tanned faces show up on the cam.

“Hey, kid!” Angel says. “How’s it going? You miss us yet? You can’t wait for us to come back?”

“Fine…no….and, no.” I grin. “You’ve only been in LA for what… a month? Jenny misses her mom, but it’s been nice and peaceful without you here, drinking all my beer and stinking up the place.”

“Eeeee hee hee, you’re an asshole, Blakey. Never let anyone tell ya different.”

“Hello, Blake, it’s nice to see you! ” Elaine interjects, smiling sweetly. “We went to check on your place again last night. Everything’s still good. The housekeeping service hasn’t stolen anything.”

“Awesome!” I laugh. “Thanks.”

“Still playing it by ear? No plans to sell it or buy something in Maple Mills yet?”

“Well, yes, there are plans now. I asked Jenny not to mention anything until they’re finalized. But that’s why I’m calling, to fill you two in. First off…I got her a ring.”

“Oh my gosh!” Elaine clasps her hands to her chest. “Do you have it with you? Can I see it?”

“Yes! I have it right here.” I open the lid of the velvet box and hold it close to the cam, steadying it until the picture focuses.

“Oooh, nice rock,” Angel says. “How much did that run ya?”

“Angel!” Elaine says. “What a nosy question! What does it matter, for heaven’s sake? Never mind, Blake,” she says, turning back to the camera. “It’s beautiful. That’s all that matters.”

Elaine’s voice is sweet and full of mirth but Angel and I both know he’s been told. Angel’s he’s got a smile as wide as a mile on his face. He loves that about Elaine.

No question where Jenny gets it from.

Besides, he knows I’m gonna tell him how much I paid for the ring later, anyway.

The more Angel and I get to know our girls, the more we realize how alike––and how uncommonly special–– they really are.

“It matters ‘cuz I gotta know how much to spend on yours, Lainey. You think I’m gonna let Blake outshine me? No fucking way!” He winks at me and sits back, smiling, watching her.

“Oh? Is that right? So…let me get this straight…to you, marriage is…what? A pissing contest? Great! Good to know.” She’s laughing. Elaine has Angel’s number by now and gives back as good as she gets.

Angel’s never been more in love. And it shows. With Elaine’s strict but patient care, he’s fully recovered. His voice is back to normal. His wobbliness is gone, the left-side paralysis resolved. He’s gained weight and muscle mass and he’s full of piss and vinegar.

Life is good.

“So when are you popping the question?” Elaine asks.

“Friday night. I booked a private booth at Carmel’s. She says she’s never been there, so it should be a nice time. I’m about shitting my pants though!” I rub my hands over my face. “By this time, two nights from now, I’ll be engaged to be married. Jesus!”

“You’ll be fine,” Angel says. “I been married twice, myself. Ain’t no thang.” He cuts his eyes to Elaine, grinning.

Elaine rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling too. “Yes, you’ll be fine. So what’s next? Where do you plan to live? Not in my house?”

“No. For now, we’re doing what you’re doing, keeping the house in LA. Jennifer wants to go see the coast someday too. If I can convince her to leave Delcroft with me at the end of this month, we could take a couple months off and live there for a while, like you two. Enjoy the weather, give her the West Coast experience. The mortgage is paid on it, it’s only the cost of upkeep to worry about.”

“But she still doesn’t want to quit her job?” Angel asks.

“No, not so far. She says she’s enjoying it too much now.”

“Funny,” Elaine says. “At one time, all Jennifer wanted was to get married and have kids. I don’t think she ever expected to, you know, find herself in a professional sense. I’m glad she did, but….well, I get the feeling that, once she’s married, she’ll want to start her family.” She grabs Angel’s hand and squeezes it. “At least, I hope so! Grand babies! I need lots of grand babies, Blake!”

“I intend to do my best, Elaine.” We grin at each other. “So…about the, uh, marital home. We’re going to have it custom built. We checked out property lots in Johnstown and Jenny fell in love with a five-acre, wooded lot, with a stream going through it. Kind of like my childhood home.”

“Oh, Johnstown is lovely,” she says. “Very ‘country’ but still close enough to the city. Are you going to put an offer on it?”

“I went ahead and bought it. Jenny doesn’t know yet. I’m going to tell her at dinner, when I give her the ring.”

“Oooh, Blake, she’ll love that! How romantic!”

“Jesus, Blakey. Stop showing off! Now, I gotta find a way to top that, too? Eeee hee hee!”

Elaine ignores him. “You have a particular type of house in mind?”

“Not really, but Bennett Contracting has shown us some plans, given us some ideas. Custom homes are more of a side thing for Nick these days, but his crew builds the best new homes in Columbus right now. Obviously, it’ll take a few months to make it happen. It’d be nice to take a vacation and plan the wedding while our home is being built.”

Elaine closes her eyes and lets out a whoop. “I can’t wait!”

“Elaine? Just a second. I don’t…I mean, it may not be a traditional wedding. When we were on the property, Jennifer said she could see us getting married there, among the trees, by the stream.”

“That sounds wonderful! Perfect. I’ll help her plan whatever kind of wedding she wants. Say…do your parents know?

“Only my Dad. Jennifer’s been taking Mom out. Shopping, hair salon, chick flicks. They’re bonding, so Dad and me wanna let Jenny tell her the news herself.”

“Good idea! Yes, the bride-to-be always likes to have someone to share her own good news with. I bet your parents are happy you’re back in town. And happy that you’ve found someone,” Elaine says.

“Yes, and they’re happy about grandkids too. Hah! Dad’s such a––Angel, you know what a shit-disturber he is––when he first met Jennifer, Dad thanked her for dating me. Told her they were afraid I was the oldest virgin in LA!”

“Wow, your Dad’s wiseass,“ Angel says, deadpan. “Dunno where he gets that. Black sheep of the family, that guy.”

“Oh my God!” Elaine says. “Black sheep, my behind! You Cameron men are all exactly alike!”

I promise to let them know how the proposal goes, and we all sign off for the night.

* * *

It’s Friday. We’re at Carmel’s. Jenny’s a little tipsy. I’ve been re-filling her wine glass because I’m nervous and I don’t want her to know.

Besides, she’s so funny when she’s tipsy and relaxed.

And she so rarely relaxes. My girl needs to have more fun.

Dinner’s over. We’re both eating cheesecake for dessert, and she’s chatty and people-watching and giggly. I’m loving it. Her beautiful mouth, her white smile such a turn on, I have to keep thinking about work to avoid springing a woody.

But I still haven’t given her the ring.

I dunno, something about the restaurant setting just feels…wrong. It’s a lovely place, the food, the service…it’s all excellent.

It’s just…too fancy, maybe?

Yeah.

Too fake, too pretentious.

It’s not Jenny, and it’s definitely not me.

I’m restless, I can’t relax. The box with the ring in it feels like it’s burning a hole in my pocket. I have to force myself to finish the cheesecake. It’s good, but I can’t enjoy it.

Jenny’s watching me. “Something wrong, Blake? You’re…fidgeting.”

“No. I mean, yeah. I…I…” I put my hand on the ring box in my pocket…and suddenly, I know what to do.

Why I didn’t think of this before?

“C’mon, let’s get outta here. I wanna show you something.”

I pay the bill and hustle Jenny out to the car. I hold her door open for her and give her a discreet smack on the ass before she climbs in.

“Oooh!” She swipes at my hand but misses. “What’s going on, Blake?” she laughs. “Where we going?”

“You’ll see.”

The sun is lowering in the sky. I figure we have about half an hour of light left.

Should be plenty of time.

I head out towards the building lot I purchased for our home. It’s not far away, and Jenny quickly catches on to where we’re going.

“We’re going to Johnstown? What for, sweetie?”

“You’ll see.”

Ten minutes later, I’m driving down the dirt road towards our lot.

I turn into the driveway and we see that the LOT FOR SALE sign’s sporting a brand-new new “SOLD” sticker.

“Oh shit, Blake. Someone bought it,” Jenny says. Her disappointment is so evident, it gives my heart a pang.

But she won’t feel that way for long.

“Sure looks like it,” I say.

I proceed down the long driveway to the graded area where the house will be eventually be built, and park the car.

She’s looking at me with hopeful confusion. “What? Why are we here?”

I get out of the vehicle, go around to her side of the car and open the door.

“C’mon,” I say, holding my hand out.

She takes my hand and gets out. “Eww, yuck…the ground is sandy here. Are we going far? My heels are gonna sink…hey! Oh!”

I scoop her up in my arms, which makes her giggle. “What…what are you doing? Oh my God…Blake!”

Grinning, I carry her to a wide tree stump near the graded area and put her down on that.

It’s beautiful here. So quiet, with only the soft chirps of a few birds getting ready for bed and the first crickets, calling.

In the west, the setting sun paints the trees and the landscape with golden bands of light.

Jennifer stands on the stump, holding my arm, and just looks around, taking it all in. “Ahh! It’s so nice here…so quiet. I love it! And it smells so good!”

“I know. I love it too.” I take a deep breath. “Welcome home, Jennifer.”

“Home? OH! Oh my God! Really? You mean…that sold sign? It’s ours…oh! OH!”

I’m nodding and grinning as I get down on one knee and take the ring box out of my pocket.

Her eyes get as wide as saucers and both her hands go to her mouth.

I look up at her. “Jennifer Jane Gordon.” I say, and suddenly, my vision gets blurry.

I have to stop, blink, and clear my throat. Just say it, just get it out, I tell myself.

“Jenny. I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”

Her breath rushes out of her, her whole body trembles, and the tears pooling in her lovely blue eyes spill down her cheeks.

She nods, her hand still over her mouth.

Then, with a half-laugh and a half-sob, she takes her hands away from her mouth and holds them out to me. “Yes! Oh my God! Yes!”

I stand up and she throws her arms around me. Taking her by the waist, I lift her off her feet. She kisses my eyes, my cheeks, my nose, and then finally my mouth, giggling and crying and saying how beautiful this is, how much she loves and appreciates me, how she’ll never forget this moment as long as she lives.

Her smile, her tears, her joy, her gratitude…all her emotions swell my heart so much it feels like it’s about to burst.

And her giggling is so contagious, I can’t help laughing myself.

Sweet girl! How’d I get so lucky?

“Let’s see how the ring looks, Jenny girl.”

“Yes, okay, the ring, let’s try the ring!” Giggling and snorting and giddy, she lets go of me and wipes at her tears.

Taking the ring from the box, I take her left hand in mine and slide it onto her finger.

It’s a perfect fit.