Two short weeks later, Jazz tackled Bethany in a huge, spirited hug. “The prodigal friend returns!” she shouted, practically crying with joy at the sight of her friend.

Bethany hadn’t come home to Long Island at all during her freshman year. She’d elected to take courses over the summer term to help with her goal of graduating early, and her parents had whisked her away last holiday season to visit family overseas. That meant this Thanksgiving of their sophomore year in college was the first time Jazz had seen her friend since graduation.

“I can’t believe you stayed away so long!”

Bethany hugged her back hard, but said, “Pffft. You were fine. You had Nathan. Kudos, by the way, for still having him. It’s been, what, a year and a half now?”

Jazz grinned. She and Nathan celebrated half-anniversaries the same way they celebrated half-birthdays, and they had just celebrated a special halfsie-versary earlier that month. “Almost to the day. It’s five times longer than his longest relationship before me, if you can believe it.”

Bethany waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, I can. Always knew you’d end up as Mrs. Reed one day.”

“And look at you, Dr. Goldman. Any special co-eds caught your eye yet?”

“Ugh, no. Who has time to date when there’s so much to learn?”

They both laughed at that. Even though Jazz always made time for Nathan, she still maintained a 4.0 grade point average.

“What can I say? You’re living your dream, and I’m living mine.” Bethany bounced her car keys in hand. “Ready to head into the city?”

Nathan was away for a photography workshop over the holiday, so Jazz had asked Bethany to accompany her to a special year-end event at the literacy center. They were hosting their own holiday meal and an awards ceremony for the students who had hit important milestones in their reading and writing that year.

Jazz wouldn’t miss it for the world.

“Tell me everything about Burton. Is it amazing?” she asked, taking a seat in Bethany’s old clunker of a car.

“It is. Would have been better with you there, but no world-class educational facility should stand in the way of true love. How’s Queens College?”

“It’s fine. Nathan is the star of the Anthropology department and the school newspaper, and he has a steady stream of freelance work taking pictures for school events and things like that.”

A red light halted their journey, giving Bethany the opportunity to turn and stare at Jazz with a knowing expression. “So it’s been great to Nathan. How is it for you?”

“At school? I just declared my major in business, and I have a 4.0, if that’s what you’re asking.” Jazz felt hot under the spotlight of her friend’s gaze.

“So a 4.0 and a fiancé.”

“Well, kind of…”

“Kind of?”

“Nathan hasn’t exactly popped the question yet.”

The light freed them from their wait, and Bethany switched lanes as they sped up. “But you guys have talked about it, right? I mean, you’ve been dating for—"

Jazz nodded. “A year and a half, I know. We’ve talked about the future a lot, but marriage hasn’t exactly come up.”

“Oh, I shouldn’t have said anything. You guys are still super young anyway. It’s way too early to be planning a wedding.”

Jazz sighed and leaned her head back on the seat, staring up at the car’s roof. Too early to be getting married, yes. But was it too early to be asked?

“Hey, seriously, don’t worry. If I know Nate the Great, he’s probably already planning a proposal to end all proposals. How do you think he’ll do it? Ring in a champagne flute? Big, bright letters on some kind of sports score board? In a private helicopter over the city?”

Jazz laughed as she pictured each of those scenarios. “Nathan can be showy, but not when it comes to the stuff that matters. He’ll come up with something uniquely us. That is, if he ever decides to propose.”

“He will.” Bethany pulled into the train station parking lot, but remained buckled in place.

Jazz fiddled with her seatbelt, wishing this conversation would just end already.

“Jazz, look at me. Nathan is going to propose.” Bethany turned her piercing green eyes toward Jazz once more, leaving no room for argument. “That boy loves you more than anything.”

Jazz nodded, even though doubt niggled at her poor, overworked brain. She and Nathan had been together for basically their entire lives. Marriage seemed a natural progression, so why hadn’t he ever spoken of it in all his big plans for their future together? Was he holding back to surprise her, or…

No, Jazz didn’t even want to think about the alternative.

She’d been patient as she hid her feelings for him all those years ago. She’d waited until he was ready. She could do that again now.

Yes, she would wait for a sign, and until then, she would put all this proposal stuff out of her mind.