Two months later we’re slow dancing at her sister’s wedding reception. The bride was beautiful, of course, but I only had eyes for the maid-of-honor. She’s in a sparkly dress, a color I’m told is called “champaign” but looks almost the exact shade of her skin. I like it because to my eye she’s nude.

I agreed to be Sara’s date to Lacy’s wedding on the condition that she move in with me.

“Deal,” she beamed. She was about to kiss me when she pulled back. “I think I’m getting the better end of this, though. You know I’m bringing my whole studio with me, right.”

“Not worried,” I told her. I held back the news that I just bought the buildings that are part of her art installation. I like the idea of her livening up the house I’m buying in the Quarter, but I’m also surprising her with a newly renovated studio for her there.

It can be an engagement present. If she says yes. I didn’t want to ask before her sister’s wedding so as not to steal Lacey’s thunder, but it’s in the cards very soon.

I spin Sara in a slow circle. She’s light and sweet in my arms.

“Have we scared you off yet?” Sara asks.

“Who?”

“My family?”

“Made me feel right at home.” The wedding is as lighthearted and raucous as the city, with food and a New Orleans jazz band playing the reception. I met Sara’s parents about a month after I moved here, but the wedding has been a great opportunity to meet the rest of Sara’s clan.

“It was fun goosing Lacey’s bridesmaids when we showed up.” They recognized me from the bachelorette party. A couple of nervous side-eyes in the direction of their own wedding dates and boyfriends, but I just winked and put my arm around my girl.

“They don’t remember all the details from the end there, but enough. They almost crushed me with questions.”

“And what did you tell them?”

“I’m not telling you. You’ll get a big head.”

I put my hand on the small of her back and pull her close. “I’ll get a big something else, you mean.”

“When is that not true?”

“With you?” I lean in and lick the whorl of her ear. She shivers and snuggles closer. “Never.”

The music draws down and picks up a faster tune. We step off the floor and make way for more dancers.

“Can I get you something from the bar, babe?”

Sara presses her lips together for a brief second then says, “No, I’m good.”

I stop. She hasn’t had anything at the reception and it’s an open bar. “You’re not drinking tonight.”

“You are correct,” is all she says. And then she trips a little on her high heels.

I steady her and pull her back to me. Now I’m suspicious. My girl knows her way around a pair of heels. “You ok?”

“Y-yes.” Her smile is super bright, her eyebrows raised.

I stop and think back. We’ve spent almost every single night together for the last two months, only one short week away and then a short weekend when I had to get back to New York to finalize moving plans. I’ve made love to her almost every single one of them, without a break. I’ve had my mouth on every single part of her body, loved every minute.

“Sara, are you . . . ?” I look at her stomach, her face, back to her stomach.

Sara looks around us, bites her lip, then blurts out in a rush, “I don’t know. I think so. Yes. I don’t know.”

I put my hand on her stomach, still flat. I realize Sara’s studying me, watching for my reaction, holding her breath.

I grin at her, my hand still pressed to her. “Are you?” I feel like my heart has stopped but the blood is racing in my chest and brain at the same time.

“Yes,” she breathes. “I think I am. Yes.”

I lift her high up in my arms and spin her around. She slides back down on her toes, her arms around my neck, holding tight. I hold her to me, just as tight, so happy I almost can’t breathe.

I break away a little to look her in the eyes, very serious. “I want you to know something. I love you. I’m going to ask you to marry me.”

Sara is smiling and wiping under her eyes, trying to keep her mascara from running. She’s a beautiful drippy mess and I love her.

“Ok,” she says.

I take her face in my hands. “I was going to ask in a few weeks, once all this wedding stuff was done. I was going to ask before I even knew about the baby. Ok?”

“Ok,” she says again. And presses her forehead to mine.

“Ok,” I say, and kiss her hands, then her lips. I can’t believe this is happening. I’m the luckiest man alive. “Do you think you’ll say yes?”

Sara laughs and pulls me down to her. “I guess you’ll just have to find out.”

* * *