Rhett
I’m walking into my family home. Today is Thanksgiving and the start of a short break from hockey. Winnie has been busy with the bakery for the last month gearing up for the holiday. I finally convinced her to move in with me a couple weeks ago. We’re keeping the cottage for now and making whatever renovations she wants to. I’m just happy to be included. Mostly it’s for manual labor and for some reason she’s always spilling things on my shirts, so I have to remove them.
The thought makes me smile even as my heart is beating out of my chest. Over the past month Winnie and I’s relationship has become unshakable. She’s trusting me in ways that I had only hoped for. Moving in was a big step, but I’m ready for something even more permanent. My palms are sweaty and the small box in my pocket feels like it weighs a thousand pounds as I walk into the kitchen where she’s finishing up a crust for pumpkin pie, a pie I requested. She’s so good to me.
I’m not nervous about asking Winnie to marry me. I’ve wanted to spend the rest of my life with this woman since I was 23 years old. I know there’s no one out there that sets my world ablaze like she does. I’m only nervous she’ll think I’m pushing her too much too soon. I don’t want to scare her off, but I do want to call her my wife more than I have ever wanted anything in this life or the next. Well, only one way to find out. It’s now or never.
“Hey, honeybee.” When she turns and I see the flour on her jaw and covering her hands I can’t help but feel more at ease.
“Hi. How was your last day of practice before break?” I take two long strides and cover her mouth with mine, needing the contact to steady me for what I’m about to do.
“I could get used to this greeting,” she says with a shy smile. I clear my throat.
“Winnie?” She giggles.
“Yes, I’ll make out with you, but let me wash my hands and honestly maybe your parents kitchen isn’t the best place for this, then again....” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I chuckle. I keep thinking I can’t love her anymore that I do, but in one moment to the next that changes. I never want to be separated from her.
“That’s not what I was asking, although I do want that to happen and I don’t care if we’re in the kitchen or the middle of the living room with my whole family watching.” She snorts.
“Okay, well what did you want then? I need to clean up in here.” She tries to turn for the sink but I take her hand in mine to stop her.
“Wha…?” She cuts off when I slowly lower myself to one knee, her eyes bigger than I’ve ever seen them.
“Winslow Parker, the absolute love of my life. I promise to stand with you in the storms that life brings, fight beside you when battles come to our door, and never let you feel like you are too much, only too good for me.” A choked sob escapes her mouth and she places her flour covered hand over it, her honey eyes sparkling with unshed tears that I want to brush away, but I continue. “Darlin’ will you let me take care of you and allow me this honor of calling you my wife?” I feel a hot tear slide down my own cheek, not having realized that I’m crying, too.
Winnie’s hands slide down to my face and curl around the back of my head as she nods her own then finally utters the words I’ve been dying to hear. Ones I haven’t been able to breathe until I hear.
“Yes, Rhett. I’ll marry you. I’ll make sure your huge, generous heart is safe with me.” And there she goes again, making me love her more than I did just a minute ago.