#one-shoulder

           The house smelled faintly of honeysuckle and vanilla. I sat up, surprised to find bundles of wildflowers in Mason jars on the coffee table and the stairs. Flickering votive candles made a pathway that led into the kitchen and out onto the porch. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming, but, still, I slipped on a pair of flip flops and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders.

           I followed the path of candles outside. They were quickly replaced by paper-bag lanterns in the grass. I could hear music, and it seemed to come from near the creek… exactly where the pathway of lanterns was leading. My heart swelled in my chest when I saw Adam’s truck in the drive.

           These were the moments that made this life worth it. I might go days without seeing the man I loved, but he never failed to make it up to me when he came home. Sometimes there were grand gestures—like our surprise trip to Asheville—but other times there were small things—gifts on the nightstand, wildflowers and photos, and homecooked meals when I came home at the end of the day.

           The lanterns glowed brighter as I slipped into the copse of trees by the creek. I blushed and smiled, remembering the spot as the place where Adam took me camping. There was a fire burning in the pit, and Adam sat on a log nearby in one of his favorite western-style shirts, jeans, and his boots. His blond curls were hidden behind a black cowboy hat. There was an acoustic guitar propped on his knee, his fingers plucking diligently at the strings, drawing out a distantly familiar tune.

           It took a moment for the chords and notes to make sense, and when they did, I felt the tears burning in my eyes.

           He looked up when he heard my footsteps. The moment he saw me, his blue eyes brightened. He smiled gently and started to sing softly. I could only imagine how long he’d practiced it.

           “Look into my eyes… and you will see… what you mean to me…”

           I swiped the tears away from my cheeks as I rounded the firepit and sat on the end of the log. Adam kept his eyes on me, his fingers moving with a practiced certainty over the strings. He poured every ounce of his heart into the song, let it show on his face, in the tears that made his blue eyes glisten.

           Sniffling, I closed my eyes and swayed along with the sound of Adam’s voice. He didn’t sing and play often, but when he did, I cherished every second of it. I’d never get tired of hearing it.

           The music faded away slowly, echoing its final strains between the trees. After a while the only sound was the popping of the logs in the firepit. I opened my eyes and saw Adam looking back at me, the guitar still over his knee.

           “Em…” his voice broke on the syllable. He carefully sat his guitar on the ground and moved closer to me. “I missed you so much.”

           I curled against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. I let myself breathe in the scent of him—that sweet-sharp-mint scent that was now interwoven with woodsmoke. Adam cradled my head in his hand, his cheek pressed against my hair.

           “I missed you, too,” I replied. “I always do.”

           After a moment, he disentangled himself and sat back. He took my hand in his, stroking his thumb along my knuckles. His other hand brushed against my cheek, tucking my hair behind my ear. There was something sad, yet hopeful in his gaze.

           “I know this life isn’t easy, Em. And maybe it isn’t what you would have chosen if you’d known…” He stopped, taking a deep, heavy breath. “But I love you. And I want to spend this life with you. No matter how hard it is, how many sacrifices I have to make… I want to wake up with you, go to sleep with you. I want to sit on the porch and watch sunsets and sunrises with you. I want to paint a nursery and teach our kids to ride horses and give you everything in the world that you could ever want.”

           I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of where this was going. My heart thundered in my chest, pressing hard against my ribs. He moved closer, taking both my hands in his.

           “I love you so much, Em. And I’m asking you…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a petite ring. There was a small square cut diamond set into a silver band, two smaller diamonds on each side. “Will you marry me?”

           For a moment, I couldn’t see for the tears streaking down my face. Every moment of my life with Adam flashed through my mind as I met his gaze. I licked my lips and drew a shudderingly deep breath.

           “Yes,” I said, nodding vigorously. Adam grinned and threw his arms around me, hugging me tightly against his chest. I felt his lips on my hair, my forehead. Finally, he settled his mouth against mine and kissed me as if he never would again.

           “Yes?” he repeated when we drew apart. “Yes?”

           I grinned and nodded again. “Yes, Adam. Yes!”

           He took my left hand and slid the ring on my finger. I was surprised that it fit perfectly. “I had it matched to one of your other rings. It was my Grandma’s.”

           I stretched out my fingers and looked at the ring. It was beautiful. It was just enough vintage to be traditional and just enough unique to be modern. It was very much like Adam in that way.

           “It’s absolutely beautiful,” I murmured, looking up at him. “All of this… Adam… this was so…”

           He tipped his hat back and leaned his forehead against mine. “You deserve surprises, Em. Surprises and reminders that I love you more than anything in the world. That I’m the luckiest man in the world because you love me just as I am.”

           My chest ached with the force of love I felt for Adam Page. He was kind and loving and funny and sweet and deliberate and beautiful in so many ways. My life had been made better by knowing him, by loving him. And those moments apart—no matter how long they stretched—were worth the sacrifice and the loneliness. It was all worth it, just to be with him.

           “I wouldn’t want you any other way, cowboy,” I whispered, sliding one hand around the back of his neck to pull him toward me. The other pulled the hat from his head, dropping it on the ground beside his guitar.

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