“That’s so pretty. This is the famous bridge, right? The one in all the movies?”
I actually don’t know. I just asked Willa which bridge was prettiest. I shrug and say, “Maybe.”
Courtney rolls her eyes and says, “What good are you to me if you don’t even know if a bridge is famous.”
“Apparently no good at all. I really don’t know why you keep me around.”
“It’s for the fame and money,” Courtney deadpans, making me laugh again.
“Well then, it’s a good thing I’ll have both soon,” I say and I feel her tense up beside me.
“Adam, you can’t think—”
“I don’t,” I say, interrupting her and squeezing her hand for emphasis. We’re nearing the entrance to the bridge, and I suddenly realize that this is the moment. I take a deep breath as we walk to the middle of the bridge. I stop and Courtney does the same, taking in the view from the bridge.
“So pretty,” she says.
“You really are,” I say, moving to block her view of the other side of the bridge.
She rolls her eyes and says, “Thanks, cheesy.”
I take a deep breath and she senses my anxiety. “Is everything okay?”
“Courtney Narducci,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “You’re absolutely amazing.”
“Adam, what’s going on?” she asks.
“I know that we haven’t been together as a couple for all that long, but I’ve been in love with you my entire life. Now that we know what my future looks like, I want you to be in it with me. Forever,” I say, taking a deep breath as I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the velvet ring box as I bend down on one knee. “Courtney, will you please make this the best week ever and say you’ll marry me?”
I finally look up at her, now that I’ve gotten all that out, and see that her eyes are shifting back and forth between me and the ring. She looks thoroughly confused.
“You’re not joking,” she says.
“I’m really not.”
“Oh my God. You’re proposing.”
“I am.”
Her mouth drops open in shock and then she says, “Yes. Yes! Of course.”
I huge smile breaks out across my face and I stand, taking the ring out of its cushioned box and slipping it onto her finger.
“Oh my God,” she says, looking at the ring on her hand. “I have to call my mom.”
“I might have taken care of that for you,” I say, moving to the side so that she can see the end of the bridge, where our families and friends are gathered.
“What?” she yells. “Seriously?”
I nod and smile.
“How did you do this?” she asks, but I don’t have time to answer as everyone makes their way onto the bridge with us, clapping and cheering and yelling their congratulations. Courtney’s parents rush to her, and she and her mom hug, rocking back and forth.
Her dad shakes my hand. “I never thought she’d say yes,” he says. “But if I have to see my little girl with someone, I’m glad it’s with you. Welcome to the family, Adam.”
He claps me on the back before going over to his daughter, and I turn to my family. My brothers hug me, my mom is in tears—happy ones—and my dad embraces me.
“I’m proud of you, son,” he says. “Congratulations.”
I know my parents think we’re rushing into this, but when I told them this morning that I was planning to ask Courtney to marry me today, they, after picking their jaws up off the floor, wished me the best.
After our families have had their time with us, our friends start to close in. I see Sophie, Willa, Kate, Natalie, Jack, and a girl I don’t recognize and assume is Ana—who graciously offered use of her dad’s plane to get everyone here—go in to hug Courtney and gawk at the ring, while I am deluged by the guys.
“Congrats, man,” Luke says, clapping me on the back. The sentiment is echoed by Dan, Rufus, and Kip, and after we have a bit of a silence after the congrats,
I actually don’t know. I just asked Willa which bridge was prettiest. I shrug and say, “Maybe.”
Courtney rolls her eyes and says, “What good are you to me if you don’t even know if a bridge is famous.”
“Apparently no good at all. I really don’t know why you keep me around.”
“It’s for the fame and money,” Courtney deadpans, making me laugh again.
“Well then, it’s a good thing I’ll have both soon,” I say and I feel her tense up beside me.
“Adam, you can’t think—”
“I don’t,” I say, interrupting her and squeezing her hand for emphasis. We’re nearing the entrance to the bridge, and I suddenly realize that this is the moment. I take a deep breath as we walk to the middle of the bridge. I stop and Courtney does the same, taking in the view from the bridge.
“So pretty,” she says.
“You really are,” I say, moving to block her view of the other side of the bridge.
She rolls her eyes and says, “Thanks, cheesy.”
I take a deep breath and she senses my anxiety. “Is everything okay?”
“Courtney Narducci,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “You’re absolutely amazing.”
“Adam, what’s going on?” she asks.
“I know that we haven’t been together as a couple for all that long, but I’ve been in love with you my entire life. Now that we know what my future looks like, I want you to be in it with me. Forever,” I say, taking a deep breath as I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the velvet ring box as I bend down on one knee. “Courtney, will you please make this the best week ever and say you’ll marry me?”
I finally look up at her, now that I’ve gotten all that out, and see that her eyes are shifting back and forth between me and the ring. She looks thoroughly confused.
“You’re not joking,” she says.
“I’m really not.”
“Oh my God. You’re proposing.”
“I am.”
Her mouth drops open in shock and then she says, “Yes. Yes! Of course.”
I huge smile breaks out across my face and I stand, taking the ring out of its cushioned box and slipping it onto her finger.
“Oh my God,” she says, looking at the ring on her hand. “I have to call my mom.”
“I might have taken care of that for you,” I say, moving to the side so that she can see the end of the bridge, where our families and friends are gathered.
“What?” she yells. “Seriously?”
I nod and smile.
“How did you do this?” she asks, but I don’t have time to answer as everyone makes their way onto the bridge with us, clapping and cheering and yelling their congratulations. Courtney’s parents rush to her, and she and her mom hug, rocking back and forth.
Her dad shakes my hand. “I never thought she’d say yes,” he says. “But if I have to see my little girl with someone, I’m glad it’s with you. Welcome to the family, Adam.”
He claps me on the back before going over to his daughter, and I turn to my family. My brothers hug me, my mom is in tears—happy ones—and my dad embraces me.
“I’m proud of you, son,” he says. “Congratulations.”
I know my parents think we’re rushing into this, but when I told them this morning that I was planning to ask Courtney to marry me today, they, after picking their jaws up off the floor, wished me the best.
After our families have had their time with us, our friends start to close in. I see Sophie, Willa, Kate, Natalie, Jack, and a girl I don’t recognize and assume is Ana—who graciously offered use of her dad’s plane to get everyone here—go in to hug Courtney and gawk at the ring, while I am deluged by the guys.
“Congrats, man,” Luke says, clapping me on the back. The sentiment is echoed by Dan, Rufus, and Kip, and after we have a bit of a silence after the congrats,
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