More Than Friends

Chapter 29: The Surprise of a Lifetime

Even though Nicole and Devin had already talked about gettin' married, Devin knew he wanted to make the moment special. He wanted to surprise her, to give her a memory she would hold onto forever—a proposal that would take her breath away.

He spent the next couple of weeks quietly plannin', makin' sure everything was perfect. He didn't wanna give anything away, so he played it cool, actin' like nothin' had changed. But in the back of his mind, he was buildin' somethin' beautiful, somethin' that would show Nicole just how much she meant to him.

The day finally came when everything was ready. Devin had planned a romantic evening for Nicole, tellin' her he wanted to take her out for a special dinner, just the two of them. Nicole didn't suspect a thing—after all, they had already talked about marriage, so the idea of a proposal hadn't even crossed her mind.

That evening, Devin picked her up, dressed sharp in a suit, and Nicole couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked. She had dressed up too, wearin' a simple, elegant dress that made her feel beautiful, and as they drove to the restaurant, she felt excited for a night out with him.

But what Nicole didn't know was that Devin had somethin' much bigger planned than just a dinner.

The Proposal Setup

When they arrived at the restaurant, Nicole noticed somethin' was different. Instead of headin' inside, Devin led her around to a private garden in the back, lit up with soft, twinklin' lights. The air was warm, and the soft glow from the lights made everything look like a scene straight outta a fairy tale.

Nicole's breath caught as she took in the sight. The path ahead of them was lined with rose petals, leadin' toward a small gazebo at the center of the garden. Inside, a table was set for two, surrounded by candles, and a soft melody played in the background.

"Dev...what is all this?" Nicole asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Devin smiled, takin' her hand as he led her toward the gazebo. "Just somethin' special. I wanted tonight to be unforgettable."

Nicole's heart raced as she followed him, her eyes takin' in every detail. It was beautiful—more than she could've ever imagined. But she still didn't know what was comin'.

As they reached the gazebo, Devin pulled out her chair, and Nicole sat down, still tryin' to wrap her head around how perfect everything was. The night sky above them was clear, stars twinklin', and the sound of soft music filled the air.

"Dev...this is incredible," Nicole said, her voice full of emotion.

Devin sat down across from her, his eyes never leavin' hers. "You deserve the best, Nic. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me."

Nicole's heart swelled, and she reached across the table to take his hand. "You always do."

For a few moments, they sat in comfortable silence, enjoyin' the moment, but then Devin stood up, his eyes still locked on Nicole. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him walk around to her side of the table.

The Proposal

Devin knelt down in front of Nicole, pullin' a small velvet box from his pocket. Nicole's eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat as she realized what was happenin'.

"Nicole," Devin began, his voice steady but filled with emotion, "I knew from the moment we got through everything together that you were my forever. You've been my rock, my love, my best friend, and there ain't no one in this world that I wanna spend my life with more than you."

Nicole's eyes filled with tears as she looked down at him, her hand coverin' her mouth in shock. She had dreamed about this moment, but even in her wildest dreams, it hadn't been this perfect.

Devin opened the box, revealin' a beautiful, sparkling diamond ring that caught the light of the candles around them. "Will you marry me, Nic? Will you be my wife?"

Tears streamed down Nicole's face as she nodded, unable to find her voice at first. "Yes... yes, Dev, I'll marry you," she whispered, her heart feelin' like it was about to burst.

Devin grinned, slippin' the ring onto her finger before standin' up and pullin' her into his arms. Nicole wrapped her arms around him, feelin' like the whole world had stopped, like this was the only moment that mattered.

As they stood there, holdin' each other under the soft glow of the lights, Nicole realized that this was it—this was the life she had always dreamed of. And Devin had given it to her, in the most beautiful way possible.

"I love you," Devin whispered against her hair.

"I love you too," Nicole replied, her voice filled with emotion.

They stood there, lost in each other, knowin' that this was just the beginnin' of their forever.   

The Celebration

After the proposal, Devin led Nicole back to the table, where a bottle of champagne was waitin'. They toasted to their future, laughin' and talkin' about all the things they had to look forward to. The night was perfect in every way, and Nicole couldn't stop smilin', her heart full of love and happiness.

As the evening came to a close, Devin pulled Nicole close one last time, kissin' her softly under the stars. "We got a lot to look forward to, Nic," he said quietly. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Nicole smiled, her heart feelin' lighter than it had in a long time. "Me either, Dev. Me either."