𝗣 𝗬 𝗥 𝗢 𝗠 𝗔 𝗡 𝗜 𝗔 | BOOK THREE

T H I R T Y - F O U R

[jolene hale]

Graham stands in his bedroom, the lights off, facing the window. He's shirtless, the light wrapping around his toned silhouette. I walk into his room slowly, my heels clicking on the hardwood floor. He spins around and looks at me, an eyebrow raised from what I can see in the dark. The city illuminates the window and I step beside it to see his face. He turns and looks at me, a confused daze holding his expression.

"I never thought your brother would get married before you." I state. "Kinda strange, isn't it?"

He nods, almost as if he isn't really here. It's like his body is here, but his mind is somewhere else, thinking of something else. I reach up, my hand touching his cheek.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask quietly, an eyebrow raised.

He places his hand on top of mine, looking down at the floor. He exhales and looks back up at me again.

"I'm sorry, its just... Atticus is my little brother. I've always been two steps ahead of him, and now, it feels like I'm ten steps behind. I get that it isn't a race between us anymore like when we were kids, but I never imagined that I would be attending his wedding as an unmarried man. I was almost positive that I would be attending his wedding with my bride on my arm. I just feel so far behind again." He says.

I stare up at him, an eyebrow raised.

"That's understandable. You're two years older than him--it would make the most sense that you marry before him." I say.

His dark ocean blue eyes stare down at me, and he exhales sharply.

"I was thinking, just hear me out on this," He reaches into his pocket and retrieves something in a closed fist.

He opens his hand, palm up, looking at me cautiously.

"I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, what if we got married first?" He says, a glimmering ring in his hand, a large princess cut diamond sitting on a thin silver band.

I gasp and look up at him, covering my mouth with my hands. I raise an eyebrow and stare up at him.

"What? You aren't serious." I state. "How long have you been planning this, Graham?"

He smiles and exhales, nodding.

"I am serious. I've been thinking about this for a while, but wasn't sure how to just pop the question out of the blue... Now that we're talking about it, it makes it easier. It wouldn't have to be immediately, either. Just eventually. Atticus and Anya aren't planning on officially getting married for at least two to three more years, depending on work and travel. But, I'm pretty sure they aren't in any rush, and neither am I." He says.

I smile and raise an eyebrow, shaking my head slowly to try and wrap my head around the situation.

"Graham, I just have a few questions before I can give you my answer. Is this an out of the blue thought? Is marrying me an impulsive decision?" I ask.

He shakes his head and smiles at me, pulling me forward slightly, his hand on my waist, his other clenched into a fist, holding the ring firmly.

"No, it isn't impulsive, and it isn't sudden. I mean, sure, the proposal is very sudden. But, ever since I kissed you on that rooftop, I had thought of what a future with you might possibly possess." He says.

I smile and nod, moving onto my next question.

"If I marry you, are you expecting perfection? Are you expecting an always happy woman with an intense desire to bake 24/7, or can you accept me for me as the woman who prefers takeout than to actually stand in her kitchen and cook, and the woman who cries on random Fridays because she is reminded of her Dad?" I ask.

He smiles, nodding as he looks down at me.

"I want it all--the messes and the mistakes and the arguments, but all of the good too. Life isn't perfect and we both know that. I want all of you and all of what you have to offer." He says.

His eyes are exactly like his father's--deep ocean blue, almost black in color, and in the upper left corner, a patch of a pale icy blue shade.

"If we get married, are you expecting some big, white church wedding? Or are you okay with a smaller scale outdoor wedding? I want something fun, and I want a lot of people there to celebrate--something similar to Rory and Elaine's wedding. But, I don't want so many people there that you and I are torn apart from each other, talking to so many people that we can hardly breathe." I say.

He smiles and nods, his smile wide and perfect, a perfect dimple popping up on his left cheek. I notice now that the stubble on his jaw is deep chocolate brown, not black like I had previously thought.

"And, my final question... Are you just proposing to me now because your brother is engaged? Are you only proposing to me now because you want to get ahead of your brother?" I ask.

He shakes his head and pulls me even closer to him, taking my hands in his own. He drops the ring into my palm, allowing me to examine it.

"No, not at all. I've dreamt of proposing to you in a poppy field or on the rooftop while the power is out and the stars are shining, or in a huge rainstorm and we're soaking wet. This isn't at all how I imagined this would go. But, I know one thing for sure..." He says. "I love you."

I smile at him and look at the ring in my hand. I squeeze my fist shut and kiss him, my arm sliding up beneath his, wrapping up around his shoulder. I back off and look down at my hand. I open my fist and Take the ring, handing it to him.

"Would you like to do the honors?" I ask, an eyebrow raised.

He smiles and nods. He takes my hand and kneels before me, smiling up at me.

"Jolene Jayne Hale, there is no one in this world who I would rather spend the rest of my days with. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?" He asks.

I laugh and nod, smiling down at him.

"Yes, Graham, I will." I say.

He slips the ring onto my finger and stands, pulling me forward again. We kiss and sparks ignite in my chest--my first kiss as an engaged woman.