Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 111775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
“I do really love them,” she said, her voice catching a little.
I know you do, baby, I signed before leaning in and capturing her lips with mine. I kissed her slowly, blood pumping as she gave a little sigh, her tongue sliding into my mouth. I wasn’t sure what came over me when I suddenly broke the kiss and pulled her up to stand.
“Shay, what’s going on?” she asked as I lowered to one knee, and her hands went to her mouth with a gasp.
Maggie Lydon, I signed, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?
I pulled the small velvet box from my pocket and handed it to her. Wordlessly, she took it and opened it. She stared at the ring, and I had no idea what was going through her head, but I was sweating buckets as I waited for her response. Finally, with glassy eyes, she closed the box and signed, Of course, I’ll marry you. Yes.
Standing, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her with all I was worth, still reeling she’d said yes. We broke apart, and I took the box from her to remove the ring. We caught a few curious looks from nearby beachgoers, but I blocked them out. The moment was ours and ours alone. Mine and Maggie’s.
I slid the ring on her finger just as someone exclaimed, “Oh my God! Is that what I think it is?”
Vivi stood in her swimsuit with a towel around her shoulders, her hands on her cheeks as a smile spread wide across her face. Maggie turned to her and nodded. Vivi squealed in delight and threw her arms around Maggie in a hug.
“Promise me I can be bridesmaid,” she begged. “I’ve always wanted to be a bridesmaid.”
“I want to be a bridesmaid, too,” Shelly said, arriving out of the sea, her hair in wet, sandy tangles down her back.
“You can both be bridesmaids, I promise,” Maggie said with a chuckle as her eyes met mine. They were full of love and surprise and happiness. She hadn’t been expecting me to propose, but that just made it all the sweeter.
“What’s this about bridesmaids?” Robbie asked as he and Eamonn reached us.
“Shay just asked me to marry him,” Maggie said, showing them her ring.
“Oh, score! I’ve never been to a wedding,” Robbie said. “Do I get to wear a suit? Does this make Shay my uncle now?”
“More like brother-in-law,” Maggie corrected with a fond smile as she ruffled his damp hair. “And yes, you can wear a suit. I think you’ll look well in one.”
The children began chattering excitedly about the wedding while I pulled Maggie back to me, whispering my lips over hers as I signed a secret message.
Just wait until I get you alone tonight, wife.
It’s fiancée, she signed back. But I’ll let you call me wife early so long as I get to call you husband.
I can agree to that deal, I replied as I pulled her back down onto the towels, so we could enjoy the last of the day’s sun. There on the beach, with Maggie in my arms, it was the happiest and most contented I’d been in a very long time.
With some luck, I’d have many, many more days like that with my beautiful, soon-to-be wife by my side.
End.