Chapter 9 - The Proposal on the Bluff
At midnight, as the gala winded down and the last guests departed into the cool Maine night, Evelyn and Nathan walked along the wooden footpath leading up to the bluff overlooking the ocean.
The sky above was a vast, clear canopy of a thousand brilliant stars, and the moon cast a long, silver ribbon across the quiet ocean waves below.
The air smelled of pine and salt water.
Evelyn wrapped her dark wool cloak around her shoulders, leaning against the wooden railing, looking out at the endless horizon.
Nathan stepped up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, resting his chin softly on her shoulder.
“Happy, Mrs. Mercer?” Nathan whispered into her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
Evelyn turned slightly in his arms, looking up into his clear gray eyes—eyes that held no deceit, no hidden corporate agendas, and no cold arrogance.
“Immeasurably happy, Nathan,” Evelyn smiled softly.
Nathan reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
He didn't drop to his knees on the damp wooden path. He stood right before her, holding her hand, looking straight into her soul.
He opened the velvet box.
Inside sat a breathtaking ring—a flawless sapphire set in a band of raw gold, surrounded by small, brilliant diamonds that matched her father’s antique necklace.
“Evelyn,” Nathan said, his deep voice rich, steady, and trembling with emotion. “One year ago, I stood in a ballroom in New York and kissed your knuckles because I wanted to show the world how blind Grant Whitaker was. But standing beside you over this past year—watching you build this foundation, watching you bring light back into every room you step into—I fell completely, hopelessly in love with you.”
He looked into her dark, radiant eyes.
“I don't want to be your business partner, Evelyn,” Nathan whispered. “I want to be your husband. I want to build a life with you that stands as solid as these stone cliffs. Will you marry me?”
Tears of pure, radiant joy spilled over Evelyn’s lashes, catching the silver starlight.
She didn't hesitate. She didn't pause.
May you like
“Yes, Nathan!” Evelyn whispered, her voice ringing clearly through the quiet night air. “Yes! A thousand times, yes!”
Nathan slid the ring onto her finger, pulled her into his arms, and lifted her off her feet, kissing her as the ocean waves crashed softly against the cliffs below, celebrating their love under the starlit sky.