"I found her"

Ch. 19

"Well what?" Grace asked. I sighed as I sat next to her. I stared at her eyes for a moment before I got up and opened the balcony doors. "Come here please." I said, standing on the balcony. Grace got up and leaned her back on the railing. A gentle breeze blew threw our hair. "Listen, we've been dating for a long time." I took her hand. "And before you say anything, just let me finish." Grace nodded. "You've been with me through everything, think and thin, and you've never lost hope or confidence in me. You love me because of who I am, not because of who I'm trying to be. You have so much empathy and love and compassion and I don't want to hold you back, but instead, I want to help you become all that you've wanted and will be. I see you, Grace, and I adore you. I should probably stop talking and get to the point..." I took a deep breath and pulled out the box. I got down on my left knee. Grace gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. A tear or two flew down her face. "Grace," I said trying not let my voice break. A tear ran down my cheek. "Grace Portman, will you marry me?" I asked. She nodded. "Yes. Yes, a million times, yes." She replied. In one swift movement, I  stood up and slid the ring on her finger. Grace chuckled through tears. "Wrong hand." She said. "Oh." I said through a laugh and tears. I put it on the correct hand and kissed her lips.
            "I need to find a dress! We, we have to find a venue and a caterer and-" "Grace, darling...we'll figure it out, just, not today. The wedding can wait. I just wanna be with you, my lovely fiancé." I interrupted. Grace nodded. "When are we gonna tell everyone?" She asked. I put our foreheads together. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be ready, too."
           I kissed her lips again and picked her up bride-and-groom style. Grace yelped with glee. She put her arms around my neck and she pressed our foreheads together again. "I love you, Grace, and I'll never let you go." I said softly. I kissed her again before I went inside and dropped her on her bed. She giggled as she pulled me on the bed by my shirt collar.
          Her and I cuddled as we watched The Notebook, Clueless, Titanic, and Dirty Dancing before we finally fell asleep in the middle of the day. 
          When I woke up, it was about 2 or 3 in the morning. I shook Grace's arm. "Grace. Grace?" I whispered. She rolled over drowsily. "No, I wanna sleep." She said. I chuckled. "Darling?" "Mhm?" "I love you." "I love me, too." Grace said.