Forever Yours

Forever and Always [43]

43. Forever and Always

Maureen

Ryan's hand pressed lightly into my back as he drew me closer to him. I placed my hand on his shoulder and felt the smooth fabric of his suit jacket beneath my fingers. Holding my other hand in his, he spun us around, stepping in time to the ballad the band was now playing with the violinists.

"I can't get over how good you guys were... how amazing your voice is," I said, shaking my head in wonderment. He smiled.

"I owed you for that day in my house where we exchanged secrets and yours was-"

"How ticklish I am," I rolled my eyes and he had the grace to give me an abashed grin. "I think the deal was-"

"If we proved how ticklish you were, I would play and sing for you... are we even now?"

I smiled, feeling a rush of happiness and euphoria wash over me. "More than even."

"Good. Because from here on out I reserve the right, as your future husband, to tickle you whenever I want." I shook my head quickly, swatting his arm even as he grinned triumphantly.

"Don't even think about it, Ryan."

He just smirked, spinning me away from him for a second before pulling me back.

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?" He asked and I had to smirk at his obvious change of subject. But I let him - only because I was so extremely happy.

"Yes, you did. But thank you... you look very handsome yourself." I let him twirl me away and then back again. "I've been dying to ask you all night. How come you can dance so well?"

"You can thank my mom for that. She made me take lessons as a teenager and since Dad wasn't around, I had no one to get me out of it."

"You didn't like it?"

"Heck no. I was humiliated- all the other kids in my class were girls..." He paused and then made a face. "Which was also its only redeeming factor..."

I laughed. "Those girls must've been thrilled to be in your class."

"Reminds me: there was this one girl, Caitlyn. Followed me around like a puppy dog wherever I went... I didn't want to hurt her feelings, you know, but she used to wait outside of the classroom as soon as the lesson was over so she could walk home with me. So I would create distractions and stuff and the minute she wasn't watching, I'd sneak into the janitor's closet to wait till she left."

"Oh, poor you," I sympathized.

"Is that sarcasm I detect?"

"Impressed that you noticed, Sherlock."

"Impressed that you dare speak so smartly to your fiancé and future husband," he returned, tilting his head to the side.

I laughed aloud. "Oh my gosh. I can't believe we're engaged!"

He gave up the charade and laughed too. "I know, right. But you knew that I would propose, didn't you?"

I shook my head.

After Ryan proposed to me he brought me down to the rest of my family who were all in varying degrees of emotion. Cara was nearly hysterical with happiness, jumping up and down and shrieking. My mother was crying (and hasn't stopped since) and my father was trying to keep his expression stern and not show how much he was affected. I had been able to stop crying though the tears rose every time someone congratulated me. Apparently, my whole family was in the know about the proposal, except for the younger kids. They had been planning it for two weeks, ever since Ryan approached my father about us marrying. My father said yes. It had been months since Ryan had given his heart to God, but Dad told me that the day that he asked for permission to marry me was the first time Dad had ever seen him so positive that it was God's plan for our lives.