Celebrate

Becca looked at me with a shy smile, “This was your intention?”

I leaned over, kissed her cheek, and nodded, “Oui.”

She shivered as my breath trickled over her skin, causing me to smile. I had no idea how I did all those things to her, but apparently I did.

“Impressive,” she turned her head toward the ocean.

One year ago Becca and I had been here with our friends on our annual vacation. Three days into the last years’ vacation, I kissed her; I finally got out all the feelings I had kept inside and somehow conned her into being my girlfriend. Now, one year later, her and I were back in Cancun two days before our group of friends would arrive to celebrate our anniversary. I was also planning a little something more, but that was still up in the air.

“I aim to please, babe,” I put my arm around her and pulled her into my side.

She smiled as she set her head underneath my chin, “You know, I think everyone’s bringing someone this year.”

“Finally we’re a part of that,” I laughed.

“Feels weird,” she went on, “Not bad though, just weird that we’re here and together now.”

“Didn’t see it coming?” I wasn’t surprised that most of our friends had admitted that they knew her
and I would end up together, it was just a matter of time.

“No,” she shook her head, “I didn’t.”

I laughed as the wind blew her hair into my mouth. I pushed it away and then kissed her head, “I
love you.”

“I love you too.”

Two days later Becca and I were meeting our friends in the resort’s lobby. The guys all nodded at
me and quietly asked if the plan was still in place. I shook my head, “New plan.”

“Need help?” Bruno asked.

“Nah, I’ve got this,” I smiled confidently.

“When?” another friend questioned.

“You’ll see,” I shoved him, “Don’t ruin the surprise.”

The rest of that day was spent on the beach catching up with everyone. Drinks were passed, stories
told, and even the news of a new baby was shared.

Becca smiled at me when that was announced. She wanted a baby and I knew she didn’t care if we
were married or not, she just wanted a little one running around. I couldn’t blame her, I wanted
one too; but I wanted to make an honest woman out of her instead of living in sin like we currently
were in Philadelphia.

Yes, Becca had, without a question or doubt in her mind, moved with me to Philly during the
season. She did the WAG thing and also worked part time as a floating teacher in an elementary
school. She was a teacher back home, but we had decided that she wouldn’t work full time until we
knew exactly what my contract would be and if I would stay or go. That didn’t seem to bother her at
all, which made me love her even more.

“Becca?” I asked when we were in our room for the night.

“Huh?” she was applying aloe to her pinkened skin.

“You want some help?”

She shook her head, “Not from you.”

“want me to call Sid and see if he’ll fly down and help ya out?”

“Please,” she fanned herself.

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her from behind. She giggled too as she set down the
bottle of aloe, “What’s up Talbot?”

“I was thinking.”

“Dun, dun, dun,” she said dramatically.

I kissed her head, “Marry me.”

She stiffened, “Huh?”

I moved my lips to the back of her ear, “Marry me.”

She turned around, pushed me back, and shook her head, “Don’t fuck with me here Talbot.”

“I’m not,” I shook my head as I lowered myself to my knee, pulling out the ring box as I did so.

“Marry me.”

I wasn’t going to really ask her because that would give her an out and I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to insist that she marry me, make her see that she couldn’t live without me and I couldn’t live without her. being with our friends and seeing the great relationships they had, the loving marriages they’d established, and the babies that were being conceived might just con her into this a little more.

“I refuse to beg you,” I let out an awkward laugh.

She put her hand to her heart and I watched as her face softened. I wasn’t going to try to be smooth with this because her and I had always been ourselves around one another. My games didn’t work on her and hers didn’t work on me, so we always just laid everything out on the line after realizing the shenanigans didn’t work. since deciding on that, whenever I did do something romantic or sweet, and then ended up making an ass out of myself, it seemed to mean more to her than the gesture itself. We were weird.

“Bex.”

She nodded, “Yes.”

I opened the box and slid the round diamond onto her finger as I looked into her eyes. She was holding back tears and probably a smart ass comment or two, but they would find their way out eventually.

I stood up, still keeping eye contact with her, and pulled her lips to mine, “Next year, we’ll have to reschedule this trip.”

“Why?” she asked.

“We’re going to be on our honeymoon,” I replied, “Duh.”

She giggled and leaped into my arms, “So, was this your intention?”

I nodded, “To come back here and celebrate us not killing each other for a year and to celebrate us getting engaged.”

“Good intention,” she kissed me.

“I try baby.”