“Oh, I don’t know—trying to be a good maid of honor, attempting to be a buffer between Seth and Dad . . . And then there was you.”

His eyebrows lifted. “What about me?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She gave him a wry grin. “Trying to ignore the fact that after seven years apart you still gave me butterflies.”

His eyes twinkled as he took her hand. “Oh, really? I couldn’t tell between all the glares and snubbery.”

She lifted her chin. “That’s not a word. And you didn’t exactly make it easy on me either.”

“Because I was apologetic and contrite?”

“Because you were handsome as sin!”

He chuckled and Sophie couldn’t help smiling in return as she remembered the way he’d looked in his suit that night. The way he held her in his arms as they danced. The way he gazed at her, his heart in his eyes.

She shivered.

An impish gleam lit his eyes. “Chilly?”

“Maybe.” Sophie gave him a stubborn look as she stood, gathering the trash. “I thought I was prepared to see you, but I wasn’t. Not even close.”

“You hardly even looked at me.”

“That took supreme effort on my behalf.” She grabbed the bag and carried it to the trash can. “I couldn’t believe the way you filled out that suit coat.”

“Well, for the record, Lawson, you took my breath away too.”

Sophie dumped the bag and turned back to the gazebo with a ready smile.

Aiden was on his knees, picking up a napkin or something.

But no. She stopped in her tracks. He was on one knee, and the object he held was no napkin.

It was a ring box. Her gaze flew to his face.

His mouth curved in that crooked smile she loved so much. And his eyes . . . Those blue eyes gazing back were saying so many things.

“Sophie Lawson . . . Seven years ago I made the worst mistake of my life when I left you. But God saw fit to bring you back into my life, and I’m so grateful He did because I never stopped loving you. It took me a long time to realize that loving you is the best rush of all. And there’s nothing that would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life loving you. Will you marry me, Sophie?”

Her eyes burned with tears. She hadn’t seen this coming at all.

“Yes.” The word was muffled by the hands that were cupped over her face.

“Um . . .” Aiden looked adorably unsure. “What?”

She lowered her hands. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.”

She rushed toward him, and he stood just in time to catch her. She gazed into his eyes, feet dangling above the ground.

“I love you, Sophie. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”