He followed her into the kitchen. She picked up her electric kettle and added water to the coffee in her French press.

“We didn’t have plans, did we?” she asked. “I can’t imagine making plans knowing I was on call last night.”

“No. We didn’t.” Nerves danced up his spine and made his stomach clench. What if he’d misunderstood everything up until this moment? “Did your parents share their Thanksgiving plans with you?”

She pulled a coffee cup out of the cupboard and held it up. He nodded, so she pulled another one down. “For some reason they did not. It was very frustrating. They just told me to cancel my plans to come home.”

They took the coffee to the living room and sat on the couch. He set his cup on the table in front of them without taking a sip.

“Listen, something came up,” he blurted out. “I have to go somewhere very soon.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Somewhere?”

“Yeah. Not really something I can talk about.”

“Oh, right.” She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “I’ll catch on. Just tired.”

“It’s fine. I’m just not allowed to say.” He leaned forward and took the cup from her hands. Holding it had warmed her fingers. He shifted off the couch until he knelt on one knee next to her. “Cynthia, I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone, but I do know I really would like to marry you before I leave.”

Her mouth opened and closed, and her fingers squeezed his. “Marry me?”

“Yes.” He pressed a kiss to the backs of her knuckles. “I love you. I want to live the rest of my life with you. But if I go and something happens to me, I want you to be my wife. Not my girlfriend, not my fiancée. My wife.”

Her eyes searched his face, her expression almost one of fear. For a moment, his entire future hung suspended on her answer. At last, she smiled and nodded through her tears. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

After he kissed her, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and slipped it on her finger. The square-cut diamond sat in a platinum setting. He’d chosen a simple design because simple suited her. She leaned forward and put her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, just taking in being with her like this.

Putting his hands on her hips, he set her back from him. “Your parents are meeting us in Charula in two days. We’re getting married there, in my parents’ church.” He paused. “If that’s okay with you.”

“My parents?”

“I called your dad this afternoon.”

“Well, that explains the canceled plans,” she said with a grin. “You being all sneaky behind my back.”

“I just prayed you’d say yes.”