Bender (The Core Four #1)(89)
I shook my head. “No worries. I just hope that you’re okay.” Looking at Camden I asked him, “Can you come pick her up so she doesn’t have to walk, and we’ll get her loaded on the golf cart to take her back in?”
He was just coming over when Turner took it upon himself to lift her in his arms and make the trek to the vehicle. “I’ve got her,” was all he said to me. Well okay then. The two of them took off, and I made note to ask him later why he was acting so strange. After Annabelle’s spill, we decided to call it quits before anything else major could happen. Donna wanted to go see if she could help get Annabelle home, Wrigley had a party to go to, Mom and Sarah were headed home because it was getting late, and Macie and Dodger needed to get some space before one of them buried the other in the backyard.
I was ready to head in as well since it had been a really long day, and I wanted to put my feet up for a bit. Everyone had left, and it was just me and Camden. Meeting him out on the pitcher’s mound, he pulled me into his arms and wrapped me up in his embrace. The strength of this man never failed to astound me. There was no safer place than right here in his arms. He kissed my forehead, and I leaned my head back to look at him. The warm chocolate of his eyes sucked me in like a strong undertow, and I was drowning in a sea of him. This was my favorite place to be.
“Did you have a good day?” he asked.
“I had a great day. I just can’t believe I’m done. Now on to the next part of my life… being a grown-up.”
He chuckled. “What about me, am I anywhere in those plans?”
“Not sure.”
“Keegan,” he said in warning.
“I mean, you are sort of bossy, and you leave your sweaty gym socks in the middle of the floor for me to pick up.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
I crinkled my nose. “Are you kidding? Have you ever smelled your own socks?”
“Sure I have.”
“Okay, I was kind of kidding, and ew!” I said on a laugh.
“You like it.”
“If you think so…”
“What about the rest of your life? What are you doing for the rest of your life?”
His question took me by surprise. “I don’t really know. Obviously I’ll be applying at UGA Medical, and I think I want to work in L&D, but we’ll see where the hospital can put me. I don’t think I’m in any position to be picky about place— ”
Camden cut me off. “No, I mean what are you doing, for the rest of your life?”
I cocked my head to the side, and I felt him brush his fingers through my long blond waves. I tried to understand what he was telling me but then it hit me. All of the air was sucked out of my lungs and I could tell he was reading me like a book and saw the realization in my eyes. Camden let go of me with one of his arms and reached into his pocket. He dug around and eventually pulled out a ring that was to die for gorgeous. It was cushion cut with diamonds surrounding the full carat in the center. The band was petite and feminine. As tears sprung to my eyes, Camden took ahold of my left hand and held it up to his chest. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heart as he started to speak.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of you, Blue. You’ve accomplished your goals and achieved the first of many dreams. You inspire me every day to strive for more and do better. Not only in my own life, but in our lives.” His chocolate colored eyes dazzled with humor and love. “I’ve been waiting for this moment I think since you first walked into my apartment. You were the girl, the one who made me see everything differently. You’ve been defiant, stubborn, difficult, and an all-around giant pain in the ass.” I giggled and wiped my tear filled eyes. “But…you’ve also been challenging, beautiful, open, and the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You were made me for Blue. You’re my person. Marry me, let me show you how you should be loved for the rest of your life.”
Oh my God was this real? Camden Brooks just proposed to me, and I felt like I was living in some alternate universe. Things like this just didn’t happen to me. Nodding my head vigorously, I did the only thing that I knew I could. I screamed at the top of my lungs and said, “YES! Oh my gosh a thousand times, yes!”
Sliding the ring on my finger, Camden picked me up and spun me in a circle. His face was buried in my hair, and I was laughing with unrequited joy. Never in my life did I ever think that answering an ad for a roommate was going to lead me to the rest of my life. Camden filled me, every day, he showed me love, compassion, and humility. Over a year ago, I thought my purpose in life was going to be to help raise my sister, try and graduate with my class, and attempt to find happiness on my own. I’ve been blessed to find a man who selflessly supported me in every adventure I took on. It’d been quite the ride with Camden. Oh yes, he’d been full of surprises, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Crushing his lips to mine, he pushed his tongue into my mouth and swallowed a low moan that seeped out. His fingers threaded into my hair, and I stood on my tippy toes, allowing him to consume me in every way possible. I smiled against his mouth as he kissed me, and he grinned as well. Pecking my nose in the way that he always did, he looked down at me.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. So very much,” I said.
“Good I’m glad.”