"When are you guys headed back?" asked Eric as he Skyped with Emily. Sonny had joined her a little more than a week ago and had gotten permission to stay a few extra days to help his dad.
"On Friday. We've hired two new reliable farmhands and are putting them up to speed. Emmett gets his cast off tomorrow and the doctor is optimistic, that he'll have recovered completely. Sonny and I should be back by Sunday morning, we're going to drive back over the two days and do a few stops along the way."
"Considering he doesn't need to be back until Monday, that's actually a good idea."
"What's going on in VA Beach?"
"Nothing much. It's actually heartbreak town here."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Clay and Stella, just as Jason and Natalie have hit the pause button."
"Oh no. That's too bad. Hopefully it won't last."
"I hope not, because they are not in the best of moods or the best of company for the moment."
Emily nodded in understanding. She took a mental note to get in touch with Stella and make sure she was OK. She wasn't going to the same with Natalie as they hardly knew each other, but with Stella it was different, they were friends.
"What's Sonny up to?"
"I don't know. He's been working all afternoon in the barn with Rudy. They're moving stuff around, he doesn't want me to go in, says it's too dangerous."
"And you actually listen?" said Eric laughing.
"Yes, Eric, I listened."
"I'm just kidding sis.. Listen, you and Sonny should come over for dinner Sunday night. Nothing fancy just a barbecue."
"Yeah, sure. I'll run it by Sonny."
"Good. Got to go, I have a meeting with Lindell."
"OK. Pass on my regards to him. See you on Sunday bro."
At about 5pm, Sonny and Rudy walked out of the barn just as Hannah's jeep came into the driveway. Sonny waved at her and went to the porch to meet up with Emily.
"You've got one hour to get ready," he said.
"Ready for what?"
"I'm taking you out to dinner," he answered smiling.
"What about your dad?"
"I'm taking Emmett out for dinner," said Hannah as she joined them. She then hugged Emily then Sonny.
"Are you sure it's not too much of a bother?"
"Are you kidding, he's looking forward to getting out of the house. On top of that, you guys need some "you" time before you head back to the crazy life this one is living," said Hannah as she pointed to Sonny.
Emmett walked out of the house.
"Are you ready to go Emmett?" asked Hannah as she took him by the arm.
"Absolutely. You know how much I love your chili." He then turned and looked at Emily and Sonny. "Now ya'll enjoy your evening."
"Thanks Pops", replied Sonny as he put his arm around Emily's waist.
Once they had left, Emily headed inside and took a long bath. She had always been a fan of baths, but never really knew how soothing they were until you had worked an entire day out on a ranch. She had toned up over the weeks she had been here. Her hair had lightened up from being out in the sun and her skin was darker too. She had been sore, gotten scratches and bruises but it had never bothered her one bit.
She walked into the bedroom and opened the closet where she had placed the little clothes she had brought or bought during her stay.
When she walked down the stairs, she noticed that Sonny was standing on the porch waiting for her. She opened the door and let herself out.
He turned around and beamed as he saw her. Her hair was down, and she was wearing a simple and beautiful yellow short ruffled dress with short sleeves, accompanied by a pair of brown flat sandals. She too was looking at him. He had trimmed his beard a bit and was wearing a pair of jeans, brown cowboy boots and a blue and white plaid button-down shirt.
He took her hand and kissed her gently. She then saw him take out a bandana from his back pocket. "Do you trust me?" he asked.
She nodded.
He let go of her hand, came up behind her and placed the bandana securely over her eyes. He then took her hand again and let her down the way. After a few minutes they stopped, and she heard the creaking of a door. He took her hand again as they took a few steps, then she heard the door creak again.
She felt his fingers on the back of her head and felt the bandana loosen, before being entirely removed from her eyes. When it did, she couldn't believe what she was looking at.
The hay that had been on the barn floor had disappeared. A thousand of string lights hung from the ceiling and walls of the barn. In the middle of the room, a table for two was set. Lit, in various corners of the rooms were big candles and, in the background, soft romantic country songs were playing. It was beautiful!
She turned around and looked at Sonny. His eyes were dancing as he watched the expression on her face.
"Sonny… This is beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it."
He took her hands in his and led her to the table.
He opened up a bottle of red wine and they talked while they eat their steak and salad.
When they had finished eating, he took her hand from across the table.
"Dance with me."
He gently led her past the table to where they had room to dance. He went to the CD player and changed the song before returning to her and taking her in his arms.
He smiled and as the song started, sang along with the singer.
"I can't count the times, I almost said what's on my mind, but I didn't. Just the other day, I wrote down all the things I'd say, but I couldn't, I just couldn't. Baby, I know you've been wondering, Mmm, so here goes nothing."
She smiled as they swayed, and he continued.
"In case you didn't know, Baby I'm crazy bout you. And I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you. Even though, I don't tell you all the time, you had my heart a long long time ago. In case you didn't know."
"The way you look tonight, that second glass of wine, that did it, mmmm. There was something about that kiss, girl you did me in, got me thinking, I'm thinking. All of the things that I've been feeling, Mmmm, it's time you hear em."
"In case you didn't know, Baby I'm crazy bout you. And I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you. Even though, I don't tell you all the time, you had my heart a long long time ago. In case you didn't know."
"You've got all of me. I belong to you. You're my everything."
Even though the song continued, Sonny stopped singing. He let go of Emily's hands and took a step back. Emily watched as he simultaneously bend down on his knee and took something from his back pocket. Before he even had the time to open the box, her heart was beating fast in her chest.
He opened the lid of the red velvet case revealing the most beautiful solitaire diamond ring she had ever seen.
"I know I don't always tell you how much I love you. I love you enough to fight for you, compromise for you, and sacrifice myself for you if need be. Enough to miss you incredibly when we're apart, no matter what length of time it is for and regardless of the long distance. Enough to believe in our relationship, to stand by it, through the worst of times, to have faith in our strength as a couple, and to never give up on us. Enough to spend the rest of my life with you, be there for you when you need, or want me, and never ever want to leave you or to live without you. I love you this much."
He paused for a moment and got lost in her eyes. Those glittering cognac-colored almond shaped eyes could send any man in a trance.
"Emily Hope Blackburn, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
You would have thought that he was nervous, but for once in his life, he wasn't, because there was no doubt in his mind or heart that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
She smiled at him even more than she had been. "Yes!"
He smiled, stood, and placed the ring on her finger. They both looked at it then at each other. He pulled her in against him and kissed her.
He felt the passion and yearning for each other increase. He stopped kissing her, "first there is something we need to do."
She looked at him puzzled.
When that 'something' had been done, he lifted her in his arms and led her to the far end of the barn on the left where there was an alcove.
He laid her down on the pillows and blankets that had been laid down and dimmed the lights. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and removed it before joining her.
The team stopped their pool game as their phones beeped. Eric was the first to look at his phone, but then again, he had impatiently been waiting. He had known. Heck he had been the first to know, when Sonny had spoken to him that day in Yemen. He smiled upon seeing the message.
It was a picture of Sonny and Emily. He was holding her in his arms, he was smiling, and she was kissing him on the cheek while he was holding her hand out with the diamond engagement ring. The text said, "she said Yes!"
Ray looked from his phone to Eric beaming. "No freaking way! That's fantastic news!"
"Yeah," added Clay, "best news ever. Those two are really meant for one another."
"You don't even look surprised," said Ray as he looked at Eric.
"I'm not. Sonny is a good man. He asked me, our parents and the girl's permission."
"Seriously? Man, he's done good."
"I suggest we all toast to the future Mr. and Mrs. Quinn, even if they are miles away!" said Eric as he raised his glass.
Ray took a picture of all of them and sent it back in response to Sonny's text.
"You got a message from Sonny," said Natalie as she walked over to the window where he was standing. They had been talking for most of the evening, trying to settle things and patch things up.
Jason turned around and looked at her. "What does it say?"
"Emily and him, are getting married," she answered happy for them, still oblivious to the fact that Emily had once been in her shoes when it came to being in a relationship with Jason.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, look," she said as she passed him his phone.
He looked at the picture and blinked. After contemplating it for a few minutes, it finally dawned on him that Emily had been right all along. Unlike they had been, she and Sonny were happy together, really happy, they belonged together. He was, indeed selfish, and worried more about himself than others and that was on him, he was the only one to blame for that, not Alana, not Emily and not Natalie. He looked at Natalie.
"It's great news isn't it?"
"Yes, it is" he said smiling. "They deserve to be happy together. And it makes me realize that I'm not giving you what you deserve."
He paused for a minute as her face changed, almost confirming what he had just said. "Someone a while back told me that I didn't deserve her either and I did nothing to change that and I lost her. I don't want to lose you. I can't make any promises, but I will try to be worthy of your love. If you'll give me another chance."
She nodded and walked up to him. He took her in for an embrace, gave Emily and Sonny's picture one last look, before shutting his phone off and giving Natalie all his attention.