Connie sat in the aisle seat of the plain, watching contently as her daughter leaned across Charlie's lap to see out the window. Absent mindedly she twisted the elegant diamond and platinum band that adorned her left ring finger. The perfect marriage to the perfect man. She continued to gaze at her loving husband, Charlie turned his head to her and smiled. She felt her whole body blush when he mouthed the words 'I love you' to her. Years together and she still felt giddy at them.
As she watched Maddie and her Daddy, her mind began to wander back to the day her purposed to her. It had been at night, well past eleven and Maddie had long since been asleep. Connie sat in her office, all the light in the room were off except for a small lamp on the desk. She stared at the fresh sheet of snow white paper, blankly, wracking her brain for a tagline.
She needed to have an article written and submitted to the editor of the local paper by six the next morning if she ever wanted to be considered for the opening in sport writing staff, that she'd applied for. The only problem was, she had nothing to write about. Her inspiration was running dry.
Charlie had just finished his nightly ritual of making sure all the door and windows in the house were closed and locked, before heading to bed. He passed the office and looked in at his girlfriend, her long dark hair pulled up in a messy bun, her penetrating eyes hiding behind her reading glasses and her flawless face paled by the light of the moon. Even so, she'd never looked more beautiful to him.
His breath caught in his throat, he could hardly breathe as he looked at her, slumped over the desk, resting her forehead on the palm of her hand. He entered the room without a sound, sneaking up behind her. Resting a gentle hand on her shoulder, brushing Connie's graceful neck with his thumb.
Connie jumped, surprised by Charlie's touch, then relaxed leaning back in the chair so her head was resting against his stomach. "You scared me" She laughed, as Charlie leaned down and kissed the small crevasse between her shoulder and neck. His lips tickled the delicate flesh of her body.
"Did I?" Charlie breathed, sucking in the sweet scent of her freshly washed hair.
The petite writer in front of him nodded, scooping her hair up and moving her head so he could get better access to her neck.
Charlie took the opportunity willingly, his mouth caressing her skin. "Whatcha writing?"
"Article for the paper. If I don't get it finished, I'll never get that job tomorrow/ I just don't have headline, there's nothing to write about." She sighed stressfully.
Her boyfriend bit his lip, wondering if this was that was the appropriate time to ask. But deep inside he knew he couldn't wait another minute. He turned her chair to face him, studying her sweet face. "Can I talk to you for a minute babe?"
Connie crinkled her forehead and gave a confused nod. "Sure, Hun. What's wrong?" She asked taking off her reading glasses and rubbing her tired eyes.
Charlie's mouth ran dry as Connie peered up at him with her laser like stare. So many times he'd run through in his head, what he'd say to her when the time was right. But right then, at moment, his brain failed him.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong. Everything's fine, babe."
"Okay." Connie said slowly. "Then what do you need to talk about? Whatever it is you don't have to be afraid to tell me, I'll love you no matter what."
This gave Charlie the confidence he needed to force the words from his lips. He dropped to his knees in front of her. The handsome hockey player took the hand of his lover, running his thumb over her knuckles. "I've wanted to ask you this, for a long time Cons and I don't think I can put it off for another second. Connie Moreau, I love you, and I want you to marry me.-"
"Yes." She'd replied before he'd finished.
So certain that she'd say no, Charlie plowed on with his speech, not hearing what she'd said. "Now I know, it's only been a little over a year since you and Guy's divorce was finalized. And you might not be ready yet and that's okay. I'm willing to wait. I'll wait twenty years if I have to, if it means you'll be my wife in the end."
"Charlie, Charlie,. Sshhhh, I said yes." Connie put a hand on either side of his face. "I'll marry you. Yes."
"Yes?" He queried, searching her face for certainty, find no doubt in her eyes.
"Yes." Connie repeated.
In a flash Charlie was out of the room and back. Taking her hand once more, with shaking fingers and a trembling body he slipped the engagement ring past her knuckles. He captured her tender lips, and kissed her in away she'd never been kissed before. And in that instant all was right with the world.
NHL's hottest new star to wed childhood friend was the title of her article when she submitted it the next morning. She got the job, with little competition. None of the other applicants had had their own exclusives after all.
As she watched Maddie and her Daddy, her mind began to wander back to the day her purposed to her. It had been at night, well past eleven and Maddie had long since been asleep. Connie sat in her office, all the light in the room were off except for a small lamp on the desk. She stared at the fresh sheet of snow white paper, blankly, wracking her brain for a tagline.
She needed to have an article written and submitted to the editor of the local paper by six the next morning if she ever wanted to be considered for the opening in sport writing staff, that she'd applied for. The only problem was, she had nothing to write about. Her inspiration was running dry.
Charlie had just finished his nightly ritual of making sure all the door and windows in the house were closed and locked, before heading to bed. He passed the office and looked in at his girlfriend, her long dark hair pulled up in a messy bun, her penetrating eyes hiding behind her reading glasses and her flawless face paled by the light of the moon. Even so, she'd never looked more beautiful to him.
His breath caught in his throat, he could hardly breathe as he looked at her, slumped over the desk, resting her forehead on the palm of her hand. He entered the room without a sound, sneaking up behind her. Resting a gentle hand on her shoulder, brushing Connie's graceful neck with his thumb.
Connie jumped, surprised by Charlie's touch, then relaxed leaning back in the chair so her head was resting against his stomach. "You scared me" She laughed, as Charlie leaned down and kissed the small crevasse between her shoulder and neck. His lips tickled the delicate flesh of her body.
"Did I?" Charlie breathed, sucking in the sweet scent of her freshly washed hair.
The petite writer in front of him nodded, scooping her hair up and moving her head so he could get better access to her neck.
Charlie took the opportunity willingly, his mouth caressing her skin. "Whatcha writing?"
"Article for the paper. If I don't get it finished, I'll never get that job tomorrow/ I just don't have headline, there's nothing to write about." She sighed stressfully.
Her boyfriend bit his lip, wondering if this was that was the appropriate time to ask. But deep inside he knew he couldn't wait another minute. He turned her chair to face him, studying her sweet face. "Can I talk to you for a minute babe?"
Connie crinkled her forehead and gave a confused nod. "Sure, Hun. What's wrong?" She asked taking off her reading glasses and rubbing her tired eyes.
Charlie's mouth ran dry as Connie peered up at him with her laser like stare. So many times he'd run through in his head, what he'd say to her when the time was right. But right then, at moment, his brain failed him.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong. Everything's fine, babe."
"Okay." Connie said slowly. "Then what do you need to talk about? Whatever it is you don't have to be afraid to tell me, I'll love you no matter what."
This gave Charlie the confidence he needed to force the words from his lips. He dropped to his knees in front of her. The handsome hockey player took the hand of his lover, running his thumb over her knuckles. "I've wanted to ask you this, for a long time Cons and I don't think I can put it off for another second. Connie Moreau, I love you, and I want you to marry me.-"
"Yes." She'd replied before he'd finished.
So certain that she'd say no, Charlie plowed on with his speech, not hearing what she'd said. "Now I know, it's only been a little over a year since you and Guy's divorce was finalized. And you might not be ready yet and that's okay. I'm willing to wait. I'll wait twenty years if I have to, if it means you'll be my wife in the end."
"Charlie, Charlie,. Sshhhh, I said yes." Connie put a hand on either side of his face. "I'll marry you. Yes."
"Yes?" He queried, searching her face for certainty, find no doubt in her eyes.
"Yes." Connie repeated.
In a flash Charlie was out of the room and back. Taking her hand once more, with shaking fingers and a trembling body he slipped the engagement ring past her knuckles. He captured her tender lips, and kissed her in away she'd never been kissed before. And in that instant all was right with the world.
NHL's hottest new star to wed childhood friend was the title of her article when she submitted it the next morning. She got the job, with little competition. None of the other applicants had had their own exclusives after all.