When Rory came home from work, Tristan was waiting for her.
"What are you doing home so early? Are you sick?" She asked as she rushed over to the couch. She knew that he had been working hard and it wouldn't surprise her in the slightest if it finally caught up to him.
"I'm fine." He said, pushing her hand away from his face. "But I did something."
"Uh-oh." She said as she set down her purse. "Spill please." Tristan took a deep breath, pondering how he was going to start.
"I walked into the office today."
"Good, starting at the beginning." She smiled.
"and I realized… I hate it there." Rory didn't look surprised so he kept going. "I mean, I like my job but traveling all the time and being in a different place every day was driving me crazy." For having trouble starting, he was really picking up speed.
"I know." She said, trying to understand what he was getting at. "It's been really hard on you."
"So, I walked into my father's office and I told him that I couldn't do it anymore, that I was tired of traveling."
"And he said?" Rory said, completely shocked by Tristan's sudden ability to stand up to his father.
"He wanted to know the reason for my unhappiness. He knew the reason, but he wanted to hear me say it."
"I'll bet he did." She muttered.
"So I told him that I was never going to get you to marry me if I kept dashing off to foreign countries." She froze.
"You…you what?" She could barely spit it out.
"I'm not done." He said nonchalantly. "And then he agreed that my talents would be put to better use somewhere else." Rory stared at him.
"He fired you?!" She shrieked.
"I resigned." He said more confidently than she had ever heard him speak. "And then he told me that my proposal was the best that he had ever read and that he was promoting me to another location, where no traveling would be needed. New York City." Rory hadn't taken a breath since she had heard him say the word marry. They had talked about marriage, but it had always been something for the future. Something for 'Some day'.
"But, what brought this on? I mean, I knew that you were unhappy with traveling, but to quit your job?" He knew she was wigging out and it made him smile.
"You did. You believed in me, you always have." He smiled. "And I guess some of that belief rubbed off because I started believing in myself. But this does require that we move to the city." He said, knowing that meant she would have to change her job. Rory nodded.
"We'll figure something out." She said.
"So, now that I've actually got a better job with better pay and more free time, I want to spend it with you…" He got down on one knee.
"Oh my God." She said, her shaking hand covering her trembling lips. "You're going to do this right now?!" He nodded as he took her hand, trying to be comforting when, in reality, he was also freaking out.
"You've already been with me for better and for worse, so I'm hoping that you won't mind continuing the job. Will you marry me?" Rory stood there, staring at the ring in Tristan's hand, trying to process all the information he just threw at her.
"Oh my God!" She cried again. "Yes!" He stood up and put the ring on her finger. She kissed him like she would never kiss him again. "I love you." She said, his face in her hands. "Nothing would make me happier."
"I love you more." He said with a smile.
"I don't think that's possible." She grinned.
"We'll agree to disagree."
"I can't believe this." Rory's head was spinning. "You really know how to surprise a girl."
"I know. I'm sorry. I threw a lot at you." She nodded.
"Something like that."
"It kind of all happened at once. I was just, purging all this stress onto my father and the next thing I know he's being a father and not a boss, which completely threw me. He's never done that, you know?" She nodded. "So I had no idea what to do or say."
"Thank you. You are supposed to say thank you." She smiled.
"I did, once I figured out that he was actually promoting me and not letting me quit."
"Good." She said, wrapping her arms tighter around him. "I can't believe you just proposed to me… after work… in our living room." She said, taking in every second of the situation so that she could remember it forever.
"I'll make it up to you," he said, a little unsure of himself for the first time that day.
"It was perfect." She kissed him. "I can't imagine it any other way."
"Okay then, I won't tell you what the original plan was." She pulled away from him.
"There was a plan?" She grinned. He nodded.
"And even a list or two." He admitted.
"Tell me." She commanded.
"No."
"Tell me."
"Absolutely not." He shook his head.
"Tristan!" She stomped her foot.
"Rory!"
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?" She asked nicely.
"No." He echoed the sing song voice right back to her.
"Fine." She said in a huff. He smirked, proud of himself. He started to walk to the kitchen when he heard her little voice. "I guess you're just not going to get any until our wedding night." He paused and turned around.
"What did you just say?"
"And knowing your mother and my grandmother, they are going to want to wait at least a year to have a proper engagement and to plan everything that needs to be done."
"You wouldn't."
"The showers, the invitations, the flowers, it is going to be so stressful. I really should start telling people as soon as possible." She picked up her phone to call her mother and tell her the news.
"That's not funny." He said as he took her phone away from her.
"I have to at least tell my mom." She said.
"Your mom knows."
"What?"
"I asked her permission." Rory looked up at him, trying to read his eyes to see if he was serious.
"You did?" He nodded. "When?"
"About a week ago. I took a day off and drove to the Inn. She said it was up to you, but that she liked me, and wanted you to say yes." Rory looked like she was about to cry, but she surprised him by kissing him fiercely.
"Did I ever tell you that you are perfect?" She asked as she pulled away.
"Not today." He said as he pulled her back in, refusing to let her out of his arms.
"Well you are." She said, kissing him again. Tristan's head was reeling and he thought he was going to explode with happiness when all of a sudden Rory broke the kiss. Gathering his senses, he opened his eyes confused. Rory stood smirking holding the cell phone that he had previously taken away.
"You're good." He gave in as she started dialing home.