Page 41 of The Monster’s Weakness

She tried not to think so negatively. But abandonment anxiety was hard to shake. Her parents were happy to get her out of their lives. No one stuck around. She didn’t have any friends. The one constant in the past year had been Caleb.

She knew it had shaken him to his core to discover Pembroke had been innocent. Gemma knew he acted as best he could with the knowledge he’d had. There was nothing else he could do. She didn’t understand his job, but she got it. He was good at what he did.

“Are you ready?” Caleb asked, coming into the room.

She looked down at her dress, which fell in different lengths, and the tips seemed to be like triangles, which gave the dress a pixie-like allure.

“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing?” she asked.

“All in good time.” He moved toward her and kissed her on the forehead. “Come.”

He took her hand, and they stepped out of their room. Caleb clearly had a destination in mind as they stepped onto the elevator, and then they were being transported down to the main floor. They were not going in the car, and Caleb took her hand, linking their hands together, to move out onto the busy street. The noise was incredible, and it made her gasp.

People were lost in their own little worlds, and she felt in her own. Caleb guided her down the street, and she didn’t know where to look—left, right, or straight ahead. There was so much to see.

Finally, they came to a stop, and Gemma frowned as Caleb pulled her into what looked like a chapel. She was a little confused and looked toward him with a frown. “What’s going on?”

No one was in the main entrance, and she noticed the moment they stepped inside, the doors were closed, and they were in private once again.

“Gemma,” Caleb said. “Do you trust me?”

“You know I do.”

“Good.” He went down on one knee, the kind of bended knee a man did to propose.

She couldn’t help but gasp, and she was pretty sure her eyes went wide as she looked down at him.

He held onto her hand, and then produced a velvet box, and if there was any doubt in her mind, there was none now. She was amazed. He held out an engagement ring, but she also saw the second ring.

“I love you, Gemma. I love you more than anything in the world, and the greatest day of my life was the day I met you.”

He was wearing a mask, and she held a fake gun. It wasn’t exactly the perfect meeting, and yet, for their story, it was.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you, have lots of babies, and spend my life getting to know you.”

“Caleb?”

“Please say yes. I know everything. I know that it is going to be a challenge, and that some days are going to be easier than others. I know it will be hard, and I am here for the long haul. In sickness and in health, I’m here for it all, with you.”

Tears blurred her vision.

He pulled out the ring and gave her a smile. “I guessed the ring size. Let’s see if it’s a perfect fit.”

Words failed her.

He slid the ring right onto her finger, and it was indeed a perfect fit. It looked so beautiful.

“Please, Gemma. Make me the happiest man in the world. Marry me.”

There was no way she could say no.

“Yes,” she said.

He got to his feet, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. “Everything is prepared.”

“What?”

“I arranged everything. The priest. We have some guests and I’ll introduce them to you later. They’re friends of mine.”

“And they’re ... you know?” she asked.

He laughed. “Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t be nervous,” he said.

This made her laugh. “I’m not nervous. I’m with you.”

She took hold of his hand, and this had to be the happiest day of her life. They made their way toward the double doors, and she didn’t care what was on the other side. So long as Caleb was by her side, nothing else mattered.

The End