Hers

I should have figured something was cooking when Nick asked me to come with him on a trip that I knew he had planned to take with my cousin. Matthew was no longer going because the event was "cancelled" but the hotel was already booked and needed to be used. Points ya know ;) Excited and curious, I agreed and packed my things for our first real road trip together.

The drive went by so fast. Laughs were plentiful, the conversation was fun and free-flowing, life was truly carefree. I believe I even hung my head out the window at some point. Before I knew it, we had arrived at one of the most beautiful hotels I had ever seen. I remember looking out at the water and at the city surrounding the hotel and thought this would be one great trip. How did I get so lucky to have been invited here to this breathtaking town, with someone I admired and enjoyed as much as Nick? The room we were staying in was absolutely gorgeous! It overlooked the bay, was beautifully decorated and on the table was a display of odd and foreign fruits that we got to explore together. I would soak it all up and embrace every bit of romance.

When Nick told me we had dinner reservations at the hotels restaurant and that he needed to go back down to the car to get the shirts that he couldn't carry up on the first trip, I was a bit curious, but mostly just exhausted. I could have gone without dinner and just cuddled up for the evening, preparing for an adventure the next day. We would stick with the plan though and keep our reservations. I used the time Nick spent "getting his shirts" as time to rest my eyes for a bit. Nick must have been gone for a while, since I woke up refreshed and ready for an evening out together.

Our table was overlooking the water and the reservation was perfectly timed for sunset. Nick indulged in a sampling of Louis XIII and I enjoyed a cocktail while we toasted each other and life's adventures. All of these things should have been enough to tip me off, but if you know Nick, you know his generous heart and his never ending desire create lasting memories. I didn't think anything into this amazing evening, other than, this is Nick being Nick and how lucky a woman am I?!

We enjoyed our dinners and bottle of wine from a local winery. We watched a man fishing in the bay all alone in a small boat just as the sun was setting. I wanted to know what that man in the boat was feeling and thinking. I was captivated by everything around me, and was tempted to remind our server to bring the rolls she had kept promising then forgetting, even after our dinner was finished, just so I could prolong the experience. I decided against it since I wasn't hungry and Nick seemed a bit distracted.

Moments later, our server appeared from behind me with a plate sized fortune cookie and set in front of me. Nick was beaming and I could feel my face flushing. Can you believe that even STILL i had no idea he was proposing to me?! I opened the cookie and pulled out the personalized fortune. I read it 4 maybe 5 times before I realized what it said. I felt emotions sweep over me, I couldn't breathe and I looked up at Nicks seat, not even knowing what I would say aside from the obvious YES YES YES!!!! But he wasn't there. By this time, he had come over to me and was on his knee with a ring in his hand. I could see his mouth was moving, but have no idea what he was saying. The sounds in the crowded restaurant were just a faint hum in the background, when Nick finally broke through to me and asked…."DOES THAT MEAN YES?!" I threw my arms around him, never wanting to let go except for to kiss him. I said "Yes" and the hum of the crowd became applause!

The evening was surreal, as was the rest of our weekend. I woke up the next morning with a ring on my finger and my future laying next to me. I could have stayed there forever, but we had an adventure to create! Up and at 'em, we started the day with breakfast at the same restaurant as the previous evening. Every emotion came rushing back, only this time there was added embarrassment. It seemed that everyone was staring at us, and a few even congratulated us. We split a french toast with fresh berries and got our coffee to go. After a short walk, touring the shops of the bay community, we rented bikes and started on our 23 mile ride around the Monterey Bay Peninsula followed by horse back riding on the beach at sunset.

I couldn't have dreamed a better proposal and even still I am filled with wonder and amazement that I have found such a selfless, spiritual and honorable man who wants to share his life with me.

~