I slammed the rest of my beer and decided I needed to leave and get out of here. I went home and sat on the couch feeling so pathetic and stupid. 
I fell asleep and woke up to knocking on my door around 2am. I got up half asleep and Kie was standing there. She was still in her rehearsal dinner outfit.
"Hey, listen about what is said earlier, I'm an idiot and I'm sorry. Please just forget what I said"
"Did you mean it?" She asked sincere 
"I wouldn't lie about something like that but I shouldn't have said it"
"But you did and now I can't stop thinking about it" She admitted
"Fuck!"
"J, calm down. I'm not here because I'm mad at you. I'm here to listen and to ask why you never proposed? What happened?"
"The fire happened and we came home and you went to college. We broke up for stupid reasons and I was pissed. When I was finally ready to talk to you, you told me about your new boyfriend Caden. It was too late. You moved on and it was my loss, Caden's gain. I just want you to be happy."
"So you were really going to do it?" She asked still not believing me
"Yes, plans changed and we went to the hotel and had sex which was totally fine with me. After, we were going to get dressed and take a romantic sunset walk on the beach and that was where I was going to propose"
"Wow..." She said lost in her thoughts
"I'll be right back" I said walking into the house and rummaging through my stuff and I pulled out a small velvet box
I brought it outside and said, "I even bought this"
Kie took the box and she slowly opened it to reveal the gold band with the small diamond. The ring I got for her was pathetic compared to the giant rock she wore on her finger from Caden.
She looked speechless when she saw the ring. I saw tears pooling in her eyes as she blinked them away. She looked at the ring and then at me. I didn't know what to say.

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
^ Ring JJ picked out for Kie ^
"Sorry, I know it's ugly and nothing compared to what you deserve but it literally was all I could afford" I said as I drained my savings and emergency fund to afford the piece of shit ring 
She looked at the ring on her finger from Caden and then back at the one from me in the box. She closed the box and handed it back to me. My heart was racing. 
I put the box in my pocket and said, "I can't wait to see you up at the alter getting married later today to Caden. You'll be the most beautiful bride" 
She hugged me and said, "Thank you"
She left in her car and I went inside and I broke down crying. This was it. She was marrying Caden in a few hours. Today was her wedding day. 
I legit started to cry myself to sleep. I called John B and Pope and asked them to come over. They came over and told them what just happened. I also showed them the ring and they both freaked out. 
It was now close to 3am and there was a knock on the door and it was Kie. John B and Pope left to go back to sleep at the chateau and Kie came inside.
"Caden is great, he really is. It isn't about money. I promise you that. But he literally didn't want to spend money on a ring because he thinks it's stupid. So the big diamond is fake. He asks his parents to borrow their yacht, to pay for trips, and shit like that. His parents bought the house we are moving into. He's a kook who depends on his parents." 
I laughed and said, "At least you'll be set for live and you'll give your kids the kook life"
She just looked at me in a way she hasn't in so long. Tears came to her eyes and she sounded like she was fighting back those tears. 
"You drained your bank account and more to buy me a ring. You worked your ass off throughout high school just so the two of us could live our dream on the surf trip. You put my own happiness before your own. That is the kind of guy that I want to marry. The guy that I want to have babies with. I don't care about letting my kids life the kook life. I want my babies to see how in love their parents are and take them on surf trips. JJ, I want you. I love you" 
I didn't hesitate before I kissed her. This kiss was intense. It was four years overdue. I looked at her hand and I noticed her ring from Caden was gone. I grabbed the ring I bought and I got down one one knee.
"I know this isn't a beach in the Bahamas at sunset but it's real and it's us and I love you. Will you marry me?"
She was now fully crying as she said, "Yes"
I stood up and hugged her and then put the ring on her finger. She looked at it and said, "It's so beautiful. I love it!"
"And I love you" I said kissing her again 
We were making out and she started laughing and said, "I never thought I'd get engaged on my wedding day"
I laughed and said, "Now to plan our own wedding"
"I can't wait, but first bedroom. Now" She said and I picked her up and carried her off to the bedroom where we did everything but sleep