Perfect

    I always had certain ideas of what an ideal proposal would look like: the guy on one knee, no jumbo trons, a quiet place, a beautiful ring and a sweet speech. Nathan only knew that I wanted my dad to be asked and that I didn't want some huge public scene. We had kind of talked around the idea of getting engaged without really saying it out loud. "Someday I would want someone to do this..." or he would ask me what I liked in jewelry and I wasn't sure if he meant jewelry or jewelry.
    Nathan and I started talking about spending Valentine's together and how Friday the 15th would be better for us so we wouldn't have work the next day. I had no suspicions as the day neared until almost two weeks before. Nathan started saying things and being just a little different. I wasn't allowed to look at his phone. He would look at me differently or say things differently and suddenly, I just knew. I wanted to keep it a surprise and not ruin it, but I made sure that my nails looked nice and my makeup was camera ready.
     When Friday rolled around, Nathan showed up at 4 to pick me up. He opened the car door revealing a single red rose on the seat of the car waiting for me. I love flowers and this was so beautiful - a perfect start. As we started driving I found myself getting really nervous. I was excited about the possibility of him asking me and then anxious to think, what if he didn't! Nathan seemed as calm as could be, which only added to my nervousness. He seemed too calm...
      The car arrived at Laguna, a beach where we had had a previous date early on in our dating that can only be described as strangely beautiful. It involved a harpist, several strangers photographing us several different times and at several different locations, and several other groups of people talking to us about love. It was memorable, to say the least. Once we found a parking spot, Nathan pulled out a picnic basket, blanket, and backpack. I had a gift for him and my rose. I wondered where he might have put the ring, but he seemed pretty free about me seeing any of the bags or baskets, so I started to doubt again - had I scrubbed my hands and filed my nails for nothing?
      We walked along the boardwalk toward the sand and settled near the base of the cliffs with the sunset over Nathan's shoulder and a view of cliff-front homes over mine. The wind, which had been roaring all day, stopped and the temperature was in the 70's - a perfect beach day! He set up an amazing spread with a red tray, votive candles, gourmet food he prepared, my favorite cheese, pomegranate seeds, and lots of water (my beverage of choice). After he set up the meal and we prayed over it, I saw him sitting across from me, smiling and calm as could be. I started to doubt if this was the night. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I had him open his present from me (a book filled with pictures of our dates and texts we had sent to each other) and he looked at each page, admiring all of my efforts and responding exactly as I had hoped he would respond.
      I could barely eat, I was so nervous. "When's he going to do it? What's he going to say? What if he doesn't ask me and I feel foolish for being so sure?" As the sun set, the beach suddenly emptied. It was strange, the sky was still a beautiful orange and the sunset was not quite done and a mass exodus of people started. Nathan asked me to stand next to him to watch the final rays flash above the horizon and there we were, alone on the beach.
    He looked down at me and I looked up at him and he said, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." "I want that too," I barely said while thinking, "this is it!! Memorize every moment!"
    Then he said, "I have your father's blessing," and I started crying. He smiled and said, "I guess there's just one thing left to do," and he got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and said, "Will you marry me?"
    I was sobbing and threw my arms around him and kissed him and then realized I hadn't said anything, "Yes, yes, yes!" and then I hugged him again. He gave me the ring (which was exactly what I want in a ring), opened up a bottle of champagne and brought out a dessert of banana and strawberry slices covered in Godiva chocolate. We spent the next hour and a half just savoring the moment and trying to let the reality of it wash over us: I am going to be Mrs. Landmon! We would grow old together! We were going to plan a wedding! The stars were so bright and the homes on the cliff twinkled with lights. We walked back to the car and one of the restaurants was playing American Standards from the 50's (our favorite music) and Etta James "At Last" started playing. Could any song better match my feelings at that moment?  "At last my love has come along..." and he has.