Nick and Melissa were back at the site of their picnic, watching the ocean. Nick held her in his arms, never feeling this happy in his life.
�I can�t believe that I�m engaged!� Melissa said looking at her ring. She turned to face him. �You are the best thing that has happened to me, Carter. I love you so much.�
He caressed her cheek. �I love you too. You have made me the happiest man alive. I was so worried that you wouldn�t say yes.�
�Why wouldn�t I say yes?�
�I don�t know, maybe it�s too soon or��
�No, Carter. I love you with everything in me and nothing would make me happier then to be your wife!�
�My wife, I love the sound of that.�
�Me too, Melissa Carter!� She said with a smile.
�So that means you are taking my name?�
�Of course, I�m an old fashion girl, besides I want every girl to know that you are mine!�
Nick laughed at her comment. �I don�t want any other girl, but you!�
�Good answer, Carter.� She pulled him in for a kiss, but suddenly she broke away.
�Mel?�
�My parents, I want to call them and tell them the good news.�
�They already know.�
�What?� She asked confused by his response.
�I called them and asked for their permission for your hand in marriage. They gave me their blessing and welcomed me to the family. I even asked Jules and Jonathon for their blessing.�
Melissa let her tears fall freely after hearing what Nick had done for her. �I hope those are happy tears!�
�Yes, they�re happy tears. You are an incredible man! I can�t believe you asked my parents and my friends for their blessing.�
�I know how much your family means to you and that you consider Jules and Jonathon family too, so I knew I needed to ask them.�
�Yes, it means everything to me that you asked my family for their blessing. And now you are my family too, so that means they are your family also!�
�I like that; I gain a wife and another family. I�m a very lucky man.�
�Wait, so that�s why Jules was acting weird!�
�Yeah, when she ran over and hugged you, Brian had just told everyone that I was asking you to marry me!�
�That explains why everyone was at the house when we left, and AJ wishing you luck!� Nick just laughed. �You are sneaky!� She stated playfully hitting him.
�What�s with you hitting me?�
�Well you better get use to it, now that you are going to marry me!�
�I think I can handle that.� He enclosed her in his arms and kissed her. Their kisses became heated and intense.
Breaking away, Melissa looked into his eyes and whispered, �I think we better head back to the hotel.�
�You are reading my mind.�
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
�Well Mel�s parents can�t come!� Julie stated once she hung up the phone.
�How come?� Jonathon asked sitting next to her on the bed.
�Her dad can�t travel because of his injury from the accident.�
�That�s too bad, but if he shouldn�t travel then he shouldn�t.�
�I know, but I wanted Mel�s party to be perfect.�
�It will be Jules and then we can have a party for her back in Illinois. That way her family can come.�
�Yeah, I guess.�
�What�s bothering you Jules?� He asked wrapping an arm around her.
�I was thinking about what that fortune teller said. Do you think he�ll come back?�
�No, he would be stupid to come back. But if he does, he will have to deal with me before he comes anywhere near Mel.�
�And Nick, I know he wouldn�t let that jerk come anywhere near her either.�
�Yeah, Mel has a lot of people to protect her now, so let�s not worry about something that isn�t going to happen.�
