I stood there, shocked. It didn't help that we had drawn a slight crowd from the passerby's wanting to see how the proposal would end.

"Ryan. I want to say yes, but is that even really an option? What about the marriage license I already have with Eric? And what would happen to my parents if I don't go through with marrying him?" I asked with tears of confusion welling up.

He stood back up, still holding the ring in his grasp. "Like I said, I spoke to the lady inside the Clerk of Court. She said that she can override your current marriage license and replace it with ours. Then we can get married instead and live happily ever after."

I wiped my tears and huffed at his corny comment. I studied his eyes, trying to see into his soul. We'd been through so much in such a short time. I could only imagine how crazy married life would be with him. But seeing him, I knew that my life would be so much better than anything I could ever have with Eric or anyone else. While everything was a whirlwind around us, when it was just us, the world stood still. It felt natural being with him.

Purposefully, I removed my current engagement ring and placed it inside my purse. Keeping my gaze locked with his, I extended my now bare hand to him and smiled. "This may be the craziest thing ever! But, yes, I will marry you, Ryan Patrick Herman."

He beamed like he just won the lottery as he placed his ring on my finger, then scooped me up in his arms and kissed me. Then he led the way into the Clerk of Court's office. We took a seat on the bench along the wall as I filled out the second column on the Certificate of Marriage form. At first, my hand was shaking with a mixture of excitement and disbelief, making it hard for me to keep the pen steady on the page. But when Ryan noticed me struggling, he rested his hand on mine and gave it a light squeeze.

Glancing over at him, meeting his calm and supportive gaze made me smile. We both took a deep inhale together and slowly exhaled. Being in that moment with him, and connecting on a deeper level simply through our breathing, helped me regain power and control in my hand, and I completed the form without a second thought.

Ryan and I went to the clerk he had previously spoken to about my situation. She smiled a professional, yet friendly smile and took the form. Peering down at the form and back at her computer screen, she clacked away on her very loud keyboard. Though the sound was actually satisfying with the rhythm and speed of her typing.

Then she stopped suddenly and glanced up at me from her screen. "I'm sorry, I can't actually approve this."

My heart stopped.

"What do you mean?" Ryan demanded. "You just told me not even thirty minutes ago that this could be done."

She stared at him with not even the slightest bit of emotion showing. "Sir, you failed to mention who was on the previous marriage license. My hands are tied and it won't allow me to proceed, even if I wanted to. You'll have to get this new license approved by a judge to override the old one."

I knew this was too good to be true.

Ryan pounded his fist on the counter. "Then get me a fucking judge!"

The police officer that stood by the entrance approached us cautiously with his hand resting by his metal baton on his belt. "Is everything okay here?"

"I'm sorry, sir," I pleaded. "He didn't mean to cause any concern." I turned back to Ryan and placed my hand on his arm. "Ryan, let's go. We'll figure something out."

The clerk handed us back the form, and we headed back outside. I couldn't help but apologize again to the officer as we passed.

Once outside, Ryan started pacing around the sidewalk, thinking of a solution, and still very angry. While I was furious about the situation too, I almost found it comical that this was the story of my life lately. I found it so funny that I actually started laughing.

"I'm glad you can see the humor in this," he huffed.

I stifled my laugh. "It's either that, or I snap and lose my mind."

He leaned back against the stone wall of the building and buried his face in his hands. I could tell that being out of control was not something he was used to. He was always one to get his way in the end, but he couldn't change this. I stepped closer to him, so my feet were standing in between his. He raised his head from his hands and focused his gaze on me.

I leaned in and kissed him. "Thank you for loving me this much."

He pulled me into another gentle kiss. "I'm not giving up. I'm going to figure a way around this for us."

I nodded. "I have no doubt you will."

We kissed once more before hopping into a cab to spend the rest of the day together, while we still had the chance.

*************

The next morning it took every ounce of restraint to not lunge at Eric every time I heard him utter a single word.

We were sitting next to each other in the center of a long U-shape clothed table. Thank goodness Sasha was on my other side and keeping a close watch on me, or I should say, hand on me. Every time I'd flinch or give even the slightest look of annoyance when Eric would crack one of his not-so-funny jokes, she'd pinch the first part of my body she could get to. It worked most of the time, making me correct my reaction to the appropriate one, but there were one or two instances, where even her pinching couldn't stop my adverse reaction.

Thankfully, everyone was so caught up in eating and talking to one another that they really didn't pay much attention to me. Except when I had to give a welcome speech with Eric at the beginning. Though I didn't have to talk too much, I only greeted them and thanked everyone for being there, and then Eric took over.

I can definitely say he needed the practice too, because he kept fumbling over his speech. If he ever wanted to succeed in politics, that would be one area he'd have to really work on. I was surprised too, especially since he was a lawyer. After all, wasn't part of being a lawyer being able to talk and charm people?

After everyone was done eating, we mingled with the guests that lingered. I was especially excited to see Barbara and Harry Upton there. It seemed like so long ago since I'd seen them. Even though it had only been a few months.

I introduced them to my father, or more like I introduced my father to them. I naturally upsold their wine to my dad and encouraged him to consider selling their wine at the marina's restaurant. My dad was intrigued and really enjoyed talking to them. Seeing my dad talk business with them, I could see he was really in his element.

My mother pulled me away from their conversation to bring me into the one she was having with my aunts and grandparents. They all wanted to hear more about what I was doing at the firm and see my engagement ring up close.

I was wearing Eric's family ring for the event, per his request. I still had the ring Ryan gave me, securely stored away in a jewelry box at my apartment.

My phone started ringing in my clutch. I pulled it out and saw that it was Ryan. He must have known I was just thinking about him. I excused myself from my family and answered the phone as I walked outside to stand in the beautiful and warm morning sunlight.

"Hey! I can't talk long. What's up?" I asked.

"I've got some good news."

I sighed. "Whatever you're about to say, please don't start it off by giving me a long dramatic pause like your father and Adam do."

He chuckled lightly. "I didn't intend to. But since you cut me off, maybe I should."

I laughed. "Don't you dare!"

"Okay, okay. Well, I talked to a judge I know, and he pulled some strings for us. He got our license approved. Which means-"

"We're getting married?" I finished his thought, feeling too excited to let him say it. Realizing what I said, I looked around to make sure none of the guests had walked out yet. Though I figured if they heard me say that, they would probably think I was referring to Eric and me.

"Now, we just need to figure out how."

Just then, the restaurant doors swung open, and several clusters of guests, including my grandparents, were heading out to explore the city for the day. I knew I couldn't stay on the call with Ryan much longer. "I'm staying at the hotel with my parents tonight. Meet me there later, and we can figure it out then. I'll text you where we're staying."

"Okay. I can't believe you're about to make me the happiest man alive, Ms. Ashcroft."

I blushed and whispered a quick, "I love you" before disconnecting the call.

My grandmother Victoria, my father's mother, rolled her walker towards me. I met her halfway and hugged her frail body lightly. "Granny V! I am so happy you are here. I hope the flight over wasn't too terrible."

Out of all my grandparents, she was probably my favorite, and not just because I was named after her. Her smile was always so infectious, and I swore she was hiding the secret to the universe behind it. For a woman in her mid-eighties, aside from walking issues, she was quick as a whip. I hoped to be even a sliver like her when I reached old age.

"The plane was packed, but I enjoyed seeing the city as we landed." She replied. "Thank you for the lovely breakfast, deary. I haven't had toast that good in years! How do they do it?" She gave an airy laugh.

I laughed too. But I was laughing more at the fact that it was the simplest things that pleased her. I shook my head. "I don't know, Gran. I'll be sure to ask them for you."

"Oh, no need to fuss about anything for me." She patted my shoulder lightly. "Now you get back in there and enjoy yourself. And enjoy this weekend. It'll fly by, and before you know it, it'll all be over, and you won't remember a thing that happened."

I smiled sweetly and said goodbye to her and my other grandparents as they climbed into a cab to take them to the Empire State Building.

Thinking about what she said, I hurried back inside to find Sasha, knowing I'd need her help to make sure this weekend would not only be remembered, but remembered for the right reasons!