I was so excited! I could hardly wait until Ryan proposed to me tonight. Of course it was supposed to be a surprise, but my girlfriends had dropped hints for weeks and Ryan randomly taking me out to one if the nicest restaurants in the city right along the river made it obvious.
Ryan arrived right on time as he always did. He looked very handsome wearing his stylish navy blue suit and tie. His red hair was neatly combed back, his beard was trimmed, and he put on the cologne I had bought him for Valentine's Day. I smiled as he opened the car door for me and I felt myself blush as his sparkling blue eyes met mine.
We walked down the tree lined entry way and entered the restaurant to the sound of live jazz in the background. As we walked towards our table, I noticed that many people were looking at us. In my heart I wanted to believe they thought we were the most beautiful couple, but I knew they were probably looking at us because we were an interracial couple. Sure, tons of Asian women date white guys, but even in 2023 we still sometimes drew stares, though mostly from older white folks. But that was exactly the crowd at this restaurant. I didn't mind though. I loved being with Ryan and I was proud to call myself his girlfriend.
We sat at a round table on the outside patio. It was a warm summer evening and the sun was just about to set. The view was spectacular. The restaurant was built on a pier extending into the river and the skyline was all around us. There was a calming wind that occasionally blew my skirt up, showing off my tanned toned legs.
That was intentional of course. I had made sure to wear my cutest dress, which just so happened to be shorter than usual and just a bit tighter around my waist. My long black hair flowed naturally over my shoulders and onto my chest. I wore a clip in my hair with a flower on it that matched the pink shade of my dress and I wore no makeup except mascara that augmented the angle of my eyes and lip gloss that plumped up my lips just a touch. I knew Ryan liked the natural look on me so I flaunted that as much as I could.
"I want you to know something," Ryan began. "I have never been more in love with someone than I am with you."
I couldn't help but smile hearing those words. I leaned over and kissed him passionately, hoping that no one would think I was too forward. I broke our kiss and stared lovingly at my the man I knew would be my future husband. His hands rubbed my thighs and he gently caressed my bare calves as we talked about our past week.
Eventually we ordered wine and starters...and then our main course. We had made it all the way to dessert and Ryan still hadn't popped the question. I started to worry that I had been wrong about tonight.
Ryan paid for the check and I took his hand as we walked along the park along the shore, the lights of the city shining across the river. The breeze was pleasant and I could smell the fresh air. The sky was orange and red, the sun having just set below the horizon. We held hands walking along the river path and stumbled upon an opening in the treeline that had a spectacular view of the skyline. We sat down on a bench and took it all in.
"I've got a special treat for you tonight," Ryan whispered to me as he stood and helped me stand up. I looked confused as he led me towards the edge of the pier where we had a great view of the city.
"Grace, I wanted this to be special, so I recruited my coworker to help out." Ryan waved over to someone by the trees and I saw a tall black man approach. As he neared I realized it was Jacob, one of Ryan's buddies at work. I had noticed him before...anyone would given his looks. He was incredibly handsome, about 6'5, with a muscular build, a well-trimmed beard, and dark curly hair. He was dressed in a nice suit with a black shirt and tie and he had a charming smile.
As he stood next to us, Ryan got down on one knee.
