CHAPTER TWELVE:
Zack had faced storms that threatened to tear his ship apart. He had stared down waves taller than cliffs, fought winds that howled like demons, and charted waters no sane sailor would cross. None of it had made him nervous.
But planning to ask Vanessa to marry him? That was a different kind of storm.
He wanted it to be right, not polished or perfect, because that wasn't who he was. But meaningful. Something that showed her she wasn't just the woman he loved in the moment, but the woman he wanted at his side through every tide and trial.
His first thought was the sea. It had always been his world, and now she was part of it. He imagined taking her out on the water, under the stars, just the two of them. But then he shook his head, Vanessa deserved more than clichés.
So he started small. He walked the markets, scanning rings at the jeweler's stalls. None felt right. Too gaudy. Too plain, too fragile for a woman who designed ships strong enough to outlast storms. Then, one afternoon, he found it: a simple band of gold set with a single sapphire, blue as the deep sea. Strong. Elegant. Like her.
He bought it on the spot, tucking it into his pocket as if it were a secret map only he knew how to read.
Meanwhile, Vanessa noticed the change in him. He was distracted, sometimes staring off in the middle of a conversation, his finger brushing his pocket like a nervous habit. She teased him once, "You look like a man plotting mischief," but he only grinned, kissed her, and said, "Maybe I am."
She didn't press, though her heart ached with curiosity. Something about him felt heavier now, as if he was carrying more than just the sea on his shoulders.
One evening, as they stood on the pier watching the sunset stain the water crimson and gold, Zack slipped his hand into hers. His grip was warm, steady, and his eyes searched hers with an intensity that made her breath catch temple. .
"Vanessa," he said softly. "One day soon, I'm going to ask you the most important question of my life."
Her pulse raced. She opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. All she could do was nod, her chest tight with anticipation.
Zack smiled faintly, leaning close to kiss her temple. "When the moment's right," he whispered.
And though she didn't know what he meant, her heart did.