I slipped it on, and it fit, the heart-shaped emerald complimenting me perfectly.
"I can't get on my knee, unfortunately..."
"It doesn't matter," I brushed off easily, looking away from the ring to give him a soft smile.
He smiled back, and it lit up his face, making him appear twice as handsome under the fire's glow.
"Will you marry me, Miss Hart?"
"I will," I responded with a soft laugh at the absurd situation.
We spent the evening getting to know each other.
Sebastian was a reserved man, but I could tell from the way he spoke that there was warmth under the tough shield he kept up to protect his heart from the world's harsh judgment.
It was all going so well until he mentioned wanting children, and the once-burning whiskey in my belly turned cold.
Thankfully, he did not notice my silence about the topic, and we moved on to other things. Though that glimmer of hope in his eyes caused guilt to haunt me for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I left Sebastian's home to get the rest of my things.
The house loomed ahead, and Mattew and I shared a look when we saw the black smoke rising from the front yard.
I was out of the car the second he parked, my feet leading me past the gates.