Months had passed since Anna and Mark first met at that cozy Italian restaurant. Their lives had slowly interwoven—weekend routines, shared holidays, quiet nights, loud laughter, and the unspoken understanding that they had built something real. Something worth holding onto.
Mark had always remembered the lake. That rainy weekend stuck in his mind like a bookmark: peaceful, honest, effortless. When he started planning the proposal, he didn't hesitate. It had to be there.
With Claire's help and a fabricated story about needing a quick escape from the city, he convinced Anna to pack a weekend bag. She raised an eyebrow at him as they loaded the car.
"You and your spontaneous road trips," she said with a half-smile.
He gave a casual shrug, masking the nerves in his chest. "What can I say? Keeps you guessing."
They arrived to find the lake touched by autumn—burnt orange leaves floating on the surface, the air brisk and clean. Mark had rented a small cabin similar to the one they stayed in years ago, carefully recreating the memory without making it obvious.
That evening, as the sun dipped low and the trees cast long shadows across the water, Mark led her down to the lakefront. A blanket was spread across the dock, lit by the soft glow of candles in mason jars. Her favorite snacks were laid out, a thermos of hot cider steaming beside them.
Anna looked around, eyebrows raised. "This is… romantic. Almost suspiciously so."
Mark smiled nervously. "I just wanted to make today special. You deserve that."
They sat for a while, talking softly, sipping cider as the sky turned a dusky rose. Mark's fingers tapped lightly on his knee, hidden in his jacket pocket was the small box he'd been carrying for weeks.
Then, slowly, he stood.
Anna's smile faded into confusion as he dropped to one knee.
He pulled out the ring. His voice trembled, but his words were steady.
"Anna… from the moment I met you, everything changed. You made my world brighter, and messier, and better. I've loved you in the quiet, in the chaos, and in every little moment in between. I don't want to imagine a future that doesn't include you. Will you marry me?"
Silence.
The wind stirred the surface of the lake.
Anna's eyes widened—emotion surged across her face, but she didn't speak.
And then—