Brandon slowly reached into his jacket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Emma's eyes widened as she stared at it.
"Starlit…"
He smiled softly. "Before you start guessing, this isn't what you think."
She glanced at the box, then back at him. "Then what is it?"
Brandon remained on one knee beneath the willow tree, holding the small velvet box between his fingers as he looked up at her.
"I know we've already made our promises to each other."
Emma's eyes filled with tears.
"We have."
"And I'm not trying to replace those vows." He opened the box, revealing a simple platinum band with a small diamond that caught the light filtering through the willow branches. "Those promises brought us here. We've lived through them, broken some of them, fought to keep others, and learned what they really mean."
Emma slowly lifted a hand to her mouth, her eyes fixed on the ring.
