Adam and Helena clinked their glasses and saluted the incoming new year. They’d eschewed the heaving nightclubs and overpriced taxis and settled for a nice meal at their favourite restaurant and Jools Holland.
They’d got dressed up in their finery, though Adam wished he’d chosen something with a little give in the waist department. The burger and chips had been enough, but he could never resist the honeycomb cheesecake when he came here.
Which was weekly.
As the crooner in the cheap three-piece suit began to murder Sinatra, Adam paid the bill and they left. His hands were sweaty on the steering wheel and when he pulled into their parking space, the butterflies were beating their wings in a frenzy inside his stomach.
‘You okay?’ Helena asked.
‘All good. Just full,’ he nodded.
‘Tell me about it,’ she said, patting her stomach.
They got out, Adam making sure to walk ahead. He led her up the stairs to their flat and put the key in the lock, hoping Colin had been able to put their plan into action.
He turned the key, pushed the door open and heard Helena gasp behind him.
Colin, as ever, had come through.
Every surface of the living room, aside from the flammable ones, had been covered with tealights. Their little flames danced in the draught from the open door. Rose petals formed a sort of red carpet, that led Adam and Helena to a small table, where a bottle of champagne rested in a cooler and two flute glasses awaited. Imogen Heap’s Speeding Cars was playing gently on the wireless speaker Adam had got for Christmas.
‘What’s all this?’ Helena asked.
Adam sucked in a deep breath, trying to keep the emotion at bay. He faced her and took her hands in his. He managed to get through most of the speech he’d prepared, though his voice cracked near the end and instead of trying to finish it, he simply got down on one knee and took the ring out of his pocket.
Helena’s hand sprung to her mouth as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.
‘Helena Bryer, will you marry me?’ he asked.
He knew that he’d remember the small nod of her head and the tight embrace they’d shared after he’d slipped the ring on her finger for the rest of his life.