"Oh, my god, Harry! This is amazing!" Julie proclaimed staring out the window of their rental car as they drove up to the north side of Lake Tahoe. It was October 5, and the trees were already turning the most brilliant colors of orange and red that Julie had ever seen, and they had some pretty nice fall seasons where she came from.

Harry smiled as he glanced towards Julie. He could see her face light up as they drove up the road towards the resort. He had to admit even he wasn't expecting it to be quite this beautiful. "It's wonderful, right?"

"Yeah, the colors. It's insane." Julie turned and smiled at him. "Thank you. I feel so spoiled."

"Oh no, no, no. None of that now." Harry took Julie's hand and rubbed his thumb gently over the back of it as he saw the tears filling her eyes. "This isn't all for you. No need to get all emotional already." The hormones were real. The past couple of weeks, Julie's emotions had been intense. Especially the crying. He wasn't used to that. He had seen her cry a lot over the years they had been together but not like this, not this easily. Even commercials on tv made her cry.

Julie wiped the tears from her cheeks with her free hand and chuckled. "Are you ready to get rid of me yet? I have no idea why I'm crying half the time, and the other half it annoys me that I'm crying."

"Well, honestly, you being annoyed with crying I expect." Harry laughed. He took his hand from hers and rubbed it over her bump which was still relatively small, but seemed to have doubled in size the past couple of weeks. "It's this little one, messing with you. Unfortunately, you'll have to get used to it. The baby is part me, he or she will be driving you crazy for the rest of your life."

"Lord, help me." Julie sniffled and laughed as she looked back out of the window. "I'm so glad we could do this. I can't believe how different it looks now then when it was all covered in snow."

"I'm glad you're happy, love." Harry turned onto the road leading up to the main cabin. He needed to pick up the keys and make sure everything was sorted. He pulled up and parked. "Why don't you wait here? Give me a couple of minutes, and I'll get the keys."

"You sure you don't want me to go in with you?" Julie asked looking over at him.

"No, relax baby, it will just take a few moments." Harry leaned over and gave her a kiss. "We will be to our cabin shortly." He kissed her again and then got out of the car jogging up to the door of the main cabin. He glanced back and smiled at Julie before shaking the owner's hand and stepping inside. He wanted to make sure that everything was set perfectly. Tahoe was a memorable place for them, but he wanted this trip to be the most memorable yet. After about five minutes, Harry got back into the drivers seat. "All set, love. You ready?"

"Sure, Harry." Julie smiled and laughed a little. "I mean, we've done this before. Over the hill, around the corner, up another hill."

Harry chuckled. "Hey, I'm excited. I love this place. I love you. And I love our baby. It's a perfect trifecta right now."

"Ok, love. Have you been drinking?" Julie asked still laughing at his excitement.

"Drunk on love, baby, just drunk on love." Harry laughed as he pulled into the driveway of the cabin.

"Of course." Julie shook her head and smiled a small smile as she unbuckled her seat belt. She waited patiently as Harry came around and opened the door for her. She had gotten so used to this form of his chivalry. She very rarely attempted to get out of the car on her own when they went out together. If it was normal errands or everyday things, she did; but if they went on a date, or to a function, or a party, or special places like this, she knew he liked to do it for her. She slid her hand into his and let him help her up out of the car.

"I'll get the bags. Why don't you go in and grab yourself a snack before your cute little belly starts to bother you?" Harry lifted Julie's knuckles to his lips and kissed them gently before he leaned in and kissed her lips. If she ate little bits, often, in between meals, it seemed to keep her stomach settled most of the day. She still had trouble when she first woke from a long sleep but that was about it.

"Ok, do you want anything?" Julie asked taking the keys to the cabin from him.

"Whatever you have is fine." Harry went to the trunk and took their bags out.

"Got it. The most sugary, fattening food I can find." Julie laughed as she unlocked the door.

Harry shook his head. He wouldn't have expected anything else to come out of her mouth. He grabbed their bags and took them inside and to their room. Niall and Amanda would be here soon. This was almost like their second home. After he dropped their bags off, he came back to the kitchen. Harry sat down at the counter and smiled at the bowl of fruit sitting on the counter. "The most sugary and fattening food you could find, huh?" He asked as he threw a grape into his mouth.

"What can I say? I've spent way too much time with you." Julie said as she returned the rest of the fruit to the fridge.

"Sorry, love. This is one thing you cannot blame on me. You've stolen fruit from my plate almost from the moment we met." Harry smirked as he took another grape. "It's good to know some things never change."

"You mean since literally everything else in our lives has changed?" Julie took some fruit and looked at Harry over the counter. "So, it's comforting to know I still like fruit a lot?"

"Not everything has changed. You're still a smart ass." Harry twisted back and forth on his stool as he sat back. "You still hate tomatoes, you still keep me on my toes more than any other person on the planet, and I'm still the optimist to your pessimist. Need I go on?"

"No." Julie stated matter-of-factly. She took the bowl of fruit and went and sat on the couch with it.

Harry chuckled. "See, we are still the same in so many ways." He got up and went and sat by her cuddling close. "After our snack, you think you'd be up for a walk? Thought maybe we could go walk up the hill I found you at the first time we were here. The one where we could over look the resort?"

"I guess so. We aren't going to wait for Niall and Panda to get here?" Julie leaned her head on Harry's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Nah. They know their way. Plus, it's going to be a bit before they get here." Harry took his other hand and rubbed over Julie's stomach. "How's baby doing in there?"

Julie shrugged. "You know as much as I do. Still can't feel anything. What you see is basically what I see and feel, except when I'm sick. If you'd like I could punch you in the stomach every morning when you wake up. Just so you could suffer along with me."

"Very nice of you to offer, love. But, I think I'm good." Harry chuckled and settled back while Julie finished her bowl of fruit. He took the bowl to the sink and came back and helped her up off the couch. "Ok, let me get your jacket from the room, and then we will head out."

Julie stood at the window looking out at the many colors of fall while she waited for Harry. She stood there for quite some time before she heard him behind her. "Did I hide my jacket too hard for you?"

"No, sorry, I had to take a call." Harry held Julie's jacket open for her and helped her put it on.

"Everything ok?" Julie asked zipping the jacket in front of her.

"Yeah, everything is perfect." Harry smiled at her and opened the door. He waited for her to walk out before closing it behind him. He took her hand as they made their way towards the hill.

Harry looked down at Julie as he walked beside her. "I can't decide."

"You can't decide what?" Julie looked up to Harry when he spoke to her.

"If I like the view better in winter or in the fall. The colors are brilliant, but there was something about everything covered in the pure white snow, too." Harry explained looking around as they walked.

"Yeah, I don't think it really would matter what season we came. This place is just one of those that is beautiful, no matter what. I know I'd never complain about the view." Julie took her free hand and held onto his arm that was holding her hand. "Especially if I get to keep coming back with you."

"Well, you better not be coming back with anyone else. We may have serious problems if you do that." Harry smiled down at her.

"Well, you never know. I might have to have a tour boyfriend or two. You know, when you're off touring the world, and I'm stuck at home with the baby." Julie joked.

"Yeah, not even gonna talk about it." Harry shook his head as they made their way to the top of the hill. He stood behind her wrapping his arms around his waist. "Still as beautiful I as remember."

"Yeah. It's perfect." Julie looked out over the little resort town as she called it and then back at Harry, who of course was looking at her instead of the view before him. "You used that line on me way back then, too."

"It wasn't a line. It still isn't." Harry turned Julie towards him and rested his forearms on her hips. "You're the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. My opinion on that will never change."

Julie smiled and reached up and clasped her hands behind Harry's neck. "Well, I love you, and your unpopular opinions." She kissed his lips when he leaned forward. After the kiss she lowered her hands and rested her ear to his chest. Her favorite spot to be. Her favorite calming sound beating beneath her ear. "Is everything ok? Your heartbeat seems a little fast. Are you really that out of shape?"

Harry chuckled. "Maybe. I've been mostly sidelined in many ways lately." He took a deep breath to try and slow his heartbeat down. He was joking, but also trying to cover. There was another reason his heart was racing. He glanced to his right, took a deep breath, nodded and then stepped back so he could look down at Julie's face.

Julie looked up into Harry's eyes when he stepped back from her. She tilted her head a little when he just smiled at her. "Hi. Do I have something in my teeth or something?" Julie reached up and touched her mouth.

Harry shook his head and took Julie's hand. "No, no, sorry, of course not." He rubbed his thumb over Julie's knuckles. He looked at their hands together as he spoke. "You know I love you, right? More than anything. I've loved you almost from the moment we met. Together or apart, I've always been in love with you. I loved you just as much before we found out about the baby as I do now, you know that, right?"

"Of course, Harry. You never fail to tell me. Show me. Even I can't deny it, no matter how hard I've tried." Julie placed the fingers of her free hand under Harry's chin so he'd look at her. "And I love you. You aren't doubting that, are you?"

"No. No, of course not." Harry licked over his lips, looked at the ground and then back up into Julie's eyes.

"Ok, I'm starting to freak out here. You're making me extremely nervous. Are we ok? Is this some weird way of you saying that you'll always love me, but we shouldn't be together?" Julie stepped back from Harry. "What is this?"

"No! No! That's not...." Harry took a step closer to Julie. Well shit! He thought. This was not going as planned at all. He reached his hand into his pocket with one hand and grabbed one of hers with his other to stop her from stepping back again. "Marry me, Julie." He opened the ring box with one hand refusing to let go of hers in fear she would escape.

Julie stared at Harry mouth agape. What had he just asked her? She watched him open the ring box and then drop to one knee in front of her. Marry me? Is that what he asked? She shook her head. Then she closed her eyes and shook her head again thinking that when she opened her eyes this would all be a dream. But there he was still down on one knee in front of her, gripping her hand tightly and holding the most beautiful ring she had ever seen in her life. It was like she was frozen. In time, in space. She couldn't move; she couldn't speak.

Harry knew Julie would be shocked. There would be no way she would expect this. He didn't know quite what he'd get as a reaction initially. He was extremely nervous down on one knee as he was, waiting for her to process. But, he was mostly nervous she was going to think he was doing this out of obligation because of the baby. It had crossed his mind to wait. But, there would most likely be something else that would continue to push back this moment. She didn't know he'd had the ring prior to the baby. He'd had it for months. "Julie? Marry me."

Harry still hadn't felt Julie move or say anything so he gently rubbed over her knuckles with his thumb. "Baby, Marry me, now. Marry me here, in Tahoe, tonight."

"What?" Julie broke through her fog. Now he was just being ridiculous. "We can't just get married tonight."

Harry took the ring from the box and set the box on the ground. He took Julie's left hand and slid the perfectly made sapphire and diamond ring on her ring finger. "Say yes, baby, and we will be husband and wife before the night is over."

"That's not even, we couldn't, your family, my family, we don't have big families, we couldn't." Julie stammered. What the hell was even happening?

Harry smiled and nodded towards his right and Julie's left. It's what took him so long when he went to get Julie's coat from the bedroom. He had to make sure everything was in place, and there were a lot of pieces. He'd worked on this from the moment he'd initially thought about this trip. And if his stubborn beautiful girlfriend turned down his proposal, it would really suck. But they'd get to spend it with family, and a few close friends.

Julie followed Harry's nod and gasped. Slightly down the hill stood her mom and step-dad, her brother and sister-in-law, Harry's mom and Gemma, Niall and Panda, Jeff and Glenne, Mitch from Jamaica and Sarah who was part of Harry's touring band, they made such a cute couple, James and Jules Corden, and Ben and Meredith Winston. "How? How did you even?" Julie looked back at Harry who was still on his knee. "Will you get up off your knee please?"

"You haven't answered me yet." Harry advised. She hadn't said no, which he counted as a blessing. But she hadn't said yes, either.

"I don't know what to say. You brought everyone here. But today? Right now? How? I don't have anything. And I wouldn't even know how to start. And why would I even think about this? This is crazy!" Julie's eyes widened. "Harry, this is crazy. Do you remember how long it took to plan Niall and Panda's wedding?"

"Aren't you the one who has always said, 'we are not Niall and Amanda'?" Harry kissed Julie's hand which he still hadn't let go of since he'd slid the ring on. "Go with what you feel in the moment. Forget about plans. Know that I can have us legally married before the night is over. And let's say that absolutely nothing else matters. What would you say then?"

Julie looked down into Harry's eyes and then back at the perfect ring on her finger, another example of how much he truly paid attention to her likes, her tastes. "I'd say, yes."

"You'd say what?!" Harry asked looking up quickly gaping.

"I'd say yes. I say yes." Julie swiped at a tear from her eye.

Harry cleared his throat. He wanted to make this official. "Julie Ann Jackson, will you marry me, tonight, in front of all of these people staring at us, right now?"

Julie was trying to hold back her tears but sort of cried and laughed as Harry finished his proposal. And it was exactly why she loved him so much. "Yes. I will marry you. Tonight." And that's all she could say, because Harry was on his feet and had her in his arms spinning her around before she could say another word.

"Give me, give me, give me!" Amanda bounded excitedly up the hill quickly, before everyone else, with grabby hands towards Julie. Once Harry set Julie down and released her from his grip, Amanda wrapped her tightly in a hug. "I'm so excited! I can't wait!" She stepped back as Julie's family made it to her. When Harry called Niall and her a couple of weeks ago and told them his plan, she had thought him absolutely insane. It had taken Niall and her over a year to plan their wedding. But after working with him to pull this together, she realized how absolutely Harry and Julie this little plan was.

Julie took a deep breath and let it out slowly after she got congratulatory hugs and words from everyone. She still didn't understand how any of this was going to work. "How am I getting married tonight? Which is in like a few hours?"

"Magic!" Amanda stepped forward. She linked her arm with Julie's. "Come on, we have so many things to do."

Gemma came and linked her arm with Julie's other arm. "Oh, yes, but it's all simple, so please, don't worry. You know, I'm the first to give my baby brother a hard time, but he's done well. It's all set up in the cabin he got for mum and me."

Julie shook her head and looked back at her mom, Anne, her sister-in-law Katie, Glenne, Sarah, Jules, and Meredith who were all following close behind them. "I can't believe you all knew about this."

"Well, someone had to help him pull this off correctly in like two weeks." Glenne laughed.

"Yeah, but let's face it. Harry knew exactly what he wanted, and somehow managed to make it work." Jules smiled.

Julie turned around when she heard Harry call her name and saw him jogging up towards her. She put her hands on his chest when he stopped in front of her. "I can't believe you did this."

"I still kind of can't believe you've said yes." Harry smiled and kissed her. "Next time I see you, we'll be becoming husband and wife." He took his hand and cupped her cheek rubbing his thumb gently over her cheekbone. "I just wanted to remind you to breathe, and not to overthink things. Remember how you feel here...." Harry put his hand over her heart.

Julie covered Harry's hand with her own. She shrugged, how could she deny that in the next few hours she would second guess this decision? Especially the one to marry so quickly. "I know. I'll try not to freak out too much. But you brought lots of reinforcements, so, you'll probably be safe."

"I know what you'll think. Just know, this is a question I've wanted to ask for awhile." He took her hand which now held the engagement ring. "I've had this for a long time ." He kissed her knuckles. "And I'd still marry you today, baby or no baby. I just wanted to get that out there." He kissed her lips again. "I love you. Remember that above everything else."

"I love you, too." Julie sniffled. These damn hormones were going to make the day extra hard on her.

"Ok, ok." Gemma pushed Harry back from Julie. "Stop making her cry. We have a lot to do. There will be plenty of that later. She shook her head as Harry snuck in one last kiss. "Oh, thank god you're going to be a part of this family tonight. You'll balance out his annoying."

Julie gave Gemma a slight laugh as the women resumed their walk back towards the cabins. She wasn't sure what she'd just gotten herself into, but she knew above anything else, she loved the man she was about to marry. And that's what she needed to hold onto for the next few hours to get her through the numerous anxiety attacks and doubts she would most likely have. She was getting married, tonight. Oh lord, help her now.

Thank y'all, as always, for your patience.
I hope it didn't disappoint!
Let me know what you think! 😘