A romantic dinner with my boyfriend, with my parents watching my son—what more could I want? Yet the perfect evening took a shocking turn when my boyfriend suddenly screamed, “He did it again!” and bolted outside.

“He did it again!” Blake’s voice echoed through the restaurant, stopping conversations and turning heads.

For a split second, I froze, my fork hovering in midair. What was happening? Why was Blake yelling? And why was he bolting out of his chair toward the back of the restaurant?

Let me rewind.

It was supposed to be the perfect night. Blake and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary, something I had been looking forward to all week.

My 4-year-old son, Liam, was with us, but my parents ever the lifesavers had come along to babysit. They sat a few feet away, giving Blake and me the space to enjoy our dinner while keeping an eye on Liam. Everything seemed ideal.

The restaurant was warm and cozy, lit by flickering candles on each table. The soft hum of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air.

I’d even worn my favorite red dress, the one Blake had once said made me “look like magic.” Blake, usually so composed, seemed distracted from the start. He kept shifting in his seat, twisting his napkin, and looking around like he expected something to jump out at him.

“You okay?” I asked, reaching across the table to touch his hand.

“Yeah,” he said quickly, giving me a tight smile. “Just… I’m good.”

His leg bounced under the table. I gave him a skeptical look but decided not to push. Maybe he was nervous about something, though I couldn’t imagine what.

The waiter came by to take our orders, and that’s when things got really weird.

“Hey, uh, do you guys have security cameras outside?” Blake asked.

The waiter blinked, confused. “Um, I’m not sure. I could ask—”

“No, it’s fine,” Blake said, waving him off. “Just curious.”

I frowned. “What’s that about?”

Blake shrugged. “Nothing. Just checking.”

Minutes later, Blake asked another odd question. “Is the outdoor area booked for something tonight? Like, an event or something?”

The waiter hesitated. “No, sir. It’s open seating. Why?”

“No reason.” Blake smiled tightly, but I noticed he hadn’t even touched his drink.

“Blake, seriously,” I whispered, leaning closer. “What’s going on with you?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just… keeping an eye out.”
“For what? A meteor?” I tried to lighten the mood, but he didn’t laugh. Instead, he kept glancing over at my parents’ table. My mom was laughing at something my dad had said. Liam sat between them, happily zooming his little toy car across the table.

Everything looked fine. Why was Blake so tense?

“Blake, talk to me,” I said, more firmly this time.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I can’t explain it. It’s just a feeling, okay? Like… something’s about to happen.”

I stared at him. “A feeling?”

“Yeah,” he said, meeting my eyes. “I know it sounds crazy.”

Before I could respond, my dad stood up and walked away, probably to take a call. Blake’s gaze followed him like a hawk tracking prey. His fingers tightened around his napkin, his leg bouncing harder under the table.

“Blake, stop,” I said softly. “You’re freaking me out.”

Then it happened.

Blake shot out of his seat so fast, he knocked his chair over. His eyes were wide, his voice urgent. “He did it again!”

“What—?” I started, but he was already running. My heart pounded as I turned toward the outdoor seating area, trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

That’s when I saw it. Liam’s toy car. Floating in the pool.

A terrible memory surged forward like a tidal wave.

It had been almost a year ago, not long after Blake and I started dating. We were at a friend’s barbecue, and Liam had been playing with a ball near their pool. I’d turned my back for just a second—one second—and heard the splash. Liam had thrown his ball in and jumped after it, not understanding how dangerous it was.

Panic had frozen me then, but not Blake.

He’d been the one to dive in, pulling Liam out before he went under. I could still remember the terror I’d felt and the relief when Blake handed him to me, dripping and safe. I’d even joked later that Blake was Liam’s hero.

Now it was happening again.

Liam. My baby. Arms flailing, his little face barely above the surface.

“No!” I screamed, shoving my chair back so hard it toppled over. My legs felt like jelly, but I stumbled toward the pool, my breath coming in short gasps.

Blake was already there. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t even kick off his shoes. In one fluid motion, he dove into the water.

“Please, please, please,” I whispered under my breath, watching in helpless terror as Blake reached Liam. He grabbed him under the arms, lifting him out of the water with a single strong motion. Liam coughed, sputtering, and let out a wail.

I rushed forward, arms outstretched, as Blake climbed out of the pool. Water dripped from his clothes, his face pale but determined.

“Take him,” he said, his voice steady despite his ragged breathing.

I scooped Liam into my arms, clutching him so tightly he squirmed. “Mama! Too tight!” he cried, but I couldn’t let go.

“It’s okay, baby,” I whispered, though my voice shook. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

Blake stood beside me, dripping wet, his chest heaving. His hands shook as he brushed Liam’s wet curls out of his eyes. “He’s fine,” he said, more to himself than to me. “He’s fine.”

My mom and dad came running, my mom’s face pale as a ghost. “Oh my God, what happened?!” she cried.

“He jumped in,” Blake said, his voice tight. “After his toy.”

My dad’s mouth opened and closed, his phone still clutched in his hand. “I… I only stepped away for a second—”

“Later,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. My arms were still wrapped around Liam, his little body warm and damp against mine. Tears blurred my vision as I looked at Blake. “You… you saved him.”

Blake gave a faint, shaky smile. “That’s my job.”

Just as my breathing started to steady, Blake did something that threw me completely. He turned and walked back to the pool. Then, to my utter confusion, he dove in again.

“What are you doing?!” I yelled, my heart leaping into my throat.

He didn’t answer. He disappeared beneath the surface, the water rippling around him. I stood frozen, clutching Liam as Blake emerged, gasping for air but empty-handed. He dove again, and again, while the small crowd that had gathered watched in silence.

The third time, he came up holding something shiny in his hand. He pushed his wet hair out of his face and climbed out of the pool, water streaming off him. His eyes locked on mine as he walked over, clutching whatever it was tightly between his fingers.

Then he dropped to one knee.

The world seemed to go silent. My mom gasped. My dad froze. Even Liam stopped squirming.

Blake opened his hand, revealing a small, sparkling ring. The diamond caught the light, twinkling like a star. His voice trembled as he spoke.

“Liam already thinks I’m his hero,” he said, looking up at me with those warm, steady eyes I’d fallen for a year ago. “But I want to be your hero too. Forever.”

My knees felt weak. The whole world seemed to tilt. “Blake…”

“I love you,” he said simply. “And I love Liam. You’re my family. Will you marry me?”

For a moment, all I could do was laugh. Not because it was funny, but because I was so overwhelmed I didn’t know what else to do. “Yes,” I finally managed, my voice shaking. “Yes!”

The restaurant erupted into cheers. My mom started crying. My dad clapped Blake on the back. Liam, oblivious to the drama, clapped along, grinning. “Yay!” he shouted. “Mama’s happy!”

Blake slipped the ring onto my finger, his hand still trembling. “You’re stuck with me now,” he said, his smile crooked but full of love.

“Good,” I said, my voice breaking. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Later, as we gathered our things to leave, my mom pulled me into a hug. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with guilt. “We should have been paying closer attention.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” I said, squeezing her tightly. “He’s fine. That’s what matters.”

My dad stepped forward, rubbing the back of his neck. “Blake… I owe you a drink. Or ten.”

Blake just laughed, clapping my dad on the shoulder. “We’re all good.”

As we walked to the car, Liam chattered away about his toy car, completely unaware of how close we’d come to disaster. I glanced down at the ring on my finger, its sparkle catching the glow of the streetlights.

Blake reached over, lacing his fingers with mine. “You okay?” he asked softly.

I nodded, my throat tightening. “Yeah. More than okay.”

As Blake drove us home, I couldn’t stop looking at him. My hero. Liam’s superhero. The man who had saved my son, twice now, and who had given me a new kind of forever.

The real treasure wasn’t on my finger. It was sitting in the driver’s seat.