A productive October day was interrupted by incredible weather. Knowing Brooke would get the itch to be outside, James rushed up to see her father and ask for her hand in marriage while she was out being productive.
Like clockwork, Brooke called James to arrange a lakeside hike later that day.
James had spent his first season as a Grangeville Air Center smokejumper (GAC rulz!) concocting his plan for a proposal. James' mother sent him her first wedding ring so he could propose as soon as he got home.
After some awkward planning and odd conversation, they agreed to hike near Mount Rose which overlooked Lake Tahoe and the places they fell in love.
James was laughing too hard at Brooke's predictably bad jokes, seemed unusually inflexible in planning and was acting generally suspicious. Brooke was certain it was the effect of too many months in the woods with fellow firemen and brushed off the strange behavior.
Landing at an outcropping of boulders just in time for sunset, Brooke settled in while James continued to pace, wander and expel nervous energy on the ridge.
Using Smokey as a ploy, James knelt down in front of her and talked to the dog. A seemingly uncomfortable way to kneel on granite, Brooke was confused by James' behavior and eager for him to sit beside her. As he struggled to wrangle the unusually large ring box from his characteristically tight Carhart pockets, Brooke's confusion quickly turned to excitement.
"What do you think Smokey, do you think Mom will marry me?" He quickly realized what he'd gotten himself into as Brooke laughed, cried, laughed, said "YES!" But there was no turning back,
Together, they paved their own trail back to the car to eat dinner in Truckee across from the parking lot in which they had their first kiss. Unconventional and off the beaten path, filled with adventure, love, laughter, and the dorkiest kind of romance, their proposal was everything they could have hoped it would be.