Page 134 of First Bride to Fall
“Nell?”
“Yeah?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Okay.” She glanced back at the sun, which had risen farther and now appeared to be halfway out of the sea. With the shimmering autumn leaves and rocky mountain slopes between them, the sight was knock-your-socks-off spectacular. Then she turned toward Grant, and an even more gorgeous sunrise was written in his eyes.
He gazed at her with wonder, hope, and adoration.
“I want you to know I ran this by your parents first. Charlotte and Misty, too. Oh. And Lucas. And Mei-Lin.”
Nell’s pulse stuttered, and then she saw what he had in his hand. It was a ring box. He opened it, exposing the most amazingly beautiful solitaire. Its diamond sparkled in the waxing sunlight.
Shock and joy shot through her.
“I never knew I could fall for a woman as hard as I have for you.” He smiled softly. “But I did, and I never want to lose this feeling. I want us together forever, Nell, and not just as boyfriend and girlfriend, but as a whole lot more. So we can love each other, support each other, find rainbows together, and beat the daylights out of each other in Scrabble—”
Nell gasped, her hands covering her mouth and her heart brimming over.
“Nature girl,” he said. “Will you be my bride?”
She grinned so big her cheeks hurt. “You know I will.”
He chuckled with relief and desire. “Good.” He placed the gorgeous ring on her finger, and it fit just right, thanks to tips, she supposed, he’d gotten from her sisters.
“So this is it, huh?” she asked giddily, wrapping her arms around his neck. “We’re engaged? For real?”
“This is it.” His warm voice rumbled. “For the rest of our days.” He studied her adoringly. “There’s just one little thing.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“In order to make things official, we might need to announce this in theSeaside Daily.”
Nell chuckled, her spirit so light. “I’ll get that done.” She pulled him closer, preparing to give him the biggest, baddest kiss any domestic goddess could deliver. “This is the best outdoor adventureever.”
“Yeah.” His eyes danced. “I’d say so, too.”
They stole another peek at the ocean, where the sun had risen fully above the choppy white-tipped waves. Its glow filled the grenadine sky, and seagulls soared across the horizon.
Nell’s whole heart became flooded with sunshine. She sighed. “I love you, Grant,” she said, staring into his eyes.
His dark gaze glimmered. “I love you, too.”
Then he kissed her on that mountaintop and swept her away.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Nell brought Grant some hot tea as he sat at the piano holding three-year-old Lanie on his lap. He guided her chubby little fingers in the best rendition of “Chopsticks” Nell had ever heard. Grant grinned over his shoulder. “I think she’s going to be our next maestro.”
Nell set his tea mug on a coaster. “Great idea about bringing this piano to the cabin.”
“Yeah.” He laughed. “That way the neighbors won’t complain.”
“Ha-ha,” she teased. “The neighbors are nothing but a bunch of old cranberries.”
Nell hadn’t known that Grant could play until he’d sat down at the piano in her cottage. He’d stunned her with a jaunty arrangement of the “Wedding March” the evening after he’d proposed. She’d asked him what else he could play, and she’d been amazed to learn almost everything. He was gifted enough to play by ear, a skill he’d apparently inherited from his mom.
