“That was sweet. Kind of a movie moment,” she said.
“I hope so. I’ve got another one coming up. Let’s get out of the cold,” he said, motioning toward the covered outside area. “I have something for you, but I don’t want it to drop overboard.” He led her to a seat, then put an arm around her, snuggling her close. “It’s kind of cold here, but I want privacy.”
Ooh, that promised something good.
Instead of kissing her, he kept talking. “I know we’ve both struck out with relationships and maybe my timing’s all wrong, maybe it hasn’t been long enough, but I realized a while back that I didn’t want to lose you.” He fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a ring box and she let out a little gasp. “I guess you know what’s coming next. Arianna, I can’t imagine life without you. I am crazy in love with you and every day I love you more. I want to be a permanent part of your family.” He opened it and a solitaire diamond winked at her. “I guessed at the size. I hope you like it. Most of all, I hope you’ll say yes. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to celebrate Christmas together all year long for the rest of our lives.”
All those emotions she never thought she’d feel again—joy, excitement, hope—were dancing in her chest, moving up into her throat, making it hard to speak. She bit her lip.
“Crap, I’m blowing this.”
“No, you’re not. Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe something so good is happening to me. Someone so good.”
“So is that a yes?”
“Yes!” To prove she meant it, she grabbed his face and kissed him for all she was worth.
“Wow,” he said after a very long kiss. “I thought I knew what love was, but I didn’t have a clue till I met you. Arianna White, you are the best thing that ever moved in next door to me.”
“I bet you weren’t so sure at first,” she teased.
“Well, once I figured out you weren’t lethal,” he teased back. “Although you are a killer kisser.”
A killer kisser. Wyatt had never said anything like that to her.
“I like that,” she said.
“Give me another. Let me die and go to heaven.”
Of course, she obliged. Many times. The round-trip ferry ride from Bremerton to Seattle and back took two hours. It felt like two minutes.
“Are you okay to wait and put your ring on after I give your mom a present tomorrow?” he asked. “I have something for her, too. In fact, I was going to give you both your presents at the same time but decided that was lame.”
“There’s been nothing lame about you,” she said, and they strolled off the ferry and back to his truck, hand in hand.
“Did you have a nice time?” Mia asked when she came in.
“I did. It was perfect,” Arianna said.
“Good,” said Molly with a nod.
“I made more Granny squares,” Sophie announced, holding up three for Arianna to see.
“Very nice,” she said. Every one of those squares would be precious to Sophie because of who had helped her make them.
The blanket Mia had been working on was almost done and equally special. It would be a family heirloom.
Her mother was making such thoughtful gifts. Arianna wished she’d been more creative with hers. Perfume, even though it was Calvin Klein’s Eternity, Mia’s favorite fragrance, didn’t seem like much. The very name seemed a mockery. How much of that would Mia even use? But then what could Arianna get her that she’d be around to use?
Sadness suddenly floated a black cloud over her earlier happy mood and she gnawed off the nail on her pinky finger.
“Where did you go to eat?” Sunny asked.
“Anthony’s. He splurged. The whole nine yards—appetizers, dessert, champagne.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” said Mia. “Promise me you’ll continue to celebrate.”
After she was gone. Mia didn’t say the words in front of Sophie but they both knew what she meant.
