“I should have thought of it sooner,” she apologized. “Then maybe I could have written more original notes.”
When they reached the bench, Griffin shoved the post-its into his pocket and pulled her down across his lap. “These were fine, but there’s no rule that says you can’t do it more than once, is there?”
“No, I suppose not, but the next time it won’t be much of a surprise.”
“Are you kidding? With you, it’s bound to be.” He nuzzled her neck playfully and held her clasped in a fond embrace until the sunset had turned the whole sky a heavenly pink.
“I’m sorry you were worried,” he whispered. “After we learned how Astrid died, I was afraid you might decide I was more trouble than I’m worth. So rather than crowd you, I backed off to give you some time to think.”
Amazed he could be so damn clueless, Darcy blamed herself for not sharing the love overflowing her heart. She framed his face with her hands and kissed him sweetly, but she couldn’t help teasing him. “What? And miss having my work featured in the Architectural Digest? Or was that just something you made up, like Budapest?”
“Do you see what I mean? You’re the most unpredictable woman I’ve ever met, and it’s another thing I love about you.”
“Nice evasion, but I really don’t give a hoot about the Architectural Digest. I just care about you.”
“You’re the coyly evasive one, but
thank you, the feature story is real. I’ll show you the confirmation letter. Give me a couple of minutes to clean up, and we’ll go out to dinner.”
“No one else gets to see you looking this scruffy, and I like it. Let’s stay right here.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “You actually like this?”
She slid her hand under his sweatshirt and tickled his ribs. “I love you in a tux or nothing at all. I understand why you’d want to impress your public, but you don’t have to slick up for me when I’d love you in a clown suit.”
His smile grew wide. “All right, we’ll stay here. Would you call this a romantic spot?”
“A lovely Zen garden overlooking the sea? Yes, it’s wonderfully romantic.”
“Good, because I want you to remember this.” He moved her off his lap to the bench and got down on one knee. “Darcy MacLeod, I love you with all my heart and soul. I don’t want to spend another day without you. I’ve already cut way back on my concert schedule. I intend to write and record right here in Monarch Bay, so you needn’t worry I’ll be away from home more than I’m here. As for Defy the World Tomatoes, it’s a brilliant concept, and I hope you go nationwide.”
He paused to take a deep breath and then plunged ahead. “Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
His proposal was so completely unexpected, she was flabbergasted and just stared at him, unable to do more than gape witlessly.
“Would you like to think about it?”
He’d already made it plain they’d have a real home, and the last of her reservations dissolved in a flash of pure bliss, but she managed only a strangled gasp.
He took her hands in his and squeezed them lightly. “I didn’t mean to send you into a catatonic trance. Should I call the paramedics?”
Finally able to suck in a deep breath, she threw her arms around his neck. “All this time, I’ve been telling myself none of this is real. But you are for real, aren’t you?”
He fluffed her hair. “Just because I’ve a closet full of Grammys doesn’t mean I’m not as real as the next guy.”
Darcy pulled back slightly. “You’ve won Grammys for your classical recordings?”
He nodded. “Sure, lots of them, but they give them out before the televised awards, so you’ve never seen photos of me in People Magazine hugging whoever’s hot that year.
“Let’s go shopping for your ring in the morning. Then I want to take you home to Atlanta to meet my folks. Your parents could come from Texas, and we could be married there. Would that be all right with you?”
She raised her hand to beg for a minute. “Just let me catch my breath.” Looking back, it seemed as though she’d boarded a roller coaster that first day he’d walked into Defy the World Tomatoes. It had been an incredible ride, and she didn’t want it to ever end.
“I’m doing the flowers for a June wedding down the street,” she finally replied. “Then Christy Joy and Jeremy want to get married, but if you can give me a couple of months to pull everything together, I’ll marry you in Atlanta or Fresno or Katmandu, wherever you like.”
Griffin stood and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you. Now let’s go inside before we start celebrating, get too wild and roll right off the bluff.”
Darcy looked out toward the sea where the waves shimmered with the last of the light. “We’re going to have to put up a railing here so that when we turn the Zen garden into a sandbox it won’t be dangerous for the kids.”