Page 33 of Falling for my Family's Rival

I lead her to the small paved area near the table, where I planned to dance to our song. I fumble with the bluetooth connection on my phone for a minute, before getting it to work. We start to sway in time to the music, Marissa snuggling into my arms. This dance feels like the prelude to everything that I want to happen in my life. I savor the moment, because what comes next will surely change both of our lives. For better or worse.

When the song ends, I lean in to kiss Marissa gently on the lips. When we break apart, I know that this is it. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I take a deep breath, step backward, and get down on one knee. Immediately Marissa draws in a sharp breath.

“Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh,” she murmurs.

I take this as a good sign and look up at her. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the ring box. I take her hand, and say, “Marissa, I know that we haven’t been dating all that long, and that from the outside it must seem crazy how fast our relationship has moved. But I know that I have never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I love you, and I don’t want to go on living without you next to me every day. I want to go to bed beside you each night and wake up next to you each morning. Marissa, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and be my wife?”

Tears spill down Marissa’s cheeks, she’s nodding, but she can’t seem to get the words out. Finally she gasps, “Yes, oh my gosh, yes!”

I slide the ring onto her finger, and stand up. I pull her in for another kiss. This one deeper and more passionate than the last. I wipe the tears off her cheeks, and she starts laughing. “This is crazy,” she says. “I had hoped this was coming, but I had no idea this would be tonight. Oh my gosh!”

I kiss her again. “I’m thrilled,” I say. “I’ve been wanting to ask you for weeks. I bought the ring almost right after we met.”

“You did not,” she says, her eyes light up with delight.

“I did,” I say. “I couldn’t help myself. I told myself that if it didn’t work out, that I could always return the ring. But I didn’t think that I would have to.”

“You didn’t have to worry about that,” Marissa says. “I would have said yes to marrying you after our first date, when you cooked for me and told me all about your grandma.”

“I was so nervous that night,” I admit. “I never share that side of myself with anyone, probably because my family doesn’t like that I even continue those traditions. Not that I would tell them any of it anyway.”

A pensive look crosses Marissa’s face. “We’re not going to be able to tell our parents,” she says sadly.

I know she’s right, but I don’t want her to focus on that, so I smile and say, “Let’s not worry about that right now. When the time is right, we will tell them. Everything will work out the way that it’s supposed to.”

Taking her hand, I draw her back to the table, where two glasses of champagne are waiting. I hadn’t noticed them before, and I wonder if they were there, or if Violet managed to sneak them in while we were dancing. This whole setup wouldn’t have been possible without her. I don’t know how I will ever thank her properly.

Handing Marissa one of the glasses, I take the other and raise it. “A toast - to us,” I say.

“To us,” Marissa says, beaming ear to ear.

We clink glasses, and drink. The bubbles tickle my throat. We sit down again at the table. There is a knock at the greenhouse door, and a man dressed as a waiter enters with two plates of food, which he sets in front of us. Violet has provided us with a steak dinner fit for royalty.

As we eat, we start to discuss wedding plans. We both agree that we want to keep things simple, since our parents are going to have such a hard time with this union. Marissa sighs, and sets her fork down.

“I don’t know how you’ll feel about this idea,” she says. “But what if we elope?”

“Elope?” I repeat.

Marissa nods. “I don’t want to wait. I want to start our life together as soon as we can. And honestly, if we wait until our families come around, we might never get married. So, yes, I say that we elope.”

“I don’t hate the idea,” I say. “And we could throw a big reception when everyone is on board. That could be a fun way to celebrate!”

With our plans set, we finish our dinner in peace. There is nothing hanging over our heads at the moment. It feels like we have made our first big decision about how our lives together are going to be. I think that we’ve crossed a major hurdle. I know that Marissa feels a little sad about not being able to tell our parents. She might even want the big wedding, but I am going to trust that this idea of eloping is truly one that she wants to go with.

As we are leaving, Violet peeps around the corner of the library. Marissa catches sight of her friend, and beckons her over. “Look,” Marissa says, holding out her left hand.

Violet squeals. “I’m so happy for you!” she exclaims. “For both of you.”

“Thank you, again,” I say. “I honestly don’t know how to thank you and Robert.”

“Robert and I were happy to help,” Violet says. “We feel like we already know you, Luca. And now that we actually do, we hope there will be many more celebrations like this that we can have the privilege of hosting!” Violet winks at me as she says this.

Marissa hugs her friend again, and we leave the house. As we head to our respective cars, I realize that this is one of the last times we’ll be here as an unmarried couple. The next time Violet and Robert invite us over, we’ll probably already be married. The thought takes my breath away.

“I wish you could come home with me,” Marissa says. “But soon, we’ll be together all the time.”

“I can’t wait,” I say, pulling her in for one last goodnight kiss.

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