Page 22 of Lumberjack DADDY
I grin. “Come and see.”
Taking her by the hand, I lead her outside and behind the house.
“Close your eyes,” I say.
She laughs. “What is it?”
“Close your eyes or you won’t get your surprise.”
“Well then, you won’t get to see the surprise I’ve got for you under this sundress.”
“Fine. Keep your eyes open.”
She laughs, and I lead her down the stone path I built, which leads from the house to her surprise. And as we come around the corner, she gasps in wonder. The sunlight spearing through the canopy casts the building in a spotlight. It couldn’t have been more perfect for the reveal.
“What is this?” she asks.
“This is your new studio,” I reply.
“My what?”
I take her hand and lead her inside. The sunlight streams in through the skylights as she wanders around the large, open space. The walls are practically all windows, giving her anunobstructed view of the woods that surround us, but I made sure to leave plenty of space for her to hang her favorite prints.
“This is your new studio,” I tell her. “With your business taking off, I thought you might need a space to work. So, I built this.”
She clamps her hands over her mouth. “You really built this? For me?”
I laugh. “I told you I could build anything.”
“Eli, this is amazing.”
“We’ll get all your things moved in here and get you set up. I wasn’t sure how you’d want it or I’d have done it already, but?—”
She cuts me off by throwing herself at me. I wrap my arms around her, and we laugh together as I pick her up and spin her around. I set her back down on her feet, and she cups my face in her hands, a light of warmth, love, and gratitude shining brightly in her eyes.
“This is the most wonderful, thoughtful, and amazing thing anybody has ever done for me.”
“You deserve it,” I say. “Plus, it’s handy because when you get on my nerves, I can just banish you to your studio.”
Her laughter rings in my ears like music, and she playfully smacks my chest. “Seriously, though,” she says. “Thank you for this. I’m… I’m speechless, really. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
My nerves flutter because this isn’t the only reason I brought her out here. There’s something else I have for her. What she’s going to think of it, though, I don’t know. And I’m nervous. Clearing my throat, I hold her gaze and smile.
“There’s something else,” I say.
“More?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
She cocks her head. “What is it?”
I pull the small box out of my pocket and lower myself to a knee. Her eyes grow wide, and she clamps her hands over her mouth again. The sunlight coming through the skylights glints off the diamond in the box and sparkles in the tears in her eyes.
“Emery Pierce,” I say. “I love you. Would you do me the honor?—”
“Yes! Yes!” she cries.
