Page 74 of Hiding Rose
“He’s working. I won’t even see him until late,” I said as she herded me toward the door, my purse over her shoulder.
“Late smate. Once you see him you’ll be glad you have a new dress.”
We climbed on the elevator and she kept chattering a mile a minute. I was thrilled they were back in my life, but what the heck had Dad fed her? She was talking nonstop and gesturing around wildly. The last thing I wanted to do was go shopping. I kept my eye on her as she threw her arms around, laughed, and hugged me happily. Whatever had her so excited wasn’t clear, but for the first time in too long, she was animated. After the accident, she couldn’t muster excitement about anything, so even though I didn’t want to go shopping, you can bet that’s exactly what we were going to do.
When Mom and I strolled back through the door of Kupid’s Arrow, laughing like school girls, it was nearly four. We’d shopped, had our nails done, were talked into a mini makeover, and even got a trim and a style at the mall. For the first time in a long time I was myself again, not a scared, trembling shell of the person I used to be. Mom talked me into buying three new dresses; two I could wear for work. The other dress was way too formal for even a Valentine’s Day date, but since Kupid’s Arrow is always holding special events, I decided it wasn’t a bad idea to have something perfect for those occasions. Besides, it looked and felt amazing, and I wasn’t going home without it.
Halfway through the afternoon I got a text from Sawyer asking me to meet him for dinner on the beach at six. I found it odd, since he was supposed to be working, but I decided I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and agreed to be there. My mom and dad planned to spend a quiet evening in their room together, catching up on sleep after all their secretive planning since December. It turns out when Dad said he was ‘thinking’ about retiring, he already had. He and Mom wanted to come to Maui and surprise me, and they certainly did. I couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning when Sawyer and I could meet them for a late breakfast.
I had the formal dress on, the silver sequins shimmering in the light of the bedroom as I turned one way and then the other. The pylons of the brace couldn’t be hidden, but the dress flowed from the waist down to my ankles, covering most of it. I bought a pair of ballet shoes today to match the dress, since I have to wear shoes with the brace, and tennis shoes aren’t exactly formal. I fluffed my hair and freshened up my lipstick before I smiled at myself in the mirror. It was time to go spend my first Valentine’s Day with my love, in our favorite place, Kupid’s Cove.
As I crutched to the elevator my mind wandered to the first time I met him, his hair spiked from his hat, his coat pristine, and his eyes concerned. We shared many more meals and much more laughter over the months I’ve been here. This would be the first meal of the rest of our lives. I even hoped he didn’t have to cook it, but chances weren’t high. He’d been gone from my apartment for barely six hours and I already missed his warmth and tender touches. I couldn’t wait to tell him about my parents moving here. I’m praying he and my dad hit it off because they could both use a win when it comes to family. My dad always wanted a boy, but I was all they could ever have. Sawyer has been without a father for a lot of years, and I could sense there were plenty of times he missed a father figure in his life. I stepped off the elevator and noticed Tim, the doorman, holding it open while my mom and dad stood waiting, my dad with a red rose in his hand. He waited for me and when I reached them, he took my crutches and gave them to Tim, then settled the rose in my hand. They each took an arm and I glanced between them.
"Mom? Dad? What's going on? I have to meet Sawyer for dinner."
Dad patted my hand. "We know, he asked us to escort you." He laid a kiss on my cheek. “You’re gorgeous. You’re going to steal his breath away.”
We strolled down the green carpet to the sand where another red rose lay. Dad stooped and picked it up, handing it to me before directing me to the right to a part of the beach unused by the guests. "Are you having dinner with us?" I asked, still confused.
"No, dear," Mom hushed. "Sawyer asked us to help you to the beach while he's finishing dinner. He knows you have a hard time in the sand."
It all made sense and I relaxed a little bit into their arms. "I'm still in shock you're here," I sighed. "I've missed you more than I thought possible."
Dad stopped to pick up another rose and handed it to me, which I took. "We missed you too, baby girl. It's why we're here. We're tired of missing out on your life."
Another rose lay in the sand and this time I bent to pick it up. "What's with the roses?" I asked, peering through the darkness. I could make out shapes, but nothing else.
Mom giggled, something I've rarely heard since my childhood. "It's Valentine's Day, silly. Stop asking questions and enjoy the romance."
Right, it's Valentine's Day. Enjoy the romance, Rosie, I scolded myself.
Every ten feet another rose lay until a total of six were clenched in my hand. When we got close enough I could see a table for two on the beach, set with fine china and candles flickering in the light breeze. Music played and the moon shone upon the table in a perfect beam from the water.
"Wow," I whispered, Hawaii’s beauty breathtaking for a Midwesterner like me.
Movement caught my eye and Sawyer stepped from the shadows, dressed in a tux with a black bowtie. His hair was perfectly coiffed and his cuff links shimmered in the light. He held his hand out when we arrived and Dad laid my hand in his.
He kissed my cheek and patted Sawyers shoulder. "Take care of my girl, son."
"I will sir, and thank you for doing the same all these years."
Mom kissed my cheek too and her chin trembled. "It's been a long road to walk but we know she's in good hands now. Have a wonderful evening and we’ll see you tomorrow."
"Thanks, guys," I whispered as they linked arms and headed back down the beach toward the resort.
He brought my hand to his lips to kiss. “You take my breath away. This dress is sweet and sexy to the point I can’t take my eyes off you.”
He dragged me to him and rested his hand on my butt, his other holding my face for a kiss. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my beautiful Rose,” he whispered.
“Same to you, my handsome Veggie Bear,” I said, resting my head on his chest as he laughed.
“I’m never going to live the name down.”
I stared up at him, my eyes seeing nothing but his handsome face and his eyes sparkling like the ocean on a sunny afternoon. “I love the name. What I love more is how you got the name. You aren’t too manly to let a little girl call you Veggie Bear, which can’t be said for a lot of men.” I caressed his face. “One day, when the time is right, I know you’re going to make the best daddy.”
A smile spread across his face and he lifted the angel from my chest, squeezing it in his hand. It was a gesture he had come to do frequently, as if he was recognizing we had a child already and would never forget him. He kissed me again, his lips as warm as the Hawaiian breeze. “When I think about you holding our child for the first time, I see myself crumbling right to the floor. Children are gifts women give to men which we rarely deserve.”
I hugged him as he danced with me in the warm sand. “Guys have a little something to do with making babies, hon,” I said, teasing him a little.
