Page 23 of One Golden Ring
I don’t say anything, but Darcy’s head lifts in our direction anyway. Sometimes I think she has a sixth sense that’s attuned just to me.
Her eyes light up when she sees I’m with my grandpa. I guess I’m not the only one happy that he’s feeling up to a little walk around already.
She says something to Maddie and the kids and then gets up and heads past a couple of guests on the sofa and children around the miniature village.
My heart thumps as she approaches and I feel light as air.
“I think I want to ask her now,” I hear myself say.
“No time like the present, son,” Grandpa says, letting go of my arm.
I move toward Darcy and I can barely feel my feet touching the floor.
“Miss Keller,” Grandpa says in a nice, loud voice. “My grandson has something he’d like to ask you.”
The whole lounge goes silent and every eye turns toward us.
But my eyes are only on Darcy, and somehow I’m feeling this moment right down to my bones, even though I know it’s not supposed to be real.
I sink to one knee and pull the ring that’s meant to be hers from my pocket.
8
DARCY
The floor seems to drop out from under me as I watch Derek Lockwood sink to one knee and pull something from his pocket.
It’s not real,I remind myself.It’s not real.
But that doesn’t stop my heart from pounding or my breath from catching in my throat. This wasn’t exactly what we discussed, but that’s not why it catches me off guard. How could I have ever thought I’d actually be prepared for this?
Call me old-fashioned, but I’ve imagined a moment like this all my life. And no matter how much I try, it’s impossible to steel my heart when the man in front of me is the one I’ve dreamed about so many times over the last three years.
“Darcy,” he says, pulling something from his pocket.
One thing I am ready for is the enormous monstrosity of a ring that he showed me out on the porch. I know that will throw a little cold water on this whole situation. Butwhen he holds up the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen instead, I actually let out a tiny gasp.
It’s tiny and delicate and exactly what I would have chosen.
“Will you marry me?” he asks, his voice husky.
“Yes,” I breathe.
He takes my hand so gently, like it’s made of glass, and slides the ring onto my finger.
It fits perfectly, like it was always meant to be there.
Everyone in the lounge cheers, pulling me out of the little bubble I was in with Derek.
I expect the world to come crashing back in. But he pulls me in even closer, and it’s not until his hand cups my cheek that I realize what’s expected now.
How did we not think to talk about this part?
Derek’s dark eyes are filled with solemn intensity as he bends to kiss me. He’s so handsome. I don’t close my eyes until the last second, wanting to remember this, real or not.
There is one final second of panic, of thinking I should just run and forget about this whole thing, then his mouth captures mine and I’m melting.
My mind tries weakly to tell me it’s not real, but my heart is on fire and my knees are so weak that I think I might literally swoon.
