Epilogue
The following spring
Rhett
Whoever invented fairy lights is both a genius and a devil sent to this earth to try my fucking patience. After two hours, though, my fruit trees are adorned in as many fairy lights as the local box store carried.
Now I hope they work when I bring Diamond out here later for his surprise. I’m grateful for a chinook wind to make my job easier this afternoon. March in Alberta is no joke, but the weather gods are on my side today.
The hammock he wanted so badly sits on the stone patio covered in a ratty blue tarp for now. It’s not really hammock weather, but he’s been talking about it all winter. We’re celebrating, and he deserves to be spoiled.
Checking the time, I rush inside to get dinner started so I can shower before he’s home. It’s my day off, and while I wanted to lie around and possibly watch one of my favourite tv shows, I spent the entire day planning this for Diamond.
Homemade lasagna with fresh pasta I made this morning goes into the oven before I hit the shower.
The bathroom is littered with towels, and I huff in annoyance.
Diamond is the love of my life, but Jesus fuck, he cannot keep a bathroom clean.
I should remain irritated, but the biggest smile is on my face as I scoop up the towels and shove them in the hamper before finally getting into the shower.
It’s been a year since I moved to Kissing Ridge and met Diamond. A year of running a growing rodeo training facility, competing at rodeos…falling in love. I still can’t believe this is my life.
A home I’ve always wanted, and my horse snug in his new barn. Tater has an acreage to prowl. Not just a yard, but an orchard and a pond, and she’s living every dog’s dream, flopping on a comfy dog bed every night.
Securing the towel at my waist, I wipe the steam from the mirror and touch up my beard. It’s just scruff, but I keep it short because Diamond loves it, and I’ve discovered I’d do almost anything to make him happy. Like buying 41 sets of fairy lights.
After choosing clean clothes, I’m walking back to the kitchen when the front door opens, and Diamond enters like a cool breeze on a summer day. Giant black sunglasses cover his blue eyes. I love his eyes, and that just won’t do.
“Hey, cowboy.” He tosses his laptop bag on the closest surface and kicks off his boots. “Morgan has the shop under control, and I got out a little early because I have a surprise for you, and I just couldn’t wait.”
“You do?” I reach for his glasses and take them off, carefully setting them on the bag he tossed aside. “That’s better. I love your sapphire blues.”
“Aww, you’re such a sap, cowboy.” He presses a soft kiss to my lips, and my arm snakes around his waist, holding him close.
“Only for you, and what kind of surprise did you have in mind?”
He squirms out of my arms like a puppy and lunges for his bag. “Okay, so…promise me you’re not gonna cry or anything or complain that I spent too much money, because you’re worth it and you’ll love it.”
“Okay…” Diamond raises an expectant eyebrow. “I promise. I guess?”
He pulls a package from his bag, and his excitement wanes a little as he holds it.
“I’ve been thinking about this ever since you set up that mini disc changer stereo straight from the 90s.”
“It was my grandfather’s. I can’t part with it.”
“I know, and I wouldn’t expect you to, but I thought it would be nice if you used it. With these.”
He passes me the package still in the shipping wrapping, and inside are two CDs. ABBA’s greatest hits and the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. One has signatures on it which must be the muscian’s, and I exhale a shaky breath.
“You said you wouldn’t cry,” Diamond whispers. “Do you like it? I know you can use a streaming app and play these songs anytime, anywhere, but you said your grandpa always played ABBA at the restaurant. Since the disc player was his…I thought…I guess I thought it just felt right.”
“I love it. It’s perfect, Dee. Thank you.” Setting the discs down carefully, I fold him in my arms. “It’s the most thoughtful thing anyone has done for me.”
“You’ll dance with me later, though, right? Sing those songs and make me swoon,” he says with a laugh.
Placing a kiss on his neck, I whisper against his skin. “I think I have something else to make you swoon, but let me check on supper first.”
“Really?” He playfully cups my crotch. “Is it in here?” He chases after my lips, but I hold him away.
“Later. I have a surprise for you.” From my pocket, I pull out the blindfold and let it dangle from my fingers.
“Damn…are we doing something sexy? Fuck, I’m in.”
Laughing, I turn him around and place the blindfold over his eyes.
“We can do something sexy with it later. This is to get you into the yard without spoiling it.” Bending, I grab his boots and mine and lead him to the patio door.
After guiding his feet into his boots, I slip mine on and open the door to the patio.
Dusk has turned to darkness, and I’m relieved to see the lights shining in the trees. Thank god all that work wasn’t for nothing. I can see why he likes them. It’s all very pretty and maybe a little ethereal.
After leading Diamond across the patio, I stop him at the edge of the orchard where I think the lights look best and take a deep breath.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Yes!”
After positioning him to face the best way, I remove the blindfold. Diamond’s hands fly to his mouth as he gasps. “Oh my god, Rhett. It’s so beautiful. You…” He turns to me. “You remembered?”
“I listened to your videos too many times to count. There was something in your voice that just called to me when you went on about pretty trees and how pretty lights would be so nice to see from the kitchen window.”
Diamond gazes at the trees with an expression that can only be joy. Pure joy.
“Wow. I love it. It’s exactly how I pictured it. I can’t wait to be out here in the summer for this.”
“Me too. It’s like the stars came down closer so we could touch them. I think when we get married, we could do it at dusk, so the lights are just starting. It would be so pretty.”
Both of us freeze.
I didn’t plan to propose. The words just came out with complete sincerity.
“You’ve been thinking about our wedding?” Diamond breathes.
Nodding slowly, I admit it. “I have.”
“And are you…asking me?”
Jesus, am I? This should freak me the fuck out, but I love this man.
“I don’t have a ring. But I got you this.
” I take his hand and drag him over to the hammock.
After pulling off the tarp, Diamond’s lips part in surprise.
“You said you wanted a hammock, and I didn’t want to damage the trees.
You could sit in this one with the lights on?
It has a cover like you wanted, too, but I didn’t get it set up. ”
Diamond makes a strangled noise. “Rhett? Are you…”
“Asking you to marry me with a hammock? Yes. I think I am. Diamond, will you marry me and say I do here under these lights in the orchard of our home? Because I think I’d love it if you would.”
“Holy shit.” Diamond puffs out a breath and tilts his head back to the sky. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“The proposal or the hammock?”
“Everything, Rhett. Fucking everything.” He steps into my space and grabs my face with his hands. “Yes. I’ll marry you in the orchard under the lights. Hell, maybe even in the hammock.”
He kisses me. Slow and deep, and it feels like home. Like forever.
“I have lasagna in the oven. I made the pasta this morning,” I mumble against his lips.
“You had me at lights and hammock, cowboy.”
I don’t know how we make it back inside, but the lasagna is a hit.
Later that night, as I lie in bed with Diamond wrapped around me, it finally hits me.
Sometimes life is hard before it’s easy.
Sometimes love breaks you before it puts all the pieces of you together.
But you need to keep that light of hope going that things will change for the better.
Sometimes your life might change when a beautiful man serves you a coffee you didn’t want.
Pick up that coffee and try something different. Don’t let the past control your future. Fuck, I’ve never been happier to try something new in my life.
“I can hear you thinking.” Diamond mumbles, half asleep against my chest. “You okay?”
Smiling in the room’s darkness, I drop a kiss onto his head.
“More than okay. Just thinking about you. Us. Life stuff.”
“That’s deep for whatever time it is.”
“It is. Diamond?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for loving me.”
“Easiest thing I’ve ever done.”
“I thought saying yes to the hammock was?”
He lifts his head and stretches up to kiss me. “Same thing. I love you. I love the hammock. I love it when you’re talking when we could be sleeping.”
He settles back down, nestling against my chest.
“I love you, cowboy. Don’t overthink everything. I’m yours, you’re mine, and I’m gonna marry you. Go to sleep.”
Eventually, I do, and I don’t think I stop smiling.