Chapter Fifty-One
Leigh took a deep breath, “Okay. Is this going to be our first fight?”
“We’re not going to fight Leighann. I saw that in my home, and it will not be happening in ours. Disagree, certainly, and then find a compromise. Hear me out before you jump to any rash conclusions. When we do get around to having children, whether they be biological or adopted, I’m open to either; we will have a nanny.” Enrique held up his hand when he saw her start to object immediately. “You have a career, and I have a career. It will be impossible for one of us to always be present and available. We will need someone with security clearance and a spotless background check. That means the same person all the time, not a babysitter we call in when we need one. This is not something that needs to be figured out now. We aren’t even married, but that will be difficult for you to grow comfortable with, so I thought we should start now.”
Lorenzo brought in their next course and slipped out the door on silent feet, smiling at the progress they had made in such a short amount of time. He was proud of them. As he passed through the portal, Mrs. Ellis softly closed the door and asked, “Well?”
“Not yet; I’m thinking maybe over the dessert.” His smile was wide as he made his way back to the kitchen to prepare that very thing.
Back at the table, Leighann sliced her knife through the perfectly seared filet mignon like it was butter, “I see how this is going to go. There won’t be as much compromise on your side as planning for adequate mental preparation for me to compromise. What else do I need to prepare myself for?” she asked, taking a bite of the meat and humming her approval.
“We’re keeping the chef and housekeeper and likely adding at least one more maid since there will be two of us to clean up after from now on. I don’t anticipate us living in the penthouse of a high rise, so there will be groundskeepers and security as well.”
Leighann’s fork had stopped halfway to her mouth with a bite of lobster hanging off, her eyes wide.
“Look at it this way. You can cook, clean, and garden as much as you want. But when your research, work, baby, or husband need your time and attention, you won’t feel pulled in a hundred directions or overworked into exhaustion. I will sleep easy knowing my family is protected, no matter what job I have, as billions of dollars in assets tend to put a target on your back. We will live in a well-organized, clean home that we feel comfortable coming home to and relaxing in without worrying about dust mites and roaches. And, if all of those are insufficient reasons, they will be well-paid and respected employees who can make their dreams come true and support their families.” Enrique ended by stuffing a large piece of steak in his mouth.
Finally eating her lobster, Leighann glared at him, “You’re not going to play fair, are you?”
“Baby, I was raised on the streets. Life isn’t fair, but it can be fun if you make it that way. We are going to have a good life. Do you trust me on that?”
Leighann reached across the table and squeezed his fingers, “Yes, I do believe we are going to have a good life.”
She was cutting into her lobster tail and chewing a bit of truffle-infused mashed potato gratin when Enrique came to kneel beside her, catching her off guard. When she turned to look at him, he was down on one knee, holding up a stunning and outrageous engagement ring.
“Leighann Grace Parker, I promise to strive every day to deserve you and will learn to be humble. I will give up my glitter and gold and my high-rise in the sky to be by your side, getting sunburned in the sand. Will you marry me?”
Leigh had to cover her mouth to prevent choking and spewing her mouthful of potatoes all over his face. After her mouth was clear and she had taken a sip of water so she could speak, she laughed, “Yes! Yes, of course, I will marry you. We will have to work on your timing. ”
When he reached for her hand to slip the ring on her finger, she pushed it away, “But I will not wear that.” She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
He was so stunned she had turned down his ring and she was kissing him that, for a moment, he was frozen in place. It didn’t take long for him to recover, and he stood with her in his arms and swung her around, their lips still locked in their very first kiss.
Clapping erupted near the door, and they ended their kiss to see that Mrs. Ellis and Lorenzo were standing just inside, cheering them on.
“She said yes!” Enrique shouted, swirling her around once more as Leighann squealed in delight.
Mrs. Ellis swatted Lorenzo’s arm and whispered, “I told you he wouldn’t make it through dinner. That boy has the patience of a flea.” Smiling broadly, she turned to go as Lorenzo replaced dinner plates with mini molten lava cakes for dessert.
After finishing their decadent dessert, Enrique stood, holding his hand out to Leigh, “May I have this dance?”
She laughed, her joy of the moment overflowing. He could listen to her laughter all night, like tiny bells ringing in his soul.
“I hope you don’t expect the real thing. I can win a gold medal gliding down a mountain at eighty miles an hour, but dance lessons were not included in the list of experiences my brother provided. ”
“No worries. I will be perfectly content to hold you in my arms and sway. We can save the dance lessons for another time. Now I have something to teach you.”
He led her to a clear area of the floor so they wouldn't trip on any of his candles, wrapped one arm around her waist, and placed the other on her shoulders as she draped her arms around his neck and looked lovingly into his eyes.
“I could get used to this,” she murmured softly.
“What? A five-course meal prepared by a Michelin star chef, served on fine china in a candle-lit ballroom?”
Leigh leaned back and punched him in the arm, “No! You are… Ugh! Annoying,” she finished, not able to find the right words.
“Oh, you meant being held in my strong arms, serenaded by an award-winning string quartet, savoring the taste of my kiss on your lips.” He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, stalling her argument.
Pulling away, Leigh looked at him, humor dancing in her eyes. “Okay, that was nice, and yes to the rest of it. I like this. I like us. I’m glad we found each other.” This time, she kissed him before adding, “Thanks for not being a total jerk and dying on me.”
He laughed, resting his cheek against the top of her head and swaying to the music as he held her close to his heart. “I love you, Leighann, with all my heart.”
They lost all sense of time as they spent the last evening together before embarking on the next phase of their lives.