CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A ll next day, Crystal thought ahead to the evening with Emmett. She tried to imagine what fun event he’d created. But all that mattered to her was that they’d have some precious time alone. Misty had already promised to do the morning shift for her at the Café, and Crystal could hardly wait to have an evening, night, and morning off.
When Emmett sent a message to her telling her not to dress up, her mind spun. ‘ What was he planning?’
###
T hat evening at the appropriate time, Crystal headed to Emmett’s house wearing a short, denim skirt, a pink knit top with a scoop neckline, and a pair of white sneakers.
Emmett met her at the door wearing khaki shorts and a green golf shirt that brought out the unusual color of his eyes. Allowing his gaze to travel over her, he grinned. “You’re wearing something comfortable.”
“Just what have you planned?” Crystal asked.
Emmett laughed. “Come in. I’ll show you soon. By the way, what do you think about the walls? They’re painted in the colors you wanted.”
Crystal studied the effects of the painted walls in the common areas and beamed her pleasure. “They’re perfect. What about the master suite?”
“I plan to show you them a little later.” He quirked an eyebrow at her, and she laughed.
“Come outside with me. I’ll show you my new toy.”
He led her out to the end of the dock. He pointed to a dark green canoe sitting in the water. “What do you think?”
“I love it. A perfect toy for the river. And look, you have paddles, life jackets and everything. Is this what you had in mind? A romantic cruise on the river?”
“Something like that. Get in the bow. I’ll take the stern. I’ve packed something cold to drink for us.”
“Well-planned, I see. Like you said, this is fun.”
She settled in the bow, and he sat behind her in the stern. He handed her a paddle. “You know how to do it, right? Feathering the stroke?”
“Yes, living around the lake I’m very familiar with canoes.”
With a few strokes, they took off.
The river by his house was not very big but was lovely with clear water and natural growth on the riverbanks, met by tall pines and other evergreens.
They’d paddled a distance when Emmett guided them into a tiny inlet where the water calmed.
She turned around. “Why are you stopping?”
“I’m just letting the boat drift safely while I get out the drinks. We can stop paddling for the moment. The canoe is safe left alone here.”
She turned around, facing him.
When he knelt in front of her, she stared in surprise and covered her mouth.
His beautiful eyes grew shiny with emotion. “Crystal Owen, will you marry me? I fell for you the first time I saw you, purple hair and all. But it was your smile, the way you made me feel inside that drew me in. You’re such a giving, loving, kind person. Everyone adores you. Me most of all. I promise to be there for you no matter what the future holds. I want you as my wife, my sidekick, my love. Marry me.”
Blinded by tears, Crystal caught her breath. “Oh, Emmett, yes! I’ve waited for you all my life. When I was lonely and scared, I prayed for someone like you, someone who’d love me as I am.”
Still kneeling in the boat, Emmett drew her close until she’d straddled his lap and was facing him. He thumbed the tears off her cheeks and gazed at her with such love, Crystal fought fresh tears.
As they hugged and kissed, the boat rocked gently in the water.
After a while, Emmett stirred. “Hang on! I haven’t given you your ring.”
He wrestled a small, black velvet box out of his pants pocket. He opened it to show her.
Crystal stared at the square-cut, bluish-purple sapphire, flanked by two large cushion diamonds on a gold band. “Oh, Emmett, it’s gorgeous.”
He slid it on her finger. It fit perfectly. “There. Now it’s official.”
Crystal held up her hand. The ring was exquisite but that isn’t what pleased her. Emmett’s expression was one of pure joy. She clapped her hands to her chest to keep it from bursting with love. “I love you, Emmett. I really do.”
“Half as much as I love you,” he said. He moved away. “I’ve got champagne stowed aboard. Let’s celebrate.”
He pulled an insulated bag out from under a seat and proceeded to open the bottle of bubbly white wine.
As the cork gave out a loud “pop”, ducks nearby took off with a flutter of their wings and a bird cried its surprise.
Crystal laughed, and Emmett joined in. It was such a special moment.
He poured champagne into the two crystal tulip glasses he’d packed and handed one to her. “I love you, Crystal. Here’s to forever and sharing life’s adventures together.”
She clicked her glass against his, her sight blurring from tears of happiness as she faced him. “I’ll never forget these moments. You’ve made me so happy.”
“I’m glad we have this privacy and that we’re not dressed up in some fancy place but are ourselves in such a beautiful, natural setting. That’s the kind of life I want with you. Sharing what life has to offer.”
“Me, too,” she said. She lifted her glass in a salute to him and took a sip, then gazed at the trees on the riverbanks, the ducks paddling in the water nearby, the pinkening sky. She felt the gentle rocking of the canoe and thought of the babies they might rock one day.
Emmett beamed at her, and she knew she’d found a kindred spirit.
She lifted her face to the sky above and said a silent prayer of thanks.
###
A fter they paddled back to Emmett’s house and got the canoe squared away, Emmett took Crystal’s hand. “Come up to my house. Dinner should be ready for us.”
“Dinner?”
He grinned. “You didn’t think I’d forget to feed you, did you? I had Melissa create a special dinner for us from Fins. It should be there.”
“Wait a minute. Did she know you were proposing?” asked Crystal.
“She might have guessed it, but no, I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Whitney placed a bet with her sisters that it would happen this week.”
He laughed. “Can’t hide a thing in this town, huh?”
“Nope. Living at Lilac Lake is all about family. The one you have, the friends you make, and the family you hope to create.”
He gave her an impish grin. “Speaking of our family, let’s start dinner with dessert. What do you say?”
“Dr. Chambers, you’re the man of my dreams,” she said, grinning with anticipation. His love was the cure she needed for happiness.
They kissed and walked toward his house and the life they planned to share together.
Forever.
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