A FLORAL PROPOSAL
MATTHEW
B ells handed the letter to me after she’d sat in my truck and gone over it at least a dozen times. I went through it once before giving it back to her.
“How did he know your name?” I asked because it was the first thing I’d noticed when reading. It really fucking worried me.
“I told them when they were at the bar.”
That made sense.
“Okay. How do you feel?”
She whipped her head to look at me. “Annoyed.”
That was not at all the answer that I’d expected.
“Annoyed? Why?”
“Because now, I feel bad for this Nathan guy,” she huffed. “And I don’t want to feel bad for anyone except myself.”
“That makes sense,” I said because it did. “And you don’t have to feel bad for him. He definitely wrote you that letter to alleviate his guilt. But I also think he was trying to do the right thing.”
“I know. I get that. But I’m still mad about it.”
That made me laugh a little. “You’re allowed to be whatever you want, babe. I love you.”
“You’d better.” She reached for my hand on the center console and held on tight. “Take me home.”
I’d never get tired of hearing those words come out of her mouth.
Six weeks had passed since the night of the incident, and I’d been seeing a counselor online every week for the past five. It was helping more than I could have ever hoped.
Finding the right person to spill your guts to was important. I’d gone through two other initial therapists at first. I hadn’t been comfortable talking to the first dude, and the second didn’t seem like they understood me at all.
Third time had been the charm.
We talked through all of the emotions of losing yourself when your identity was tied to your occupation. And how much it sucked to retire years before you’d planned to. I told him when I was angry and how I’d sometimes get overwhelmed with sadness, even when my life was pretty fucking great. He told me that was completely normal, and I believed him.
Eventually, he suggested that I look into coaching hockey in my spare time. He wondered if it would help me fill the void I had from losing the game, but my gut reaction to that was a hard no. I wasn’t interested in being a coach. And honestly, I was busy as hell at the resort.
But that conversation led to one about my volunteering periodically with younger players, the ones just starting out. I liked the idea of helping the little ones learn the first maneuvers of skating while trying to balance, holding a stick and hitting a puck, so I’d said yes. They mostly fell a lot. I told them that I used to fall all the time, too, even though I couldn’t remember a damn thing from being that small.
The best part was that the sadness that used to take over at times was definitely getting less and less. Maybe it was acceptance? I wasn’t entirely sure, but I was grateful.
Bells was actually talking to that fireman’s sister. You know, the one who had tried to poach my girl and taken her on a date that one time? His sister was a therapist, and even though I could be a jealous asshole about it, I would never ever take that from Bells. She’d had a hard time finding a therapist that she gelled with too. I’d noticed a change in her demeanor from the first time she spoke to her. She was lighter somehow. The weight that she seemed to carry on her shoulders was lessening.
We were both getting better at dealing with the shit life had thrown at us and communicating about it all with each other when we felt weighed down or just had a bad day. I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d need weekly sessions, but I actually enjoyed them for now.
What could I say? I liked talking about myself.
Two Months Later
If there was one thing that seemed to run in the O’Grady family, it was what I was about to do this afternoon. We O’Grady men wasted no time when we found the right girl. Both of my brothers had proposed fairly quickly, and I was about to follow in their footsteps. I’d known Bells for most of my life, so this didn’t feel like it was fast.
It just felt right.
Hell, she might even say no. You never knew with my girl. Sometimes, she liked to argue just to do it.
“Babe, are you almost ready?” I walked into our bedroom and searched for her. I poked my head in the bathroom, but it was empty. “Where are you?”
“In the closet.”
Her muffled voice hit my ears, and I hurried toward where she was.
When I stepped inside the large space, I spotted her wearing a sexy-as-hell, fitted red dress.
“Damn.” The word slipped off my tongue as she spun to face me.
“Is it too much?”
“Nope,” I answered.
This was actually perfect.
I’d told her that we were going to the resort restaurant to test out the new menu, but that she needed to dress up. My sweet girl hadn’t even questioned why. She just did as I’d asked. I knew she’d eventually thank me once she saw the pictures from the proposal.
“You look gorgeous.” I bent down to give her a kiss, almost losing myself in the feel of her. “I’m going to change my tie to match,” I said before ripping off the blue tie I’d been wearing and finding a red one instead.
“Are you sure we’re not overdressed for a lunch?”
“I’m sure.”
My heart started racing. I hadn’t really felt nervous up until this moment. Everyone was already at the resort, waiting for us. Her parents, her brother, my brothers and their wives, Clara, and my dad were somewhere hiding together. Not to mention the photographer that I’d hired. I’d even invited Anna, but she couldn’t make it.
I patted my front pocket to make sure the ring was there. When I felt it, I tried to calm down, but couldn’t. This gave me more butterflies than playing in the playoffs ever had.
“Ready?” I asked.
She smiled. “Yep.”
I reached for her hand, and we walked into the garage together.
“Are we taking my car?” She beamed up at me, and I shook my head.
“Nope. Truck,” I said before giving her ass a little smack.
She pouted for only a second.
Bells had finally gotten rid of her old car and let me help her get a BMW SUV. I actually fit in that, even if I had to move the seat all the way back. And she looked damn good in that car. It was safe and would drive well in the snow, and I could stop worrying about her. Like that would ever happen.
I reached across the center console and held her hand the entire drive. It was almost like I was afraid to let go. If she noticed that I was being a little weird, she didn’t act like it.
“It’s almost summer.” She smiled.
Summer in Sugar Mountain was damn near perfect. Aside from the crowds. And I had to admit that the next wave of tourist season made me a little queasy. I never wanted what had happened to Bells to ever happen again. We’d decided to keep Miles, the security guy, on at Addi’s restaurant. It just made sense and gave both me and Patrick peace of mind. Ben still worked at the bar, too, and to be honest, he made me feel relieved as well. He had no qualms about pissing someone off if they got out of line. I liked that.
“I know. We’re booked at capacity for the next three months.” I shot her a quick look before I focused back on the road.
“Are the new cabins almost open?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yep. They’re pretty much done.”
“That’s incredible. Congratulations.”
“It’s all Patrick. Guy is an animal,” I said with a laugh. But he really was to credit for all of that.
I pulled up to the valet and hopped out.
“Stay,” I directed.
Bells stopped getting out. Walking over to her side, I opened the door and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up easily.
“I’m perfectly capable of getting out of this monstrosity on my own,” she snarled.
“Yeah, yeah,” I said because I wasn’t going to start arguing with her already. I needed to save all my energy in case she shot me down in front of everyone.
When we walked through the doors of the resort, her eyes bugged out of her head. “The new theme!”
That was the reaction we always got whenever the season changed or someone new came inside. The resort theme was magical and eye-catching. I spotted the photographer taking pictures of the theme, trying to blend in so Bells wouldn’t notice her.
“Can we see it?” she asked.
“After we eat,” I said, and she looked only a little disappointed. “I want to show you something first.”
I started weaving her through the theme, bypassing most of it to get to the exit quicker.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Outside really quick,” I said, my heart feeling like it was about to pound right out of my chest.
I pushed through the glass doors and into a section of the resort that I’d been working on with the design team for weeks. Bells and I were surrounded by what looked like a flower bedroom. It was an exact replica of her old room at her parents’ house. There was a flower Bells sitting at a desk, writing I HEART MATTHEW on a piece of paper, and a flower Leo standing behind her, frowning with his arms crossed.
“What is this?” She looked around before looking at me. “Is this my bedroom?”
“Come on.” I reached for her once more and led her to the next part.
There was a makeshift ice rink with hockey players on it. The one that looked like me was looking right at Bella in the stands instead of at the puck at his feet. It seemed fitting.
“What is going on?” She was still so confused. It was adorable.
“One more,” I said before leading her to the next design.
A flower-filled bar with tables and chairs. Bells was shaking up a drink, and I was sitting in a stool, staring at her with hearts in my eyes. Literally.
She laughed. “This is us.”
“It is,” I said.
I spotted all of our family sitting on the chairs before she did. I thought she thought they were made of flowers too. But when Jasper started wagging his tail, everything hit Bells all at once. I could literally see the pieces falling into place as she looked at our family before finally focusing on me.
She looked straight ahead, but I was no longer there. I’d dropped to one knee while she was distracted. When her eyes looked down, her mouth popped open, and she quickly covered it with both hands.
Holding a three-carat pear-shaped diamond between my fingers, I started my speech and hoped like hell I wouldn’t mess it up. “Bells, you might have been chasing me since you were a teenager, but I’ve been chasing you since the day I came back home. You’re the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to me. The only girl I’ve ever trusted. The only one I spilled my heart out to, even all those years ago, when we were just kids. You’ve been there for me through the worst times in my life, and I want you to be there with me through the best. I always thought that your brother was my best friend, but I was wrong.”
I stopped to glance at Leo. “Sorry, bro.”
A few laughs filled the air, and I looked back up at my girl.
“The truth is that you’re my best friend. You’re my home. I would do absolutely anything for you. Say you’ll do this one thing for me and marry me?”
I tried to swallow, but my throat felt like it had closed up. I could barely hear anything over the pounding of my heart in my ears. I was so damn nervous. The tears spilled down her cheeks as she nodded her head and said yes.
Shoving up from my bad knee, I stood and placed the ring on her finger. It was fucking huge on her hand. I loved it. She’d get used to it.
“Yes?” I asked again.
“Yes!” she answered again.
Our family broke out into cheers from behind us.
The photographer moved in closer and asked the two of us to pose for a few pictures before she asked for a few group ones as well.
“I can’t believe you planned all this.” Bells sounded so shocked.
“I’m very romantic.” I grinned before taking her mouth with mine. I almost forgot that other people were in the room.
But when they all started cheering, I remembered and broke the kiss.
“Brother”—Leo walked up to me with the biggest smile—“congratulations. But I’m not so sure about saying I’m not your best friend.”
“She’s taken the spot, man. You know how it goes,” I said, like I had any idea how any of this went. I only knew how I felt about Bells and had nothing else to compare it to.
“I’ll allow it.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.
“Uncle Matthew,” Clara yelled, and I reached down to pick her up.
“Yes, sweet girl?”
“Beer isn’t your best friend anymore!” She giggled.
“Nope. Bells is,” I said.
Clara kept laughing. “Bells the Shells is way better than beer,” she said in a songlike melody.
“Couldn’t agree more,” I said.
I put her back on the ground, and Jasper ran up to her. If Clara was around, Jasper was never far behind.
“Congratulations,” Thomas and Patrick both said, and they each shook my hand.
“Didn’t even need our help at the jewelry store,” Thomas added, and I let out a gruff laugh.
“Looks like he bought the biggest diamond in the place.” Patrick shook his head.
“There was bigger, but she’s so little,” I explained because there had been even bigger diamonds that I had to be talked out of buying.
Marcel, the owner of Mountain Jewels, reminded me that Bells had tiny little fingers and how anything bigger was going to look ridiculous on her. Not to mention the fact that she’d probably knock it on things because it would be in the way. I hated that I agreed with him.
When I looked for Bells, I saw her showing off her ring to both Brooklyn and Addison, who looked at it with wide eyes. Brooklyn’s stomach had definitely grown. She was getting bigger every day. Not that I’d tell her that.
“I see the baby is growing,” I said to Thomas, and the smile that took over his face was indescribable.
“No more goo. Baby is now the size of a mango,” Thomas informed.
“Good to know,” I said.
“What about you?” I asked Patrick.
“I’m ready whenever Addi is.” He grinned too.
Man, we O’Grady men were nothing if not head over heels in love.
“I knew she called the shots,” I teased.
Patrick only shrugged. He didn’t even care. He was so happy to have her back in his life.
“Sons.” Our dad walked up to our little group. “You boys waste no time going after what you want.”
“No sense in waiting,” I said.
I thought we all subconsciously knew that time was fleeting. That anything could happen at any moment and change it all. Losing our mom the way we had taught us that. It’d affected us, even if we didn’t always realize it.
“Your mother would love all these girls. I hope you know that,” he said, and I got teary.
“Dad, please don’t make me bawl in front of my future in-laws.” Even though they’d seen me cry as a teenager more times than I cared to admit.
“They’ll think you’re in touch with your feminine side,” Patrick said, and I socked him in the arm. “Hey now. Violence is never the answer,” he teased.
“Oh, but it is,” I disagreed because, sometimes, people needed a good ass-kicking.
Bells’s mom and dad walked over.
Her mom pulled me into a hug. “We’re so happy to have you in the family, Matthew.”
“Me too,” I said.
“That ring is simply stunning,” her mom said.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“ Like is an understatement,” she added.
Just then, Bells walked over, pulled me aside, and whispered, “Are we not eating? ’Cause I’m starving.”
“Oh. Yes. We have the back room at the restaurant whenever you’re ready.”
She blew out a breath. “I love you guys, and I’m so glad you’re all here, but I might pass out if I don’t get food,” Bells announced to the room.
“You heard my fiancée,” I shouted, loving how that word sounded. It was so much better than girlfriend . “Let’s eat!”