Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cap felt like a giddy teenager checking his watch every ten minutes. Emma would arrive soon. He hoped she liked salmon; he probably should have asked her when he’d invited her to dinner.
The table was set. He never ate at the dining room table; he always sat at the island, but he wanted this meal to be special.
He glanced out the window facing the driveway. Nothing yet. Then, he heard a vehicle engine and looked again. Emma. He rushed to meet her at the door.
“Hi,” he said.
A lovely smile stretched across her sun-kissed cheeks. She wore a hot pink tank top and a navy skirt. Pink looked nice on her. Her long hair was pulled into a messy bun, but she left a few strands of hair down, framing her face. She looked beautiful.
“Hello,” she replied as she walked toward him.
He gave her a light peck on the cheek and motioned for her to come inside.
Once in the kitchen, she set her small handbag on the counter.
“I hope you like salmon.”
“I love it.”
“Great. It’s on the smoker grill right now and should be done in a few minutes.”
“It’s gorgeous outside. Have you been able to get out at all?” she asked.
“A little here and there. I’m not cleared to drive yet, so I have to rely on my family to get me out of the house. Admittedly, I’ve gotten a little stir-crazy.”
“I would imagine.”
Beep, beep, beep…
Cap spun and turned off the timer he’d set for the fish to cook. The quick action sent a sharp jolt to his torso, reminding him he’d recently had surgery and still needed to be cognizant of his movements.
“That’s for the fish. I’ll go get it. Be right back.”
By the time he’d returned to the kitchen, Emma had opened the bottle of wine he’d set on the table, and she’d filled their glasses. He had taken no painkillers in days, so he assumed a little wine wouldn’t hurt anything. Plus, it might help calm his nerves.
He set the fish on the counter, opened the foil and scraped the fat off the salmon. He put it on a serving dish. Next, he opened the oven and pulled out the pan of roasted vegetables which he transferred to a serving plate.
The rye bread he’d buttered earlier was already in a basket on the table.
“Everything is ready,” he said as he carried the serving dishes to the dining room table.
They sat opposite each other.
He watched as Emma took her first bite, hoping she’d like it.
“Mmm, this is amazing. What is in the sauce?” she asked.
The compliment filled his chest with pride, and the nervousness in him settled.
“It’s my special recipe. I smother the fish with a fifty-fifty mix of yellow mustard and butter, and use fin and feather seasoning.” He shrugged. “Nothing too difficult.”
They ate slowly, making small talk at first. Then, the conversation moved to what he’d hoped.
Emma talked about her business and how much she loved doing graphics.
It was clear she enjoyed seeing her artwork being used by customers.
She also talked about her parents and her friends.
She asked tons of questions about his parents and siblings.
After dinner, she helped him clear the table and load the dishwasher.
He filled their wineglasses, and they ended up on the couch sitting close enough that the side of her body warmed his.
They continued their conversation about family, work, and what they liked to do in their spare time.
He discovered she enjoyed hiking, and he liked that they had that in common.
Outside of hiking in parks, she hadn’t done many other outdoor activities, but asked about learning to kayak.
He said he could teach her how to do that, and the perfect place would be his Uncle Lee’s property up north.
Surely, she’d fall in love with the place like everyone else did. At least he hoped so.
When she spoke about her parents and mentioned things like the country club they belonged to, he’d be lying if he didn’t admit he felt a little intimidated by the family wealth. More scared than intimidated, he supposed. Would her parents like him? Approve of him?
Emma leaned forward and turned her head, looking at him more closely. “Where did I lose you to?”
“Huh?”
“You got quiet.”
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“You. Us. I’d like to meet your parents.”
“You would?” Emma’s surprised tone matched the expression she wore.
“Of course. You speak so highly of them, but…”
“But what?”
His pulse pounded. He wasn’t usually this unsure of himself.
“I’m probably not the type of guy they expect you to bring home.”
She turned her body to face him more directly.
“Why on earth would you say that?”
“Well, you come from a different side of the tracks.”
“Money? You’re worried you don’t have enough money?” Her tone bordered on offended, which was the last thing he wanted.
Her body went rigid.
He needed to realign this conversation before it went any further south.
“I’m sorry, I just. I don’t want to disappoint them.”
The tension in her shoulders eased. She placed her warm palm on his cheek.
“You could never disappoint them. They’d be proud to know you.
The man who nearly died to save their daughter’s life.
I think they’d give you a lot of credit for that.
As a matter of fact, they already have, and they want to meet you as well.
I just didn’t know how to bring it up yet.
Meeting the parents is kind of a big deal where I come from. ”
Meeting the parents was a big deal to him, too. A blanket of relief washed over him. It was good to know he and Emma were on the same page. Still, meeting her parents and being accepted as a match for their only daughter were two different things.
Emma gripped his hand. Her dark gaze bore into him.
“They are going to love you as much as I do.”
His heart slammed in his chest. She’d written in her letter that she loved him, but to hear the word roll off her tongue, in that sweet voice of hers, hit home. Hard.
Her gaze held his. A slight quiver raked through his body.
“Yes, I love you,” Emma said firmly.
“I love you, too.”
The words that had scared the hell out of him since he’d last said them to a woman suddenly seemed easy to say to Emma.
He pulled Emma to him, holding her tightly.
Ignoring the pain in his torso, he kissed her warm, inviting lips.
The sweet taste of wine on her tongue was intoxicating.
Her fresh scent, which reminded him of morning rain, surrounded them pleasantly, teasing his nostrils.
He deepened the kiss, dipping his tongue further into her warm mouth.
Her hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him tighter to her.
Their lips moved comfortably together, as if they’d been kissing for a lifetime.
She moaned into his mouth. His heart jolted.
A lifetime with her is what he wanted, and he wanted it to start now.
She kissed him harder, deeper, and more passionately than he’d known possible. His heart hammered, and he felt dizzy. He had to have her, make her his forever.
Cap pulled away and cupped her face in his hands. Dark eyes filled with desire studied him. Her puffy lips showed how thoroughly he’d kissed her.
“I want to marry you,” he blurted.
Emma stayed statue-still in his hands, making him rethink how he’d just said that.
He hadn’t intended for it to sound like a demand.
Hell, he had no intention of making a marriage proposal this evening.
It wasn’t his nature to be impulsive. But here he was, desperately waiting for a reaction from the woman he wanted to spend his life with.
“Emma?”
Her breath hitched.
“Umm, I…did you just…”
“Emma Brown, I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Oh, yes!”
A long, lingering kiss sealed the promise.