10. Maverick
Chapter ten
Maverick
A month had passed since Caleb and Stacey’s wedding. Fortunately, Luke’s brother Jesse only suffered some minor burns in that scare that brought me back here so suddenly.
But it was also a month since I had seen Maria in person. It hadn’t taken me long after returning to Waterfront to know for sure what the feelings I had for her were. I had managed to fall in love while in Eagle Falls for a wedding.
The only problem was that she was in Texas, and as far as I was aware, she had no intention of leaving anytime soon. I had no intention of moving to Texas, but I was also very sure that I wanted her to be part of the rest of my life.
Even though we had been talking frequently on the phone, neither of us really broached the topic of our relationship. I had really tried that day at the hot tub but was interrupted. I was afraid to go there again, I suppose. At least via phone. That’s a topic that should be discussed face to face, eye to eye. I knew now that I loved her, but did she feel the same way? I’d be crushed if she didn’t.
I had been standing on the lodge’s beautiful, long porch, gazing toward the mountains as I pondered this matter of love. Suddenly, Luke appeared.
“You know - I’ve noticed that look way too many times in the last month for it to be simply something someone said while you were at the wedding,” he said. “And you’ve been on the phone more often lately. What’s going on with you?”
I sighed. I should have known that Luke, of all people, would be able to see what was going on. What I didn’t know was whether he would understand or not when I said that I was torn between here and Texas.
“I fell in love with the maid of honor,” I shared as we started walking off the porch and onto the property of the lodge. “She lives in Texas, and I can’t bring myself to tell her that I fell in love over the phone. That feels like something I should tell her in person, Luke.”
“I understand how you feel.” Luke nodded slowly. “There’s always a bit of apprehension at the beginning. There’s not a lot I can do for you on that front, but you know, Seth and Wyatt are still here. They don’t have plans to leave until next month.”
I looked at Luke, a little confused. Was he implying that I could take more time off to go tell Maria in person what I thought of her, what I envisioned our life together to be like?
“What are you suggesting, Luke?”
“Rick, you deserve to be happy just like the rest of us do,” Luke said. “If you want to go down to Texas to see this woman, I’m not going to stop you. Heck, you could leave tomorrow, and I’d not stop you. But you can’t continue to mope around the lodge during the height of tourist season. I’ve gotten so many regulars asking what’s wrong with you this year.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the way he had phrased the last part of his speech. I hadn’t realized that the regulars could tell, too. If it was that obvious, I supposed a trip to Texas was indeed in order.
“Then, I think I’m going to go to Texas, Luke. Thanks.”
Luke nodded, patted me on the shoulder, and walked away to take care of other things around the lodge. Instead of calling Maria back, I pulled my phone out and looked at plane tickets. They were all pricey, but I decided to get a ticket to Houston, leaving tomorrow morning. I’d come back in a week, hopefully with Maria at my side. Or with her soon to follow.
After informing Luke of how long I’d be gone, he simply smiled, nodded, and motioned for me to go.
I hurriedly packed everything and decided to head out to Portland tonight. I could get a hotel room there and get to the airport on time without having to worry about that drive in the morning.
I did make a single stop on the way out, which was part of why I decided to leave tonight instead of tomorrow. If I was flying all the way to Texas, I wanted to have something to show for it. I stopped at a jewelry store.
I picked up a simple gold band with a chocolate diamond on it – as brown as the leather that Maria worked with. It was a simple ring, but I hoped she’d like it. I had no idea what kind of jewelry she normally wore other than gold and red, so the brown was a risk in itself. I stuck to the gold because the necklace she had worn for Stacey and Caleb’s wedding had been beautiful against her skin tone. In fact, most of the women looked stunning in gold jewelry, now that I thought about it.
I shook all those thoughts away.
At the hotel that evening, I texted Maria for her address, telling her that phone reception in the lodge wasn’t good this evening to avoid having to answer a call for now.
Why do you need my address?
She had asked the question I had predicted. Thank goodness, I had an answer for her already thought up.
I’m sending you something. Should arrive tomorrow afternoon. Are you working at your store tomorrow?
She confirmed that she was planning to be at the store in the morning but would be home about one o’clock. That was perfect. She would be home when I arrived.
*****
I went to bed with happy thoughts and, in the morning, made sure the ring was in my pocket so that it would not be lost. Then, I went to the airport.
The flight was long, but I managed to snag a seat on the only direct flight out of Portland to Houston today. I was happy with that, as it meant I had more time to spend with Maria today.
I only hoped that she would not be disappointed in the surprise being me.
I finally arrived at her apartment around two in the afternoon. I hit send on the text message to let her know that her surprise was at her door.
When she opened the door, she gasped. I smiled a little.
“Maverick… you… you’re the surprise?”
I nodded.
“I am,” I said. “If you’ll forgive that little bit of misdirection, but I had to come see you. It’s been far too long since we were together, and I’m going nuts in Idaho without you.”
“Come on in.”
She immediately opened the door wide enough to let me in, though I could tell that she was still trying to wrap her brain around what I had done. I hadn’t even bothered to check into a hotel. I’d simply rented a car, dumped my luggage into it, and driven right to her apartment. The only other thing I did, and had been doing all day, was making sure I had the ring in my pocket.
“I can’t believe you’re here. That you did this,” she said as she looked at me. “I could have sworn that you were too calm and in control to plan a last-minute trip like this… unless you have had this planned for a while?”
I pulled her close to me.
“I bought the ticket yesterday, I confess,” I said. “But, Maria, I have to admit that there is something about you I cannot shake from my mind. Your crazy, disorganized, optimistic attitude was exactly what we needed in Eagle Falls for Caleb and Stacey’s wedding, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss it. In the month that we’ve been calling each other, I’ve come to the conclusion that phone calls are not enough for me.”
“Maverick…”
She already was blushing, and I could tell that she was trying to hold back tears – happy ones if the smile on her face was to be believed. She had no idea what was in store next. I could tell.
“I want nothing more than to be able to spend the rest of my life with you and the surprises you’ll bring into my life,” I continued. “Maria, I beg you, come back to Idaho with me. Be my friend. Be my companion. Be my wife.”
“Your wife?” she whispered.
“Yes, your online business is becoming very successful, and you can do that from Idaho. You don’t have to be here in Lantana except for your purses. You can make them in Idaho and ship them to the store here. It can all work out. And I know you will fall in love with Watertown and the lodge. I’m here for a week Maria and, you know me, I’ve got a plan in mind. And that plan is that by the end of the week, you and I will be headed back to Idaho – together.”
“Is that so Mr. Organized Planner?” she threw back at me. “Just one thing you forgot. You mentioned wife?”
I blushed slightly. In my efforts to convince her to return with me, I forgot to ask her one very important thing.
“Maria Underwood, will you marry me?”
She gasped.
I bent down on one knee as I opened the little ring box for her to see the ring.
Her hands immediately covered her mouth as she let out another gasp. Her eyes widened, but I could see the excitement in them.
“You really mean it! Yes. Yes. A thousand, million times yes,” she said as she got down beside me on the floor.
I took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger, praying it would fit. Somehow – thanks to Stacey at the last minute – I had managed to get the right size ring. It sat perfectly on her left ring finger, glimmering in the light of the apartment.
“Oh, Maverick, I love the ring. I love you. This is… this is absolutely perfect.”
She hugged me tightly, and I embraced it. I hugged her back just as tightly, pressing my head into her shoulder a little bit as she ran one hand through my hair.
“It’s absolutely perfect because I never thought you would come to Texas on a whim. Or propose on a whim,” she continued. “Maverick, you hit every nail on the head without even meaning to for my perfect proposal.”
I blushed a little.
“I may have gotten a little help from Stacey when I decided I was doing this,” I admitted. “But I love you too much to not have you in my life.”
A moment later, our lips met. I couldn’t help myself as I pulled her closer. We held each other in a warm embrace that seemed timeless.
The End.