Chapter 7 Derek
DEREK
When I step into the room I catch my grandfather sitting on the edge of the bed and gazing out the window, a thoughtful expression on his face.
He’s thinking about Grandma, I know it. I remember sitting on his back porch with him when I was a kid. He would be reading me a story and stop mid-sentence to gaze at her while she hung up clothes on the line out back, and he always had that same look on his face.
I would watch her too—I can still picture it now, her gentle movements and the way the silver streaks in her dark hair lit up in the sunlight. Something about it is familiar now though, and I try to think what it could be.
Then I see Darcy in my mind, the way she looks through my office door when she rises from her desk to greet someone.
She’s facing away from me, her long hair brushing the back of her cardigan as she moves.
I can tell by the smiles of the people she greets that she’s exuding her usual warmth.
And when she turns to lead them to my office, I get to see it too—that smile that lights you up inside the moment it’s trained on you.
Beautiful.
“How was your trip to the village?” Grandpa Michael asks, bringing me back from the edge of those dangerous thoughts.
For a second I’m tempted to abandon my plan. How can I lie to this man?
But then I remember how he made my lonely childhood magical, and I know I would do anything to make this time happy for him.
“I’m going to ask Darcy to marry me,” I hear myself tell him.
Surprise flashes in his eyes for just a second.
Then he’s smiling so hard that his eyes are crinkling.
“That’s my boy,” he says, throwing his arms open.
I lower myself gently onto the edge of the bed and bend to embrace him.
“Did you go to the village to get her a ring?” Grandpa asks when we pull back.
“Yes,” I tell him.
“Well, let’s see it, son,” he says with a big smile.
I think about the ring and almost don’t want to show it to him. But there’s no point hiding it when she’s going to be wearing it around.
I have to lean back to get the big box out of my pocket before I open it and we both look down at it for a silent moment.
It’s even more tacky than I remembered.
Those stones could change her life, I remind myself.
“Well,” Grandpa says lightly after a moment. “I’ve seen the rings on these city girls who come down on vacation. Maybe this is just what she wants.”
“Maybe,” I echo.
“But if you think she might want something of your grandmother’s with a little sentimental value,” Grandpa says, undoing the chain around his neck. “You could consider offering her this instead.”
I’m speechless as I watch him remove Grandma’s engagement ring from the chain he always wears. He fastens it back around his neck again, now with just Grandma’s slender golden wedding band on it, and a look of contentment on his face.
“It’s not much,” he says, holding out the engagement ring. “But I worked night and day to save for it, and I’ll never forget the look on her face...”
He doesn’t finish and I’m pretty sure it’s because we’ll both end up sobbing if he keeps going. I can picture this ring on Grandma’s finger while she kneaded bread or taught me how to wrap a present.
Shoving the other ring back in my pocket, I reach for the filigreed golden band with the tiny, twinkling diamond he’s offering me.
It’s still warm from being against his heart, and the little diamond glows like there’s a fire in it. This is a ring that symbolizes a lifetime of love—more than a lifetime. It’s the easiest thing in the world to picture it on Darcy’s finger.
“Thank you,” I murmur, wishing this moment were everything he thinks it is.
“No pressure to give it to her,” he replies gruffly. “Take it with you for now. When the time comes, you do what your heart tells you.”
I slide it into my other pocket, thinking to myself that I’ve got to find a safe place to keep it as soon as possible.
The whole point of giving Darcy the ring I bought was so that she could sell it, so that’s really my only option.
I’ll just give Grandma’s ring back to my grandfather as soon as Darcy is wearing the right one.
“Congratulations, boy,” Grandpa says, offering me his hand. “She’s a keeper.”
We shake like two men in one of those old movies I used to watch with him, and I feel an unearned burst of pride in my chest.
“I’m good and hungry,” Grandpa says. “What do you say we find your girl and let Bronson rustle us up some lunch?”
“That sounds great,” I tell him, happy that he’s hungry and wanting to get up. I figure that’s a good sign.
He’s looking flushed and full of energy, almost like his old self, but I still get up and move to the other side of the bed to take his arm.
“Oh, I’m fine,” he tells me. But he lets me have his arm anyway and I’m grateful. “Hand me my jacket.”
I’m sort of amazed that he wants to wear his full doorman’s uniform, but I guess old habits die hard.
Michael Lockwood has always been a sharp dresser.
I can’t even picture this man wandering around in a pair of sweats.
I make a mental note to find him some really nice casual clothing.
I’ll buy him pajamas too, but I’m not enough of a fool to think he’d wear them all day.
When he’s fully put together and his hair is combed, we head out to the lounge.
Darcy is sitting with Maddie Stone, Dylan, and two little girls. They’re all writing something on pads of Angel Mountain Lodge stationary—letters to Santa for the lodge’s special mailbox, no doubt.
I don’t say anything, but Darcy’s head lifts in our direction anyway. Sometimes I think she has a sixth sense that’s attuned just to me.
Her eyes light up when she sees I’m with my grandpa. I guess I’m not the only one happy that he’s feeling up to a little walk around already.
She says something to Maddie and the kids and then gets up and heads past a couple of guests on the sofa and children around the miniature village.
My heart thumps as she approaches and I feel light as air.
“I think I want to ask her now,” I hear myself say.
“No time like the present, son,” Grandpa says, letting go of my arm.
I move toward Darcy and I can barely feel my feet touching the floor.
“Miss Keller,” Grandpa says in a nice, loud voice. “My grandson has something he’d like to ask you.”
The whole lounge goes silent and every eye turns toward us.
But my eyes are only on Darcy, and somehow I’m feeling this moment right down to my bones, even though I know it’s not supposed to be real.
I sink to one knee and pull the ring that’s meant to be hers from my pocket.