Chapter 8 Darcy
DARCY
The floor seems to drop out from under me as I watch Derek Lockwood sink to one knee and pull something from his pocket.
It’s not real, I remind myself. It’s not real.
But that doesn’t stop my heart from pounding or my breath from catching in my throat. This wasn’t exactly what we discussed, but that’s not why it catches me off guard. How could I have ever thought I’d actually be prepared for this?
Call me old-fashioned, but I’ve imagined a moment like this all my life. And no matter how much I try, it’s impossible to steel my heart when the man in front of me is the one I’ve dreamed about so many times over the last three years.
“Darcy,” he says, pulling something from his pocket.
One thing I am ready for is the enormous monstrosity of a ring that he showed me out on the porch. I know that will throw a little cold water on this whole situation. But when he holds up the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen instead, I actually let out a tiny gasp.
It’s tiny and delicate and exactly what I would have chosen.
“Will you marry me?” he asks, his voice husky.
“Yes,” I breathe.
He takes my hand so gently, like it’s made of glass, and slides the ring onto my finger.
It fits perfectly, like it was always meant to be there.
Everyone in the lounge cheers, pulling me out of the little bubble I was in with Derek.
I expect the world to come crashing back in. But he pulls me in even closer, and it’s not until his hand cups my cheek that I realize what’s expected now.
How did we not think to talk about this part?
Derek’s dark eyes are filled with solemn intensity as he bends to kiss me. He’s so handsome. I don’t close my eyes until the last second, wanting to remember this, real or not.
There is one final second of panic, of thinking I should just run and forget about this whole thing, then his mouth captures mine and I’m melting.
My mind tries weakly to tell me it’s not real, but my heart is on fire and my knees are so weak that I think I might literally swoon.
When he pulls back at last, I’m breathless.
He wraps an arm around me and I venture a gaze up at him as I try to remember how to breathe.
He’s wearing a proud smile that’s obviously meant for his grandfather.
I look around and find Michael standing by the fireplace, gazing at us with tears in his eyes.
The knowledge that none of this is real twists my stomach, but seeing that it’s making the sweet man so happy soothes my feelings a little.
We’re not hurting anyone. It’s only Michael who is going to be impacted by this deceit, and only in a good way.
We only have to keep up appearances for a little while, then everything will be back to normal and no one will even know about any of it.
How hard could that really be?
“Dad?” a familiar voice says from the entry to the lounge.
Derek is spinning us both around before I can fully process what I’m hearing.
“What are you doing here?” he demands.
But Judi-Bloom only blinks at him for a moment before she drops her duffel bag and launches herself across the lounge at me.
This cannot be happening.
When she throws her arms around me I freeze, completely blown away.
I thought I was as surprised as I could possibly be that Derek’s daughter was here. But I’m even more surprised that she’s hugging me.
Judi-Bloom is a friendly upbeat person, but she doesn’t like it much when people touch her. So this hug means… well, a lot.
“You’re getting married,” she squeals as she practically chokes me in her tight grip. The oversized headphones she’s always wearing are down around her neck right now, and they’re kind of cutting into my windpipe. “I can’t believe it. Finally.”
Finally?
“Hi, Judi-Bloom,” I manage. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
And even though this definitely complicates everything to a level I still can’t really get my mind around, I am genuinely glad she’s here and I can’t help saying it out loud. In my opinion, everything is better when Judi-Bloom is around.
“It’s J.B. now,” she tells me, pulling back. “And just to get it out there, you guys are going to hear something about a fire in the girls’ bathroom at school.”
“What?” Derek asks, his voice a little too quiet.
“But I had nothing to do with it,” she says quickly. “I was only using the dean’s toupee to put the fire out.”
Derek’s face goes pale, but before he can say a word, Michael is there, taking J.B.’s hands.
“I can’t believe it,” he says. “My great-granddaughter is here to celebrate with us. How did your father keep this a surprise?”
I glance up at Derek, expecting him to be so furious that he gives away the whole game and I have to slink back to the city in shame.
But he’s gazing down at the three of us, and instead of anger, I could swear I see wonder in his eyes.