Chapter 3 #2
“Well. You had a busy day. I think you need a drink.”
I see his empty rocks glass and nod. “Another of those?”
“No. You choose a nice bottle of wine for tonight.”
I pick up the menu to peruse the extensive wine list, with selections from around the world.
I usually stick to local wines, but tonight I’m intrigued by a Spanish wine from the Sardón del Duero region, made primarily with Tempranillo grapes but also cabernet sauvignon and syrah.
It’s known for its aromatic complexity and intense, elegant flavor.
Our server approaches, a dark-haired young woman wearing black pants and a white shirt, and introduces herself as Elena. She gives us a friendly smile. “Do you have any questions about the menu?”
I smile back. “No, I think we’ve decided on wine, at least.” I order the wine and she nods and disappears. “Now for food. I’m starving.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty hungry, too.”
We look over amazing selections, discussing starters and entrées, and then conversation turns to how Jansen tried to get me to go home and change, trying to make sure I looked presentable, and then I tell him about the sexy dress I wanted to wear and we end up flirting until the wine arrives.
The server presents the wine to me. I glance at it casually, then frown. “No…that’s not it…”
Then I take in the label and my mouth drops, my chin nearly smacking the table.
“I hear this wine pairs well with getting engaged,” Elena says sweetly.
I look up at her, back at the bottle, over to Jansen, smiling nervously, then back to the wine. The label says will you marry me?
“Oh my God.” I blink several times. “Oh my God.”
I’m basically speechless.
Then Jansen rises from his chair, moves toward me, and drops to one knee.
I stare at him. I might be blacking out.
He opens a small box and holds out the ring. “I love you, Bianca. Will you marry me?”
I vaguely notice the slight tremble in his hands, blinded by the diamond flashing in the black velvet.
This is…all wrong. I mean, not wrong, but…
I’m such a fuck up. This is what he had planned tonight?
And I just carelessly disregarded the importance of it?
In fairness, I had no idea, but still…here I am, messy, tired, hairy.
There’s still dirt under my nails and I’m supposed to put that enormous rock on my finger?
I look back up at him, my mouth still hanging open. I shake my head, then push back my chair and charge out of the dining room.
I ignore the murmurs of other guests as I pass their tables. I don’t know where exactly I’m going. I just need to…I just need to regroup. Or something.
I head back to the ladies’ room.
Thankfully, I’m alone in here, and I grip the edge of the vanity and lean on it, my heart leaping like the ten lords in Christmas song. Sweet baby Jesus and the baby donkey. My eyes sting and pressure builds behind my cheekbones.
What just happened?
I ran away from Jansen when he proposed to me.
I cover my mouth with my hand and a small sob escapes me.
I do want to marry him. I love him so much.
I’m just…ashamed, I guess. He set this up to be a picture perfect evening, with my favorite flowers, a beautiful restaurant, and a special wine bottle.
Apparently even Elena is in on it. And I was driving around California wasting time, making him wait, showing up late looking like a pig’s breakfast. I hold my hands out to inspect them—short, slightly dirty nails on fingers that I don’t want to show off a gorgeous diamond ring on.
But I want that ring. I want Jansen. I just feel so, so bad for messing up what was supposed to be a beautiful, memorable evening.
Well, it’ll be memorable, all right.
A knock on the door has me turning. It cracks open and Jansen’s head appears. “Hey,” he says softly. “You okay?”
I swipe at my eyes. “Yes. Go back to the table. I’ll be right there.”
His forehead wrinkles up but he backs out and the door closes.
I pull air into my lungs and straighten my shoulders. Now I have mascara smeared under my eyes. I rub at it and make a face in the mirror.
Okay. I have to fix this.
I return to the dining room. Jansen sits at the table staring out the window. His big shoulders are tense, the line of his jaw rigid. He turns as I walk toward him and then his eyes fly open as I stop near his chair and go down on my knees.
“Bianca…what are you doing?”
I’m aware that everyone in the place is watching. Right now, I don’t care. “I’m apologizing. I ruined everything tonight. Including the most important thing—answering your question.” I hold his gaze steadily. “Unless you’ve changed your mind after that little meltdown.”
He takes my hands, his eyes softening and warming. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
I swallow. “Then yes…I will marry you. I would love to marry you and be your wife.”
The entire dining room erupts into cheers and applause.
My head whips around when music starts playing.
A violinist has appeared in the dining room.
I turn wide eyes back to Jansen. It takes a minute for me to recognized the song: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” And at the appropriate time, all the guests join in and shout, “I’m yours! ”
I can’t help but laugh, even though there are tears in my eyes and fireworks are exploding in my chest.
Jansen stands and pulls me to my feet, then cups my face in both hands and kisses me—long, deep, wet.
I melt into him, my brain and all my muscles liquefying.
I grab his shirt to hold myself up as my legs turn to molten candle wax.
The music, the cheers, everything around us ebbs away and all I know is his taste, his strength, his love.
* * *
We’ve finished an amazing meal of Wagyu beef, Nova Scotia lobster, and caramel poached pears. My heart is a soft, puffy cloud floating in my chest and I can’t stop smiling as we hold hands across the table.
“Are you going to tell me why you had to go to San Jose?” Jansen asks.
“Well. It’s supposed to be a surprise for you.”
He hoists his eyebrows up. “A Christmas present?”
“Sort of?” I lift one shoulder. “It’s for you but it’s not exactly for you.”
Now those thick eyebrows tug down above his nose. “What does that mean?”
“Fine. It’s a skate sharpener.”
He stares at me. “A skate sharpener?”
“Yes. That Sparx one you said was good.”
“That’s like…fifteen hundred dollars.” His jaw slackens.
“Yeah. I wanted to get it. You keep saying what a problem it is for the kids to get their skates sharpened and I thought you could use one at the arena.”
“Fuuuuck,” he breathes. “I fucking love you.”
“Well, good, because I still feel like an idiot, and getting you a skate sharpener as a gift when you planned all this…” I wave a hand, “Is even more unfair.”
“No, it’s not. It’s beautiful. And you’re beautiful.” He lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses it.
He thinks I’m beautiful even though I’m a mess. His eyes lit up when he saw me instead of being pissed because I was late. I love him so much.
Elena appears next to the table. “Can I get you anything else?”
The place is empty now, except for us, waitstaff clearing tables, extinguishing candles, and polishing silver.
“I think we’re good, thanks.” Jansen smiles at her. “Thank you for your help tonight.”
“Oh, I’m happy to help! That was so much fun. And it turned into an especially good night. My husband just texted me that someone found our dog! She’s been missing for weeks and we’d given up hope of finding her. Our kids have been brokenhearted, out looking for her every day after school.”
Jansen and I turn wide eyes on each other.
“What kind of dog is she?” I ask.
“Mostly border collie, with some other things mixed it.” She smiles, her lips trembling a bit with emotion. “I can’t wait to get home and give her a hug. Congratulations again to you both.”
“Thank you.”
We sit quietly for a moment before standing to leave.
“You should have showed her the picture, to see if that was her dog,” Jansen murmurs, hand on my low back. “You could have gotten the credit for rescuing her.”
“No. Good deeds are done with intention, not for attention.”
“Wow.” He stops me on the sidewalk just outside the restaurant. Twinkling lights surround us like we’re floating in space among the stars. “You’re amazing, Bianca.”
“Not that amazing. The world is a hard place right now, and we’re all fragile. We all need to look after each other.”
His eyes glow. “I love you and I can’t wait until you’re my wife.”
I smile. “Me, too.”