Epilogue
October of the following year
If Max had thought weddings were hectic, he was completely unprepared for how insane a corporate retreat could be, at least for the person planning it. Luckily, the people attending the event seemed to be relaxed and enjoying themselves.
As much as he tried to help, he often felt like more of a nuisance than an aid. Carissa was like a well-oiled machine, which was no surprise after watching her handle both of his children’s weddings. Still, he hoped he was at least a comfort to her if nothing else.
It was the last day of the retreat, and Carissa was run ragged. They’d just sent the group off to a restaurant for dinner. They had a few loose ends to tie up before everyone went home, but overall, it’d seemed a smashing success. Even the jerk of a CEO, Jacob, had begrudgingly complimented Carissa on her work. They planned to book future retreats with her, and she’d already had a few calls from potential clients. Between her wedding business and the new venture, she was doing well.
Max had made a point of becoming more involved. While he was often out of his element with the wedding stuff, Carissa appeared to appreciate that he provided a male perspective on the activities and ideas she had for the events. They made a pretty good team, and working together had only brought them closer.
So much so that he was hoping to find a moment alone with her before they headed back to Southern Maryland. He had a particular question he wanted to ask her, and he’d been planning how to do it for months.
After making sure she was still in the shower, he snuck the ring box out of his pocket and opened it. A brilliant solitaire diamond glinted back at him from the velvet cushion. It was simple but elegant. Truthfully, the ring had been burning a hole in his pocket ever since he’d bought it, and he’d had to restrain himself from popping the question multiple times. But the trip meant a lot to Carissa, and it seemed the perfect way to end what had been a long and exhausting road.
The shower turned off, and he slipped the box into his pocket. He’d debated asking her that night, but she’d been so tired when she got back to their cabin. Without telling her, he’d extended their reservation for one more night. He’d reserved a picnic basket and a wine tasting at a local winery for the next day. He hoped once the hubbub of the retreat was over, she would relax and enjoy their time together.
But that night, they were planning a quiet evening in. He’d bought some steaks for the grill and had already opened a bottle of red wine to breathe. As soon as she was dressed, he would get started on their meal.
As she entered the room fully dressed, her graying hair wrapped in a towel, his breath caught in his throat. She was more beautiful to him than ever before. His hand slid into his pocket, and he caressed the velvet box. I should ask her now.
He shook his head, pushing the thought from his mind. Not yet. Everything needed to be perfect. Her eyes met his, and she smiled.
“You look like you’re struggling with something.”
He swallowed and waved a dismissive hand. “No. I was caught off guard by how beautiful you are.”
She scoffed. “I look like death.” After walking over to the mirror, she unwrapped her hair and began towel drying it. “As happy as I am with the success of this week, I’m glad it’s over. I need a vacation.”
“I can’t give you a whole week, but I extended our stay by another night. We leave Sunday.”
She spun around, eyes widening. “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.” He moved toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “You worked hard this week, and you could use a day to relax before returning to the realities of home.”
“Wow.” Her face lit up with a smile. “A whole day here with just you.” The smile morphed into a smirk. “Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
He laughed and kissed her briefly. “How does an afternoon at a winery sound?”
She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “Like heaven.”
The urge to ask her bubbled up inside him again, and he forced himself to step back and put some space between them. “You hungry? I’ve got the steaks ready for the grill.”
Opening her eyes, she nodded. “Famished.”
He made his escape, carrying the steaks with him. After firing up the grill, he waited for it to get hot before he tossed the steaks on with a few vegetable kabobs and closed the lid. Drinking in the cool autumn air, he tried to clear his mind.
A moment later, Carissa joined him with a glass of wine in each hand. She handed one to him then clinked it with her own.
“To the best unexpected assistant I’ve ever had,” she said with a wry grin.
“To us.” His eyes never left her face.
She sipped the wine and frowned at him over her glass. “Something’s gotten into you.”
His heart skipped a beat, and he almost blurted out the question, but he bit his tongue to keep from speaking. When he recovered, he raised his hands.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
After setting her glass on the table next to the grill, she crossed her arms. “You’ve been jumpy all week. At first, the stress seemed to be getting to you, but the retreat is over. Everyone goes home tomorrow.” Her lips quirked in a smile. “Well, except us.”
“It was more stressful than I expected.”
She raised an eyebrow. “There’s more to it, though, isn’t there?”
Lie. Tell her you’re tired or missing the kids. But if the whole arch debacle had taught him anything, it was that he shouldn’t hide things from her.
“I have something I want to ask you,” he began.
“So ask me.”
He sighed. “It’s not something you just blurt out.”
A light of understanding dawned on her face. “Oh.”
Darn it. There goes the surprise. He grimaced and turned to the grill to check the steaks.
Then she leaned closer and took his hand. “I don’t need some big romantic gesture.”
He rolled his eyes. “You might not need it, but I want to give you one.” He harrumphed. “Or I did, but once again, my surprise is ruined.”
Cupping his cheek with her other hand, she held his gaze. “It’s still not something I was expecting. And you know my answer is?—”
Before she could continue, he dropped to one knee. No way is she going to beat me to the punch. With a shaky but determined breath, he removed the box from his pocket and opened it.
“Carissa Owens,” he began. If nothing else, at least he could give the darned speech he’d been practicing for weeks. “I can’t say we had love at first sight.” Her laughter urged him on. “Or even second, third, or fourth sight. But it’s been a long time since I felt this way about someone. I never saw myself getting married again, but then I fell in love with you, and I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life without you.” His voice cracked. “Will you marry m?—”
“Yes!” she squealed before throwing her arms around him and sprinkling sweet kisses all over his face.
“You didn’t even let me finish the question,” he protested, sliding his hands into her hair and pressing his lips to hers.
She pulled back just far enough to look at him, a twinkle in her eye. “I wanted to prepare you for what a lifetime with me will be like.”
He narrowed his eyes, hoping to appear stern but mainly to keep from laughing. “You mean you plan to ruin all of my surprises?”
“Pretty much.”
She stepped back and helped him stand. Then he slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. While she admired her ring, he flipped the steaks then gazed toward the lake. He blinked. Sitting on the picnic table across from him was a pair of mourning doves. One of the birds cocked its head at him before preening its mate. A slow smile spread across his face.
“Looks like we both found someone,” he whispered.
“Did you say something?” Carissa asked.
Max cleared his throat. “Uh, do you have a date in mind?”
She moved beside him, a mischievous grin on her face. “What about a West Virginia wedding? They have a drive-through service.”
A laugh bubbled up in his throat. “That’s not quite what I had in mind for a destination wedding.” When he glanced at the birds, they took flight, soaring above the deep orange and red hues of the leaves on the trees as the sun set in the distance. His heart felt lighter. “But I could see getting married here.”
“Hmm.” Her brow furrowed. “Same time next autumn?”
He kissed her again. “Let’s do it.
Finished The Love Birds series and ready for what's next? Read on for a sneak peek at my next book, The Tides That Bind , book one of the Heartstrings and Hops duology. Coming Spring of 2025.