Chapter Twenty – Ensley #3
We hiked down the half-mile trail to the lower part of the falls.
It was amazing to see frozen water on top with water rushing behind it.
It fell into a crystal-clear blue pool that honestly left me breathless.
The vista surrounding us was unlike anything I had ever seen, and I grew up in what I’d thought was the most beautiful place on Earth.
Colt stood beside me, his eyes roaming the frozen falls.
Clearing my throat, I said, “There’s a quote my mother used to always say to Emeline and me. It’s a Stevie Nicks quote.”
Colt chuckled. “Why am I not surprised. What is it?”
“I am here because all my plans failed. Don’t be afraid to do something unconventional.”
He nodded. “I remember hearing her say that before.”
Facing him, I bit my lower lip. “Ask me.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, and he did a good job at not smiling, even though I knew he wanted to. “Ask you what?”
I raised a brow, and in return, a wide smile erupted across his handsome face.
“Do you wonder why neither of us settled down with anyone else?”
“Is that what you wanted me to ask?”
Folding my arms over my chest, the best I could in my thick jacket, I said, “No, but it popped into my head.”
He shrugged. “I don’t have to wonder. I know why I never did.”
Amused, I replied, “Do tell.”
“Because I love you. I always have and I always will. I couldn’t have moved on if I wanted to. You’ve always owned my heart, Ensley, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change.”
Nodding, I replied, “Same.”
He pulled off his glove. “The thing I’ve always loved most about you, Ensley Wilde, is that you live up to your last name. Not in a crazy way.” Screwing up his face, he went on. “Well, maybe you did do a few wild things in your youth.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You always knew who you wanted to be, Pippa. You were never afraid to go after something, even when you were told you couldn’t.
That’s what I’ve always admired in you.” He stopped and drew in a deep breath before letting it go on his next words.
“Every single night when I lay in bed, I would sing ‘Silver Springs’ and that one verse in the song. I think you know which one.”
Closing my eyes, I put my hands to my chest. “‘Silver Springs.’ One of my favorite songs. I played that on constant rotation after you left.” I grinned. “That’s probably why you kept singing it to yourself.”
Colt chuckled. “Maybe you really did put a spell on me, Ensley Wilde.”
Laughing, I nodded. “Oh, I put lots of spells on your ass.”
He unzipped his coat pocket and pulled out a box. A blue jewelry box.
My heart started to pound in my chest and my hands began to shake.
Getting down on one knee, he opened the box and held it out. I gasped as I looked down at…a blue diamond?
I could hear other hikers around us now whispering.
“Oh my gosh, you’re really doing this?” I asked with what I was positive was a huge grin on my face.
Looking confused, he glanced around at the few people who were standing by watching, then focused back on me. “Um, you told me to ask you…so I’m asking.”
“Did you plan this?”
He shook his head. “Not really. But I have had ten years to come up with something amazing.”
A woman standing several feet to my right asked, “You waited ten years to ask her to marry you?!”
Colt and I both glanced at her.
“It’s a long story,” I said.
She nodded, then motioned for me to focus back on Colt.
“Don’t leave the poor boy waiting!” the woman standing next to her added.
When I turned back to Colt, he actually wore a worried expression.
I dropped down to my knees as I pulled off my gloves. “You crazy man! What in the world are you doing carrying around a ring in your jacket pocket?”
He grinned. “I don’t know. I guess just in case you did something unconventional, like told me to ask you to marry me!”
A bubble of laughter slipped free, and I cupped his face in my hands. “I love you, Colt Owens.”
“Is that a yes?”
Nodding my head like a mad woman, I threw my arms around him and cried out, “Yes, it’s a yes!”
Cheers erupted around us as I drew back and smiled at Colt.
“We should put it on your finger before I drop it.”
Choked laughter slipped free as I nodded once again. Colt took the emerald-shaped ring out of the box and slipped it onto my finger. It was a perfect fit.
He lifted my hand and kissed it. “I have a confession to make.”
I couldn’t pull my eyes off the large blue diamond. It was flanked on either side by smaller white baguette-cut diamonds, all set in what I assumed was a white-gold band.
Pulling my eyes off the ring, I asked, “What’s your confession?”
“This isn’t the original ring that I bought. That one was about an eighth of the size and it was a white diamond. I bought this in Granby before we left.”
Confused, I said, “You planned on asking me to marry you on this trip?”
Winking, he replied, “I had a feeling I needed to bring it with me, and I’m glad I did. Can you imagine what these people would have thought had I not had a ring?”
I threw my arms around him once again. “I’m glad I’m not the only wild one!”