I smile. “It’s a secret.”
“Huh.”
“I will tell you all in my own good time, however. I’m a giver like that.”
“Okay then.” He gives me a lopsided grin that honest to God makes my knees weak. This man. Happy sigh. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“One of these days I’m going to surprise the shit out of you and turn up in a suit.”
“You’d look awful pretty in a suit. Of course you look awful pretty in anything. Or nothing. I’m a lucky woman.”
He just grins.
“Why don’t you do the honors and pour the champagne?”
“On it.” He crosses to the bottle and the waiting glasses. “You know, the last time you were dressed like that was your happy divorce party going on six months ago now.”
I slump oh so gracefully onto the sofa, accepting my glass of bubbly. A bit too much running around for one day maybe. Though the overall effect of all of our decorating the place is gorgeous and my friends were happy to help. It’s nice to have new and awesome friends. I like it a lot. “It hasn’t been long since all of that, has it? I mean it feels like we’ve been together a long time, but we haven’t really. Everything about us being together used to worry me so much.”
“But not anymore?” He sits beside me, slinging an arm around my bare shoulders and drawing me close. The motive for this becomes obvious when he takes a moment to peek down the front of my dress for various reasons. All of which make me smile.
“No, not anymore.”
“Good.”
“I’m happily living my best life and I hope you are too.”
“You bet I am,” he says.
“How was work?”
“Good. Art was in getting his children’s signatures on his calf muscle.”
“He’s a nice man.”
Leif smiles. “He is. He said to say hi.”
“That’s nice. Gosh darn you’re handsome.”
“I find you awfully fetching too, Anna. Especially all dressed up like you are,” he says. “Though I also like you a lot naked with your hair all rumpled and sleep in your eyes. I’m easy for you like that.”
“Why thank you, kind sir. I put extra effort in because I wanted to make something out of tonight. A surprise something.” I couldn’t keep the answering grin off my face if I tried. So instead I take a sip of booze and get my thoughts in order. Hours have been spent in front of the mirror preparing for this speech, but the words still feel like a jumbled anxious mess on my tongue. “It’s more than just attraction between us, you know? A lot more. You’re my best friend, Leif. You’re smart and kind and you mean everything to me. Life is better with you.”
His gaze warms at the words. “Thank you.”
“The last few months with you have been the best. And that’s wild given how bad the ones leading up to it were. So I pulled on my big-girl panties and made a certain phone call today . . .”
He cocks his head. “Did you now?”
“Yes.” I nod. “I rang your lovely mother and asked for her blessing to ask you to marry me.”
Beside me, the man freezes. “You did what?”
“You heard me.”
“Yeah, I did . . . I’m just surprised.” He blinks. “Anna, baby, I thought you didn’t want to get married again. You were pretty damn against the idea if I remember correctly.”
“No, I didn’t. Because I didn’t see how I could ever trust someone like that again. Didn’t know if I could ever feel that secure and happy, you know?”
“That makes sense.”
“But I do feel that way. With you.”
He exhales. “Wow. I’m so glad to hear that.”
“And I was wondering if maybe you feel that way with me?”
The corners of his lips edge up again. “I most certainly do. But we can keep going on as we are if you’re not comfortable with more.”
“That’s what I’m telling you, my love. I am comfortable with more. I’m comfortable with all of it when it comes to you.”
He just shakes his head in wonder. But he still hasn’t said yes. This is an important point.
“And when we were doing our rewatch of The Twilight Saga last week, I happened to notice how you kept watching me out of the corner of your eye during the wedding scenes,” I say.
“Anna . . .”
“And that look on your face when Bella was walking down the aisle. It made me think that maybe I’d been a bit selfish ruling out marriage.”
“I told you,” he says. “I had something in my eye. That’s all.”
“Sure. Okay. It’s a beautiful vampiric cinematic moment and no one would blame you for getting caught up in it.” I set my glass aside and turn to face him more fully. His expression is grave, his focus entirely on me. I grab hold of his hand, holding on tight. “But also, as I just explained, my reasons for ruling it out didn’t really add up anymore.”