by Davis, Mary
Her eyes finally focused. “Garth?” She clutched him around the neck. “It was so dark. I couldn’t see anything.”
“It’s all right. I’m here now.” He caressed her hair and held her close.
She relaxed in his embrace, and her breathing became slow and even. “Thank the Lord you’re here.”
“I want to be here.” Always. He took a deep breath. “Are you all right? You didn’t hurt yourself stumbling in the dark?”
“I’m fine. I just couldn’t get any light.”
“As long as you are sure you’re okay, I’ll go ahead and start a fire.”
“No!” She sat up straight. “I don’t want a fire.”
“I know fires scare you, but I promise it will be safe. With no electricity the furnace won’t run, and this place will get cold real fast.”
She nodded her consent. Within minutes a fire blazed. He turned to her and said, “You have any marshmallows?”
“I thought you were the Boy Scout. Didn’t you come prepared?” Her words were strained, and she tried to smile but couldn’t.
He snapped his fingers. “I knew I forgot something.” He pointed at her then. “I made you smile.”
“Thank you, Garth, for everything. I feel really silly for panicking and losing it there for a minute.”
“Now you are being silly.” He sat on the couch next to her. “Total darkness can play funny tricks on the mind. People have gone crazy without light.”
“Are you calling me crazy?” she said playfully.
“Never. But I am. Crazy about you.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Why don’t you lie down here on the couch and try to get some sleep? I’ll keep watch over the fire.”
“I’m not tired.”
The circles under her eyes told him otherwise. “Humor me.”
She lay down, but she refused to close her eyes. He pulled the blue and white afghan from the back of the couch over her.
“You can’t sleep if you don’t close your pretty green eyes.”
Her worried gaze darted to the fire and back at him.
He gazed at her for a few moments then said, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“What?”
“I’ve noticed that Josie and everyone else calls you Lori and you introduce yourself as Lori, but you asked me to call you Lorelei. Why is that?”
“Actually you asked me if you could call me Lorelei. I merely said yes. If I failed to mention that no one calls me that, my oversight.”
“Do you prefer Lori? I can start calling you that, as well.”
“I kind of like your calling me something different from everyone else. It makes it. . .special.”
He looked at her and smiled. “How about ‘my love’? That’s special. Or sweetheart or honey or darling?”
Lori smiled. “Those are good, too.”
He tucked the afghan around her. He settled himself in front of the couch, leaning against it, and took one of her hands in his. He kissed the back of it gently. This was where he was supposed to be. He leaned his head back, thanking the Lord for the wonderful turn in his life this fall.
❧
Lori wiggled her foot under the claw-footed table. Eyeing the empty chair across from her, she had an odd sensation something was up. Garth had never taken her to this restaurant before. This was first class. They usually ate at fast-food places or family-style restaurants before or after church. Once they ate at a Mexican restaurant, but that was still casual—nothing ever this expensive.
His manner and behavior were unnerving, as well. He had taken extra care with his attire, she could tell. His best suit. She had only seen him wear it to church once. He looked nice—stunning, in fact.
When Garth returned to the table, he gave her his most captivating smile. A lump formed in her throat, and her pulse raced. Something was up. She forced a smile. She hated surprises.
She wanted to run. She wanted to hide. She wanted the wing chair she was sitting in to swallow her.
Their waiter, in a black satin vest and bow tie, returned with the dessert menus.
“No, thank you. I’m stuffed.” Would that hasten her escape from this softly lighted trap? She could pretend to feel ill, which wouldn’t be stretching the truth. What was he up to?
“Order something,” Garth said. “I’m getting the cheesecake.”
“Really, I’m full.”
He lowered his menu, and his gaze locked with hers. “Please.”
Why resist? She couldn’t say no to him. Not that she wanted to. Her resolve slipped away as she looked at his impish smile.
“She’ll have the strawberry cheesecake, also.”
“I don’t like cheesecake.” She offered no alternative selection.
He studied her through squinty eyes and took up the challenge. “Chocolate mousse?”
So it was guess-the-dessert now. “Too rich.”
He studied her a moment longer; then his smile broadened in triumph. “The lady will have a dish of vanilla ice cream with strawberries.” Though he spoke to the waiter, his gaze never left her. Laughing. Adoring. Intense. Loving. The uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach crept up her spine.
With no objection from her, the waiter left and returned a minute later with their order. That was fast. He set Lori’s ice cream in front of her and paused. She thanked him, and he immediately set Garth’s cheesecake in front of him. He hesitated and eyed her again. She said thank-you again to the still-hovering waiter, who was staring at her. He mustn’t have heard her the first time. Attentive was one thing; this waiter was bordering on obnoxious. He walked away and spoke to another waiter and waitress lingering nearby. Didn’t they have work to do? Customers to wait on?
She looked to Garth, who also stared at her expectantly. Why was everyone so interested in her? Did she have food on her face or something?
She figured it must be the or something because of the adoring way Garth looked at her. He was devouring every inch of her face as he had done ten years ago with that look of contemplation in his eyes. Then he was debating whether to kiss her or not. What was on his mind tonight?
“Have some ice cream,” he finally said and took a bite of his cheesecake.
“I really am full.” She pushed the dish away.
Garth looked up at her and set his fork down. He glanced at her ice cream and back up at her. “Just one bite?”
One bite. She could do that. And he seemed to want her to, for some strange reason. He had never been so insistent about anything before.
She picked up the spoon and moved her dish closer. Garth watched her every move intently, almost nervously. What was so important about a little ice cream? She soon discovered, and her hand froze in midair. The spoon slipped from her grip, hit the dish and the saucer beneath it, then came to a noisy conclusion against her glass.
She clasped her hand over the spoon to stop the clattering, which was fruitless since it had already made all the noise it was going to. Staring at the dessert didn’t change anything. The ice cream was covered with a generous amount of fresh-cut strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream with a cherry on top. Threaded over the stem of the cherry sat a solitaire diamond ring.
“Surprise.”
That was an understatement. She looked up at Garth, whose eyes were wide and bright with expectation, then at the other diners nearby who were staring at them. The number of waiters and waitresses congregated now numbered six. Suddenly the small room seemed to close in on her. Heat rushed up her cheeks.
Why did he do this to her in a public place? So she couldn’t turn him down? So she couldn’t run and hide? Run is exactly what she felt like doing. Now the whole evening made sense, his attentiveness to her and every last detail of their intimate dinner for two at the most expensive restaurant in town.
He had made it impossible for her to say no, at least not here, not now.
Garth slid his chair back, rescued the ring from the cherry, and knelt down on one knee beside her. “I was going to give
this to you for Christmas, but I can’t wait that long.” He held the ring in his hand. “Will you marry me?” His eyes were alight with hope.
Just like a fairy tale. She always imagined it like this. Or was she dreaming? Everyone she ever loved died. How could this be a fairy tale? “Garth. I—I don’t know what to say.”
“Yes would do my heart a world of good.”
“But you hardly know me. There are things you don’t know about me.”
“I know you know the Lord. You’re smart and witty and a lot of fun to be with. You’re loving and caring and beautiful, and I love you more than anything on this earth. And I want to spend the rest of my life learning everything there is to know about you.”
“But what if there is something you don’t like and can’t live with?”
“If that were the case, God would have made that clear. I have prayed a lot about this.” He took her hand and held the ring over it. “Marry me.” His eyes beckoned her to say yes.
“Can it work, Garth? Can it really work?”
“Yes.” He held the ring to her finger. “It’s as easy as this.” He slid the ring on her finger. She didn’t stop him.
The onlookers erupted in applause, and Garth embraced her.
Technically she hadn’t said yes, but she did let him put the ring on her finger—against her better judgment. Maybe it could work out for them. Maybe they could have a future. She was beginning to believe anything was possible with him.
Sixteen
Lori looked forward to spending Christmas Day with Garth’s family. Holidays were meant for families. Since she no longer had a family she would borrow his, so loving and accepting of her. She thought it might work out between Garth and her. After Christmas, when his family had left, she would tell him everything. That way she wouldn’t spoil the holiday. Then they could talk through things without an audience, or they wouldn’t, and she could go away to suffer in peace. But she wouldn’t think about that now. She was going to enjoy today.
Garth strode down the snowy hill, and her stomach clenched in a knot. His whole family was supposed to be there today. All six of his brothers and sisters with spouses and children. Now, as Garth’s fiancée, she was to be presented to his entire clan. Was she ready for this?
Garth knocked, and she jumped, her heart racing. Lori wished they could stay here and not go over to his place and face the crowd that was already assembled and awaiting her arrival.
“Before we go”—he handed her a gift-wrapped box—“this is for you. Merry Christmas.”
She held up her left hand, wiggling her ring back and forth. “I thought this was my Christmas present.”
“Is there a law that says a man can’t give the woman he loves more than one Christmas present?” He caressed her cheek with his hand.
It warmed her heart every time he said he loved her. Would she ever tire of it? “No, no law.” She took a deep breath then tore her gaze from his and opened her package like an excited child. Inside lay a beautiful blue and green sweater, the one she’d put back at the woolen shop.
“When did you go back?” She held it against herself.
“I didn’t.”
She looked up at him curiously and smiled. “You bought it that day?”
“I couldn’t let you be deprived. Besides, it brings out the color in your eyes.” He held out his hand to her. “Ready to meet the rest of the family?”
“Just a minute.” She trotted off to her room with the sweater in hand. She took off the white wool sweater she had on and replaced it with her new blue and green one.
Garth beamed with satisfaction. If only she could save that look in a bottle and have it for all time. “Now I’m ready.”
He escorted her to his vehicle and drove her to his family’s cottage. He came around to the passenger side and picked her up to carry her through the snow.
“Garth, I can walk.”
He smiled. “Sneakers are not appropriate snowshoes. We should have gotten you some boots in Traverse City.” He smiled and swung her up in his arms. “But I’m glad we didn’t.”
“Promise you’ll put me down on the first step of the porch. I don’t want your family to see you carrying me.”
“Why?” He stopped several feet from the porch. “I carried you at Thanksgiving.”
“Please, Garth. It’s embarrassing. I don’t want anyone to see.”
“You mean anyone who isn’t already peeking out the window at us?”
Lori turned and glimpsed several faces disappearing from the glass. “This is embarrassing.” She wondered how red her face was.
Garth chuckled.
“I’ll get you for this.”
“Promises, promises.” He moved the rest of the way to the porch and stopped to set her down. But the door jerked open.
“Practicing, little brother?” One of Garth’s brothers stood in the doorway.
Lori could feel the blush deepening.
Garth continued up the steps with her.
She gritted her teeth. “Put me down.”
“No point now.” He smiled and winked. When he finally did set her down inside the cottage, more than a dozen pairs of eyes were looking at her.
“Isn’t it a little soon to be practicing for carrying her over the threshold?” a male voice said from the group. She couldn’t tell whom. She was afraid to look at any of them.
“Unless of course they eloped,” the man from the doorway said.
“He wouldn’t dare. Mom would kill him,” a woman said.
“If you’re smart, you will. I thought about it,” the same man confessed.
“Blake, you didn’t?” Garth’s mom said.
“I couldn’t stand all the fuss you made over Robin’s and Jeannie’s weddings. You can thank your daughter-in-law that we didn’t.” Blake turned back to Garth and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “Elope.”
“I heard that,” his mom said. “Garth, don’t even entertain the idea.”
Gretchen broke through the crowd. “Lori!” She flung out her arms and embraced her. “Company comes, and they act like a flock of squawking birds.”
Ignoring the others, Gretchen took her away to meet the children, who seemed to be behaving better than the adults. She began naming them off, but Lori couldn’t keep up.
“Gretchen, bring her back. We haven’t even introduced anyone,” someone called from the group, and Lori turned back to them.
“Garth, you should make the introductions,” his mother said.
Lori searched out Garth’s face; to look at everyone at once was overwhelming. Garth stepped away from them, smiling at her. “Family, this is my fiancée and love of my life.” He came up beside her and wrapped a possessive arm around her, gazing down at her lovingly. “Lorelei, the most wonderful woman in the world.”
Lori felt her face warm at Garth’s introduction, but she had never felt more loved and cherished in her life. They could make it work.
“Garth, you’re embarrassing her. Typical male. We know who she is. Mom wanted you to introduce all of us to her.” A dark-blond woman stepped forward and extended her hand. “I’m Jeannie, one of Garth’s older sisters.”
Gretchen spoke then. “And this is the rest of the family. No point in introducing everyone at once; it would be too hard to remember. You’ll have years to figure it out and who goes with whom.”
Lori counted seventeen or eighteen people. She kept getting a different number. She understood now why Garth had such a large table, but even its grand size wouldn’t accommodate everyone there. The children were served first at the table, and the adults scattered throughout the house with their plates. She liked this crazy family. Being part of it helped her not miss her own family as much.
After the chaos of eating and cleaning up was over, the adults sat around, well fed and droopy eyed. Garth was lying on the floor with eight-year-old Dustin beside him playing a video game on the TV.
“Hannah, get off Uncle Garth,” Ruth said to her three-year-old daughte
r, who was bouncing on Garth’s back.
“I don’t mind. She can stay. If I want her off, all I have to do is”—he reached behind him and grabbed the girl, rolling over as he did—“tickle her.”
Hannah squealed with delight. Dustin put aside his game controller and jumped on, joining the fun. Five-year-old Mary came over cautiously and joined in, too, warming up quickly to the antics.
A small amount of Lori’s hope seeped out, watching Garth with his nieces and nephew.
Carie and Eamon scrambled upstairs then, abandoning their Ping-Pong game. “Can we deck-jump, Uncle Garth?” Eamon asked.
“If it’s okay with your folks.”
“Mom said we had to ask you, since this is mostly your place.”
“Then let’s go.” Garth stood up with the three children hanging from his arms and back.
“Can I go?” Dustin asked.
“Can I go?” Mary asked.
Dustin was given permission, but Ruth refused Mary’s request.
“It’s safe, Ruth. I promise.” Garth placed one hand over his heart.
“Please, Mommy.”
Lori wondered what deck-jumping was and was going to ask, but the scene was a little too chaotic.
“Ruth, let her go,” Blake said on his daughter’s behalf.
“Okay,” she finally said. “But be careful.”
Garth held up one hand. “I’ll take personal responsibility.”
“I want to go, too,” Hannah said.
“Absolutely not!” Ruth would not budge on that one.
There was a rustle of coats and snow pants as half the household prepared to go out.
“Come on, Audrey.” Gretchen threw a coat to her sister.
“I’m not going.” Audrey threw the coat back. Audrey was a year or two older than Gretchen and a newlywed of six months.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Come on. It’ll be fun, like when we were kids.” Gretchen continued to pester her, and Lori could see that Audrey’s patience with her little sister was wearing thin.
“Why not?”
“Because it wouldn’t be safe for the baby,” Zach blurted out in his wife’s defense.