Several times she laughed along with him as he described funny things that had happened in France, and her eyes misted as he spoke of his grandparents. He really loved them—and she could tell he loved his mother, too, underneath all that pain.
“Bernard, I really had no idea. I’m sorry I pressed you so hard. It must have taken a great deal of courage to come and tell me all that now.”
Bernard smiled and reached for her hand. “I had someone who helped a great deal. He said I had nothing to be afraid of, and that I’d feel lighter when I talked about it—and he was right.”
Opal wondered who that might have been, but sent whoever it was a silent thank you. Something had changed in Bernard, and it had brought him back to her.
“Talking about things is always better than not, in my experience. But why did you change your mind about telling me, in particular?”
“I...well, I realized...” Bernard started, and she leaned forward, her palm on his cheek.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” she said softly.
“Oh, but I do. I have to and I want to.”
“Why?” she whispered.
He reached up for her hand and kissed her palm. “I’ve also had time to realize that I love you, Opal. And I love who I am—who I’m becoming—when I’m with you.”
He cleared his throat and looked at his boots. “I don’t imagine you could love someone like me, but I’m learning. I’m trying.”
Her breath hitched in her throat. How could he possibly think that?
“Shhh,” she said as she touched his lips with her fingertip. “Don’t ever say that. I can, and do, love not only someone like you but you. I love you, Bernard. Thank you for telling me all of that.”
“Thank you for listening, and giving me another chance,” he said before he leaned forward and kissed her, his lips soft and warm.
She closed her eyes and let her heart feel the warmth of his love, too.
He jumped when his phone rang—that familiar ring tone that they both knew was his mother. He took the phone out of his pocket and looked at her. His eyes were filled with something new, something she didn’t quite recognize but hope she’d see more of.
She smiled and nodded, and he closed his eyes for a moment, squeezing her hand for strength as he clicked on the green button and said, “Hi, Mom.”
Chapter 20
Bernard put the chocolate croissants in the backpack and screwed the lid on the thermos. He smiled, excited to take Opal back up to the knoll for the first time in weeks.
He picked up the black velvet box with the ring that had come in the mail from his mother—the engagement ring that her father had given her mother—and he opened it up, the diamond sparkling in the early morning light. He’d talked to his mother almost every day since the first night he’d answered, and while it had taken a lot of time for them to find their footing, they had. Things were easier now, and she even said she’d like to visit in the summer.
That had made him a little nervous, but Opal had promised she’d be by his side. He really didn’t know what he’d done before he’d met her. She encouraged him, talked to him, listened to him even when he didn’t make sense as he sorted through all of his childhood pain and confusion. And she never judged him. Not once.
He flipped the box closed and set it in the backpack, eager to get up to the knoll and get this part over with. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about what would happen if she said no. He took courage in what Allen had said when he’d gone to see him to ask for Opal’s hand in marriage. He’d thought it was the right thing to do if they were all going to be a family, and he was glad he had.
“You’re not serious, are you, son? As far as Opal is concerned, the sun rises and sets on your head. I’ve never seen her this happy, and you have my blessing. Can’t wait until you’re an official member of the family and I can torture you with more obscure sports on TV.”
They’d both laughed, but in the past couple of days before he could get Opal up to the knoll to propose, he’d hung onto those words of encouragement from his future father-in-law.
When he’d suggested they take breakfast up to the knoll on the next Sunday morning, Opal had been thrilled. They hadn’t been since they’d gotten the all clear from Belinda that the bears had traveled on and were no longer in danger. It had been a grand night, and they’d actually had a champagne toast, all while watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. The Olympics and bears—Bernard could never have imagined that that combination would have made him the happiest man alive.
He zipped up the backpack and grabbed his coat and gloves. He was almost out the door when he turned back and looked at his camera, wondering if he’d need it. For some reason, since he’d fallen in love with Opal he hadn’t had it slung around his shoulder all the time. He was much more interested in seeing the world through his own eyes, the way it really was.
Opal opened the door on his first knock, and smiled up at him, reaching on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. His heart soared and he gripped the backpack more tightly in his hand.
He looked past her, and Allen winked at him and nodded.
“Have fun, you two,” he said with a wave as he and Opal headed toward the trail.
“What a beautiful day,” Opal said as she looped her arm through Bernard’s. “I think spring finally has sprung.”
Bernard looked around at the wildflowers that had poked through the hard ground, and he bent over and picked one for her.
She laughed and put it behind her ear, the deep purple standing out against her shiny, black hair.
As they reached the knoll, he ran ahead, pulling her toward the flat boulder they’d spent so many hours sitting on.
“What’s gotten into you, Bernard? I’ve never seen you this full of energy,” Opal said with a laugh.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m just happy,” he said as he sat on the boulder and motioned for her to join him.
“So am I,” she said quietly as she kissed his cheek. “In fact, I never thought I’d be this happy.”
Bernard’s stomach flipped, hoping that in a few minutes she’d be even happier.
He set his backpack down and reached for her hand. She squeezed it and turned to look up at him.
He’d practiced several ways to do this, and frowned when none of the words came out.
“Opal, I...I...”
Opal laughed, her green eyes gleaming as she looked up at him.
“Oh, no, Bernard, not this again. Spit it out.”
He laughed and hugged her tightly. He pulled away and took a deep breath. He reached into the backpack and pulled out the black velvet box, and he quickly fell to one knee as he reached of her hand.
He looked down at the ground, and again the words wouldn’t come. He cleared his throat and looked up into her eyes and held them.
Her eyes searched his, and in them he found the courage he needed, the comfort they always gave him, and his hopes for the future.
Finally, he could say it.
“Opal, will you marry me?” He leaned forward, and her sweet, warm lips melted into his own.
Her eyes fluttered open as he pulled away, anxiously waiting for an answer so he could breathe again.
Epilogue
Opal touched her lips and her head spun. He’d actually asked her to marry him, and she couldn’t think of anything in the world that would make her happier than to be his wife.
Opal cupped his cheeks in her hands and leaned forward, resting her forehead on his.
“I thought you’d never ask,” she said, and they both laughed, knowing full well that if history meant anything, that had been a real possibility.
“Oh, thank goodness,” he said with a huge exhale, and he slipped the beautiful ring on her finger.
“It’s my grandmother’s,” he said and her eyes widened.
“How...When...”
It was her turn to be at a loss for words.
Bernard laughed, and said, “Well,
you know we’ve been talking, and she wanted you to have it. From my grandmother and grandfather.”
Her eyes misted as she held it up to the sunlight. She could almost feel the love from his grandparents pouring through it—even more family.
“Hang on a second,” he said as he stopped and reached for his camera before he remembered he hadn’t brought it.
He clicked the phone on and took a few shots of her with the flower behind her ear, wanting to remember this day forever.
“I want one of both of us,” she said, and she pulled him close and kissed him.
He laughed and kissed her again, facing the camera. He checked it quickly, and smiled at how happy they both looked.
He quickly texted the photo to his mother, Olivia and her father, and wrote, “I asked and she said yes,” tilting the phone so Opal could see what he’d done.
“Your mother already knows, obviously” she said, her eyebrows raised.
“Yes. I had to wait for the ring. She sent it specially, and I had to wait for it. Otherwise, I’d have asked you during curling,” he said, and his heart soared at the sound of her laugh.
“And my dad? Did he know?”
Bernard looked a little sheepish. “I’m sorry. I asked him for his permission. I needed to ask for your hand in marriage, didn’t I?”
She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m glad you did. Looks like we have a ready-made family, doesn’t it?”
As she rested her head on his shoulder, Opal took in a deep breath and looked out over the lake.
She couldn’t believe how much Bernard had changed, seemingly overnight. He’d gone from refusing to talk about a single thing to blabbing what seemed like any and every childhood memory he’d ever had. And he talked to his mother regularly, something that gave her great joy.
She looked down at the sparkling diamond on her hand. It was lovely, but what meant most to her was that it meant they’d be a family. Yes, he part of his and she part of hers, but the best part was that they’d be able to make a big one, with everybody loving each other. As it should be.
She stood and looked out across the lake, where they’d found the mama bear and her cubs, and said a silent thank you to them for bringing her a family of her own.
The End
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Also by Cindy Caldwell
Wild West Frontier Brides Series
The Chef’s Mail Order Bride
The Wrangler’s Mail Order Bride
The Bartender’s Mail Order Bride
The Teacher’s Mail Order Bride
Saffron
Carol
The Blacksmith’s Mail Order Bride
Christmas at Archer Ranch
Cindy Caldwell books in the American Mail Order Bride series - 45 authors, 50 states, 50 brides
Josephine, Bride of Louisiana
Michelle, Bride of Mississippi
If you like sweet contemporary romance, I write with a group of very dear friends about River’s End Ranch, a destination resort in Idaho.
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River’s End Ranch
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About the Author
Cindy Caldwell loves everything about the great Southwest, especially setting romances there. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she can still see the open frontier, enjoying Arizona sunsets as much as she can.
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Picture Perfect (River's End Ranch Book 45) Page 9