Dex didn’t get a vote on Snake’s fate, but his primary goal had always been to prevent him from having any chance to hurt Marie. He had exacted his personal revenge by beating him to within an inch of his worthless life. He was content that Snake would be locked away for years and that Marie was finally safe.
Dex thought it was time for a special celebration.
“Marie, let’s host a party this weekend. This will be a good chance for me to spend some of my first bonus. I’m going to spring for a celebration at the Harbor Light. We can invite your mother and father, Gigi, Coach and Mrs. Delaney, and Jim and Andrea. What do you think?”
Marie was counting the people on her fingers. “Dex, counting us, that’s nine people. How much of that bonus do you want to spend?”
“I don’t care if we blow it all. This is an occasion that we have waited a long time to celebrate.”
Dex and Marie invited all of their guests to meet in the restaurant bar before dinner. As the guests arrived, Dex introduced those who had not met.
Jim Mitchell offered a toast. “Our lives were blessed the day we met Dex and Marie. They both mean so much to us, and we are happy that their long ordeal is finally over. Let’s drink to their future happiness together.”
After they were seated, Dex ordered wine and the group talked for a long time before ordering their entrees. Five waiters brought the covered plates to their table. The last waiter in line set his plate in front of Marie. The domes were lifted from the plates one at a time, and Marie’s was the last one to be raised. When the waiter lifted it, there was no entrée. Sitting in the middle of her plate was an opened velvet box with a sparkling diamond engagement ring.
The collective gasps were loud enough for patrons at other tables to look around. When Marie finally took her eyes off the ring, Dex was on one knee beside her.
“Marie, you’re the love of my life, and I can’t imagine spending the next fifty years without you by my side. Will you marry me?”
When she said yes, tears started to slide down her cheeks and the entire restaurant erupted in applause. A photographer appeared from somewhere and flashes illuminated the group at the table.
Marie stood, pulled Dex up beside her, and said again, “Yes, yes, yes.” She smothered his face with kisses as they embraced. When the embrace lasted for what was probably much longer than was appropriate, the people started applauding again. The excitement of the moment made Marie forget their happiness was being shared with a restaurant full of strangers. It was the first time Dex ever saw her blush.
Dex had been planning to propose for a long time, but he wanted to make it a very special occasion. He told everyone at the table that he had wanted their families and best friends to share this special occasion with them.
He had been looking at rings for weeks but made the final selection only a few hours before the dinner. He had driven to the restaurant directly from the jewelry shop, dropped off the ring, and told the manager what he wanted to do. The manager set it up and even arranged for the photographer.
Everyone at the table was standing now. Gigi and Marie’s mother were embracing, and Andrea grabbed Marie as soon as Dex turned her loose. Jim Mitchell ordered a bottle of champagne, and they all drank another toast.
On the way home after the party, Dex watched Marie out of the corner of his eye. She was holding up her left hand and twisting it slowly so the headlights of the car behind them reflected off her new engagement ring. He watched her for a few minutes before she noticed him looking and smiled at him. He couldn’t believe that he was going to be lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with her.
Marie was silent for a few minutes, and her expression was the one she always had when she was in deep thought. She finally said something that made him almost run off the road. “Dex, as soon as we are married I want to start making babies right away.”
“Whoa, where did that come from?” There had never been any discussions about babies; children had never even crossed his mind.
“Marie, you did say babies, as in plural. Meaning more than one?”
“Actually I was thinking about four.” She was smiling as she snuggled up next to him and kissed him on the cheek.
Appalachian Intrigue Page 26