by Nicole Vidal
I enter the code to the gate, and my nerves start to take over again. Except this time, I can’t rush back inside to settle them. I’ve been in pressure situations more times than I can count, yet for this, I’m insanely nervous even though I’m confident she will say yes—even more so than asking her on a ten-day date. I park in front of the house, and see Jake and Norah are waiting on the porch.
“Are we checking on the builder’s progress before we leave?” she whispers after I open her door.
I grin. “Something like that.”
“Morning, Jake. Norah.”
Calliope greets them as well.
“Morning,” they reply, and Jake hands me a bag of supplies and I give him my truck keys. He’ll move it for me later. Everything I need has been here for the last month except for the flowers, which are already at the house per Norah’s text from early this morning.
“Ready?” I take her hand in mine and start to walk toward our house.
“Sure.” Her tone is questioning but otherwise fine.
The closer we get to the house, the faster she walks.
“In a hurry?” I grin down at her.
“Is it finished?” She’s downright giddy at the possibility that our home may be complete. The exterior is a stately blue with shutters of a darker shade. The porch wraps around the entire house, and her studio is set off to the left of the garage. “Connor, are you going to answer me?”
I smile, kiss her temple, and keep walking. Instead of stepping onto the porch, I veer off toward her studio. Sheer glee shines all over her face. She may not want to sing as Carys anymore, but singing is in her soul. Even though she claims she doesn’t want to sing for an audience anymore, I know there is no way she will never sing again.
I fish into the bag and pull out the keys. “Here.”
She takes them and runs toward the door. The door swings open, and she charges inside. Her new studio is double the size of the one she has now.
“Oh my…. How did you pull this off?”
I draw her against me and kiss her head. The wheels in her gorgeous mind are turning. She presses a few buttons, gives me some instruction, steps into the recording booth, and pulls the headphones over her ears.
“Press it,” she demands with a smirk.
I shake my head and push the button marked Record. The familiar words of the song she sang at the memorial filter around me. Her voice is beyond words. She sings the entire song acapella, and I stop the recording.
“This is amazing. Does this mean we can stay here?”
“Here?” I ask to narrow down her meaning.
“Here in Crescent Bay.” If she’s this happy in here, I can only imagine how the rest of today will go. There are more surprises coming her way.
“Maybe. Come on, we’re not done yet.”
A huge smile graces her face as I lead her onto our front porch. I pick up the single rose on the mat and hand it to her. She brings it to her nose and smiles. “Open our door, beautiful.”
The inside is complete, but it isn’t fully furnished. We have another two weeks until the remainder is delivered. I didn’t want to wait any longer. Luckily, the bedroom, office, and kitchen are complete. I’m sure we can find something to do without a television for a few weeks.
“Are you serious? How did you pull this off?”
I set the bag gently on the floor, wrap my arm around her waist, and draw her flush against me. Ignoring the slight twinge of pain, I kiss her for the first time in our home. “I may have incentivized the builders to have our home done for the end of your tour. They completed it one week earlier than I asked them for, which is why we don’t have all our furnishings.” I grab the bag. “I have more surprises in store for you.”
She raises an eyebrow as I lead her down the hall toward the office. The moment we step into the room, she inhales sharply. Our office is a combination of mine at the condo and hers at her house. The acrylic box with the shards is prominently displayed on the wall behind the desk.
“Thank you,” she murmurs as she lightly skims her fingers across the outer edge of the box.
“Here.”
I hand her a wrapped box. She pulls the gift out of the wrapping and circles the desk. “It’s beautiful. How did you? It’s nearly an exact replica.”
“Blaine was very helpful. He found where the original box was made from the picture of the shards I sent him. The store is still open, but the craftsman who created the box passed away. His grandson did the best he could to replicate it.”
She frowns. “I was with you the whole time. How did you pull that off?”
I smirk. “I had a little help from Jake. He borrowed it from your office when they installed the security upgrades to your house. I was worried he would need to make a trip out there to replace it, but you decided to come here instead.” I take her hand again. “Ready to keep going? There’s more.” I have more to give her too, but I leave that bit out.
“I don’t need anything else.”
“Maybe not, but I have a few more things up my sleeve.”
She sets the box in the center of the desk and follows me back into the kitchen. I lead her through our barren living room to the back porch. Two German shepherd puppies start dancing in their crates.
“We have puppies. You got us puppies! They are for us, right?”
I laugh. “Yes.”
She kneels before the crates and whips open the doors. Two fluffy balls of fur climb out and push her back onto her heels. Nothing but glee and laughter surround me as I join her on the decking. The only way to tell the difference right now is the color of their collars.
“What are their names?”
“We need to pick names. They are sisters from the same litter. They also have the same mom as Sabre.”
She mumbles something under her breath.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Please tell me.”
“I’m insanely happy right now with you. It’s a little unnerving. That’s all.”
“I’m happy too. Should I keep the rest of today’s surprises for a later date?”
“There’s more?”
I skim my lips across hers. “Only two more small surprises.” There’s no way she would ask me to wait, right? That might have been another white lie. Nothing about the next two gifts is small in meaning.
“How small? I’m deliriously happy right now. I have a gorgeous home, two insanely cute puppies, a pending adoption application, and a state-of-the-art music studio. What else could you possibly give me?”
I take a deep breath before answering her honestly. “Me.”
“Don’t be silly. You’re already mine.”
I fish into the bag and pull out the final two gifts, handing her the small, silver-wrapped box with a white bow. “I know, but I want you to be mine for the rest of my life.”
Her hands are shaking as she takes the box from my hand. The box contains a matching box like her parents but with our monogram on it. She’s stunned speechless, which I want to continue to do in the future. Taking care of her isn’t something that she shouldn’t expect.
I wasn’t planning on doing this here. I shift onto one knee, take her hand in mine, and open the velvet box from the jeweler. “No one has ever seen me the way you do. You don’t see a damaged soldier with too many scars. You see me for who I am, not how much I’ve lost. Our broken roads merged when I knocked on your door to protect you. Instead, I found someone to protect and care for me. Calliope, will you be my wife?”
Tears fall down her cheeks. Her lips press to mine, and I draw her against me. “That’s not small, Connor. It’s… stunning.”
She’s talking about her ring, not the gift itself, not spending the rest of her life with me in this gorgeous home building a huge family together. I chose an oval diamond with a hidden halo and a thin pavé band. I was a bit sneaky in checking her ring size. Not only did Jake get her parents’ box, but he checked the rings in her jewelry box for me.
“Calliope, you didn’t answer me.”
“Oh my… yes! I can’t wait to marry you!”
I pull the ring from the box and slide it onto her finger.
“Can we keep this to ourselves for a little while?”
I frown. I want to tell the world. “What do you mean? Clearly, Jake and Norah are aware, considering your ring has been with him for a few weeks. I also talked to your parents when we were in New York.”
“You did?”
“There are some traditions that should be honored. I did the best I could given the circumstances.”
“You knew even then?”
I shake my head. “I knew we had a connection when you took my breath away. When you shared your childhood with me, I wanted nothing more than to walk beside you and shoulder some of the weight with you. I have never shared the entire story about my injury and the loss of my guys with anyone, not even Jake or my parents. Sharing with you sewed all the gaps and made me feel… whole again. I haven’t felt that since before Mara died.”
A fresh batch of tears stream down her cheeks. “Please tell me.”
“That is exactly how I described my feelings for you to Norah.”
I drag the pad of my thumb across her cheeks and rise to my feet. After crating our temporarily nameless pups, I lead her to our bedroom.
“We need to tell Norah that her staging was perfect.” There’s a trail of rose petals from inside the door to the balcony with a bottle of champagne and so many red roses.
She smiles at me, rises on her toes, and kisses me softly. “It’s perfect, but downstairs was beautiful too. I love you, Connor.”
I lift her in my arms and fall onto the bed, hovering over her. “I love you, future Mrs. Calliope Michelson.”
“Whatever shall we do now?” She smiles up at me.
“I can think of a few uses for that bottle of Taittinger.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Yes, please.”
I push off the bed, strip off my clothes, and uncork the bottle. When I turn back, Calliope is in the center of our bed wearing nothing but her engagement ring.
Epilogue
Connor
Four months later
It’s time to surprise my fiancée. With fresh coffee in hand, I settle on the edge of our bed. Our home has been complete for about four months now. We’re getting married this weekend. First, I have a few special things planned. I set my hand on her hip and nudge her. “Baby, I have coffee. I need you to wake up.”
“Why? It’s Monday, and I’m on wedding preparation vacation.” Even though she’s whining, I laugh.
“I have a surprise for you, and I need you to get dressed so we can get going.”
“Have I mentioned I love you madly and I love surprises?”
I smile at her and drop a kiss on her cheek. “Maybe once or twice, but I won’t mind if you keep telling me.”
Calliope sits up and accepts the coffee. “How much time do I have? It can’t be much considering your dressed, smelling delicious, and there are packed bags by the door.”
I grin at her. “You have a little under an hour.”
After one huge gulp, she asks, “What shall I wear?”
“Casual clothes are fine. I took care of everything else.”
Forty minutes later, we pull out of my garage and toward the airport. When we arrive, Jake and Norah are waiting for us in the lobby.
“You’re late,” Jake accuses as we step inside.
“No, we’re not. You’re early,” I respond. I thread my fingers into Calliope’s, and we board the plane.
“Hi, Norah,” Calliope greets her while I chat with Jake. “Do you know what’s going on?”
Norah shakes her head. “No, Jacob wouldn’t tell me because he thought I would share with you. He’s probably right. I would have spilled the beans, even if accidently.”
Not even Cash, the pilot, tells Calliope our destination. Once we’re airborne, I lead my fiancée into the private office.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” she demands.
“Yes. I need you to answer a question for me first. I know we planned our wedding to take place on Saturday at the compound, but I thought we should do something in New York too.”
Immediately, tears stream down her cheeks. “What do you mean?”
I take her into my arms but leave enough space so I can see her face. “We have an appointment at three this afternoon in the Reflection Room and then to the memorial. I was thinking we could share our vows where your parents are and then have a celebratory dinner with Jake and Norah.”
“Just the two of us?” Her voice comes out soft and barely audible.
“Don’t cry, baby. I thought you might want to share…. We don’t have to go. We can have Cash turn around right now.”
“No.” She shakes her head and pushes out a ragged breath. Fresh tears fall down her cheeks.
“No what?” I swipe away her tears with the pad of my thumb.
She settles her emotions before speaking. “You would do that for me?”
“I will do absolutely anything for you.”
“How did you know it was bothering me though? I never said anything.”
I draw her against me. “I can only imagine how difficult it is not to have your parents here for one of the biggest days of your life. Norah might have given me a bit of insight last month when you were planning the ceremony. She mentioned it was difficult for you to decide who would walk you down the aisle. She felt I should know you were putting on a brave face about the whole thing.”
“You already knew that though. You knew this was going to be hard for me, but not which part specifically.”
“Yes, I did. I planned this little getaway to give you some time with them as best I could.”
“I have no words to express how much this means to me. I love you with all my heart, and I would be honored to share our vows early in that hallowed space only the two of us.”
“I love you, almost Mrs. Michelson.”
“I love you, Mr. Michelson.”
After a long, sensual series of kisses, we retake our seats beside Jake and Norah. Near one, we check in to our rooms at the same hotel from our last trip to New York and change to visit Calliope’s parents.
The ride to the memorial is quiet. Jake and Norah will wait for us near the Survivor Tree and join us during our appointment at the Memorial. Calliope and I are ushered into the Reflection Room at three.
Initially, we stand facing one another in silence, our hands linked. I share some private thoughts with her parents before I share with her.
I realize your time with Calliope was remarkably short. Thank you for giving her the wherewithal, fortitude, and grace to persevere through the years until I found her. She is the strongest woman I know, and I’m blessed to call her mine. I promise to love and honor her for the rest of my life.
I break the silence with these words, “Calliope Sutton, I have never met anyone who understands and accepts all the broken pieces of me until you. Your heart fills the gaps in me while mine mend the fractures in you. I promise to love you and every tiny human we’re lucky enough to be blessed with for the rest of my life.” I push down the urge to kiss her breathless as she prepares to speak.
“Connor, even though it was incredibly short, my parents provided me with an example of what an exceptional marriage looks like. It’s not expensive gifts and loud public declarations. It’s the everyday gestures and understanding that you gave me from the moment we met. Your job was to protect my body. Instead, you mended my heart and soul while giving me the same opportunity for yours. I promise to love you and every tiny human we’re blessed with for the rest of my life.”
I meet her lips with mine and seal our personal vows to one another in this sacred place. We stand in silence until she is ready to leave. With intertwined fingers, we step out of the room and meet Jake and Norah. Calliope adds fresh flowers to her parents’ names. After some time to reflect, the
four of us return to the car and an early dinner. In a few days, we will officially exchange vows before our family and friends in our backyard.
Christoph
Over the last two years, I’ve seen my two unit mates and friends find love, and quite frankly, I’m downright jealous. Weird for a guy, I know. I’m heading to Connor and Calliope’s wedding at their gorgeous new home. I’m even wearing a tux for the occasion.
The three of us have been through some harrowing times, but nothing like their third deployment when Jake and Connor were both injured. I wasn’t on that convoy, but I was there when they returned. Joining them at Blackthorne Security was the best choice for me. Now I need to convince a single woman that I’m worthy of her attention. That isn’t fair to her. I don’t think she sees me as more than her friend who happens to be a guy. I’m sure the fact I’m friends with her brother might be an issue too.
I input the code at the gate and drive up to the house. It appears many of the guests have already arrived. As I step out of my car, a luxury car parks behind me.
Perhaps attending tonight wasn’t a horrible choice after all. I turn back, move to her door, and offer her a hand up. An unfamiliar heat streaks up my arm. That isn’t accurate. The same attraction was there when we met in Atlanta.
“Thank you, Christoph. Nice to see you again.”
“You too, Madeleine.” A compliment is on the tip of my tongue but how will it be received gives me pause. Madeleine Wilton is Callie’s agent. She’s tall, blonde, and has curves that even her tailored business suits can’t mask. Madeleine is a powerhouse agent and gorgeous as well. Her fitted emerald silk dress is flawless.
I make a very good living working for Blackthorne, but I’m confident she banks a hell of a lot more than I do. Despite my inability to tell her she looks beautiful, I offer her my arm.
“Such a gentlemen.” She takes it, and I escort her inside.