Bo sputtered indignantly, but before he could reply, Matt marched to the luggage rack in the corner of the room and dug into the side pocket of his suitcase. He palmed a small black velvet box that made Eve’s heart miss a beat.
Shaking his head, he returned to stand in front of Eve, then slowly lowered himself to his good knee. Eve reached out and cupped his smooth jaw and smiled. “You don’t have to do this.”
Matt tilted his head to her touch. “I was planning something a bit more romantic. Just the two of us.” He shot a blustery scowl over his shoulder that Eve was sure fooled no one.
Clearing his throat, he took Eve’s left hand in his and said, “You are the other half of my soul, Eve Masterson, and I want us to be together. Forever. Will you marry me?”
Eve’s throat was almost too tight with emotion to speak, but she somehow managed a tiny “Yes.”
She clutched the small, elegant box to her chest a moment, then with shaky fingers pried it open. Resting on a bed of white satin was a square aquamarine stone set in a slim band of white gold. It was lovely. Delicate.
Before she could say anything, Matt leaned forward with concern then let out a harsh cry. “Damn. Wrong box. Ashley’s gonna kill me. That’s her engagement ring. She wanted to propose, too. That’s supposed to symbolize your connection to her life. It’s her birth-stone.”
The women in the room gave a collective “Oh.”
Matt started to rise, but his bad knee buckled. Sara, who was closest, dashed to the suitcase and fetched a second black box. “Here,” she said softly. “And if it’s any consolation, I think this is the most romantic proposal I’ve ever heard.”
Eve heard Ren grumble something to his wife when she returned to his side, but she didn’t pay any attention because Matt—after surreptitiously checking the contents of the second box—held it out to her. “Can we try this again?”
Eve opened it slowly. The light from the window made the emerald-cut diamond glitter like a small sun. Her gasp of wonder and delight seemed to be just the release their friends needed, because suddenly everyone crowded forward, chattering and laughing.
Matt coughed loudly. “Excuse me, but aren’t we forgetting something.” Everyone froze. “Eve’s answer,” he said pointedly.
Eve slipped the ring on her finger—a perfect fit, and held her hand up to admire the beautiful ring. She’d never been happier and she knew there was no way to adequately express that feeling in front of an audience. “Yes, I’ll marry you. The sooner the better. And we can live on the moon as far as I’m concerned, as long as we’re together.”
Everyone clapped and cheered so loudly the commotion woke up the babies.
Claudie—barefoot with veil in hand—hopped up on the bed once the children were rescued by their doting parents, and hollered, “That will be wedding number two, wedding number one is due to begin in forty-seven minutes, folks.”
Her announcement created a momentary panic, which took some of the focus off Matt and Eve, who were locked in each other’s arms.
“Sorry about that.” Matt whispered, nuzzling Eve’s neck.
“Don’t be. I’m a public figure, I deserve a public proposal. But,” she said, teasing him with a kiss on the nose, “promise me we won’t have this big an audience when I give birth.”
Matt’s booming laugh coincided with a knock on the outer door. Sherry, who was the closest, opened it. A waiter pushing a table topped with two ice buckets and an array of crystal flutes entered. He handed an envelope to the young girl, who carried it to her sister.
Claudie extracted a card and read the note aloud, “‘Dearest Claudie and Bo, I’m so very sorry to be missing your wonderful day. But at my age, one doesn’t dare pass up a chance to cruise around the South Pacific with a dashing escort. Please know that my best wishes are with you. As my son and wonderful daughter-in-law have proven—love is the most powerful cohesive of all. I am proud of you both, and I wish you every happiness, Babe Bishop.”’
Sara placed her now-quieted pink bundle on the bed beside the twin Ren had been comforting, then poured rounds of champagne and sparkling cider. When everyone had been served, she asked, “A toast, husband dear?”
Ren lifted his glass. “To Claudie and Bo…and to Eve and Matt.” He put his arm around his wife’s shoulders and squeezed her tight. “May you know as much happiness in your lives together as Sara and I have. And may your futures be rich with the laughter of children and the love of good friends. Salud.”
Eve looked at Matt. Her heart couldn’t begin to express the joy she felt. They were at a beginning, and she couldn’t wait to see how their story would unfold.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5173-4
SOMETHING ABOUT EVE
Copyright © 2001 by Debra K. Salonen.
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Something About Eve Page 24