Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Closing my eyes, I let out a low groan.
When I opened them, my mother was ushering Mike out of the room while my grandmother held up the camcorder. “Well,” she said. “I think I got some good footage. Would anyone like to go into your father’s office and watch it with me?”
“I would!” Dad exclaimed, his acting skills suddenly tanking.
Vivianne cleared her throat and whispered, “What is happening?”
“I’m not sure. But I think I need to step outside and get some fresh air. Do you want to come? We’ll only be a second, so you don’t need your coat.”
My mother and father both moved at once and ran into each other. I grabbed Vivianne’s hand and pulled her out of the room and toward the back porch.
“The kitchen is clean!” Jason shouted.
“We heard! Thank you!” I called out.
“Didn’t we clean it before we opened gifts?” Vivianne asked as she looked behind her at what I could only imagine was my crazy family, running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
“Ignore my entire family, Viv. They’ve all lost their damn minds.”
Before we got to the door, I turned her to face me. “Close your eyes.”
With a laugh, she asked, “You want me to close my eyes to go outside in the dark?”
I nodded.
“What got into the eggnog this evening with all of you?”
“Please, Viv.”
Her smile faded somewhat when she saw I was serious, and she nodded. “Okay.”
“I’ll guide you out, you just keep your eyes closed.”
Not saying a word, Vivianne allowed me to guide her out and onto the back porch. I was so nervous that the cold didn’t even faze me.
Thank goodness there wasn’t any wind to blow out the plethora of candles that were out here. It looked beautiful, and I had to hand it to my family; they outdid themselves with this one. Not only had they placed candles, but someone had strung white lights across the ceiling of the back porch. They’d also made a fire in the firepit just below the porch, which added to the romantic feel, with the sound of popping wood. The light snow falling added the perfect final touch. I knew that was Mother Nature’s doing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if my mom had ordered it up.
Looking behind me, I saw my grandmother holding the camcorder, with my parents and brothers standing behind her. Each wearing a smile bigger than the next.
I turned Vivianne around so that we both faced one another, and our sides were facing everyone else, allowing my grandmother to have the perfect view. Dropping my hands, I said, “Okay, open your eyes.”
The first thing Vivianne did was look around. “Oh my gosh, this is beautiful!” she declared, turning in a circle to look at everything. She somehow missed everyone packed together like sardines at the door, watching us.
When she finally turned back around, she looked down…and a sob escaped her. Her hands flew to her mouth as she stared at me, before her on one knee.
I opened the box and held it out. “Vivianne, the time I’ve spent with you has been some of the happiest moments of my life.”
She quickly wiped her tears away as she nodded.
“I knew the moment I first saw you that I wanted to live out the rest of this life with you by my side. Will you make me the happiest man alive, and do me the honor of making more happy memories by becoming my wife?”
Vivianne dropped to her knees. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”
She threw her arms around me as everyone cheered. When she drew back, she cupped my face and kissed me. “I love you so much,” she said softly against my lips.
“I love you too…but don’t you want to put the ring on?”
Laughing, she dropped her hands and sat back on her heels. She looked at the ring in the box and drew in a sharp breath. “It’s stunning!”
I carefully took the ring out before setting the box aside. Taking Vivianne’s left hand, I silently said a prayer that I’d gotten the ring size correct and slipped it onto her finger.
It was a perfect fit, just like we were.
She stared at it in awe. “Ladd, this is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.” When she looked up, she was crying again.
I reached up and brushed her tears away. “I’m just relieved it fit!”
She laughed and flung her body against mine. As she hugged me, I stood, taking her with me. I could see flashes going off from the other side of us and turned to see a photographer taking pictures. Vivianne looked at the same time I did.
“You thought of everything,” she giggled.
“Actually, it was my parents and grandmother who did all of this, including remembering to hire someone to take photos!”
Vivianne and I both turned to look at my family. My mother was crying, my grandmother was also crying, and must have given up recording because David was holding the camcorder now. My father was smiling as if he’d just come into a million dollars. And my two younger brothers both gave us the thumbs-up.