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"‘Tis just a small token of my affection," he says, his eyes sparkling with adoration, his hand still clinging to mine.
"So this was your plan all along?" I ask with a grin. “Proposal and then a balloon ride.”
“If you said yes.” He nods. " But I’ve been sick with worry all day. About you saying no and then me looking like a total ass, a bright-pink balloon floating toward us, me with a face like a slapped ass being denied by you?—”
I offer, “But you decided it was worth the risk.”
“I wanted our engagement to be special. "
"Well, you definitely succeeded," I say.
As the sun begins to dip toward the horizon, painting the sky in a wash of pinks and oranges, we share a bottle of wine and reminisce about my first time coming to his house.
"So tell me, Callum, what do you want for the wedding? Any special requests?" I inquire, lifting my gaze to meet his.
“When I’d first stolen you away, I wanted a big do, a proper do. One to show off how important I was, how beautiful the bride I claimed.” Callum gently takes my hand, his thumb tracing over my knuckles. "But now that I know what it means to be with you, to make ye happy, I want it to be simple and intimate," he says, gazing into my eyes. "With just our closest friends and family around us. I want to see the joy in their faces as they celebrate with us, and I want them to be a part of our love."
“I’m happy to have a big celebration,” I say, thinking of all the people I love. “But I would like to have it here, on the island, instead of in the city, if you don’t mind.”
“Whatever you want, my love”—he lifts my hand to his lips, kissing it softly—“you’ll have.”
“Thank you.” A warm glow spreads through my chest at his words, and I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and gratitude.
Callum eases into the experience, slowly enjoying himself. The ride is magical, and we spend the whole time cuddling up together, taking in the stunning scenery and enjoying each other's company as the sun sets. The colors are like paintbrush strokes across the sky.
Callum has yet another surprise for me as we land back on solid ground. He leads me to a private picnic he had set up earlier in the day.
When we reach the beach, it’s dark, and the sand is lit by flickering torches. A blanket is spread out on the sand, and wine chills in a metal ice bucket. There are platters of food and fruit.
Kitt and Bayne come walking out from the shadows into the light.
“Don’t mind if we join, do ye?” Bayne asks, giving a wide, white grin.
“What a surprise!” I clap my hands in delight. “Join us!”
“Oh, Fiona! This is amazing!” Kitt comes rushing over to hug me. She squeezes me so tight that I have trouble breathing.
“Kitt. Can’t. Breathe.”
She releases me, covering her mouth with her hand as she laughs. “Oh, God, sorry! I got a little overexcited there, didn’t I? I haven’t seen you since the honeymoon. And now I hear you’re getting married!”
The four of us sit on the blanket. Callum pours wine into little clear jars for all of us. We wait to taste the wine as he raises his glass in a toast. “To my bride-to-be, Fiona. The woman who won my heart ages ago but taught me patience.”
“Cheers!”
We clink glasses, sipping the wine. Kitt makes us plates, serving us slices of her homemade bread with slabs of cheese and cups of fresh fruit. They tell us funny and exciting stories from their honeymoon. Callum and I discuss where we might travel for ours, Kitt and Bayne weighing in on different ideas. We laugh and dine late into the night, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore background music to our conversation.
Afterward, he drives us home.
Despite our unconventional start, there's something undeniably real between us. And by the end of our picnic, I know that marrying Callum is the right decision for me.
This time, when we pull up to Norse Garden Estate, we’re together, hand in hand, inside his sleek sports car, and I think of it as our home.
“Can we keep the front door black?” he asks.
“Yes,” I laugh.
We snuggle up on the couch in front of a roaring fire. The sparkling ring on my finger catches my eye once again, and I can't help but admire its beauty. "I never thought someone like you would come into my life," I say softly.
