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“So, what is your plan?” Grant asked.
“I plan on asking her to marry me.”
Charlotte screamed, and people stared as we walked out of the airport. I wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. I would scream it from the top of the Sydney Opera House if I could.
“You’re all going to turn up at the barbecue tonight, and she’ll get a surprise. Hell, I hope she says yes.”
Grant slapped me on the back. “She will. I’ve known her a long time, and when I was here before, I could see she was happy for the first time in ages.”
* * *
I had the meat cooking, and Autumn had made the salad.
“Salad’s looking good. You didn’t burn it.” I had more sausages and chops over at my house to cope with the extra guests.
“I have killed people for less. I think my cooking is improving and I am a whiz at making calls for takeout and haven’t burned anything in months.”
“What about those cookies you made last week? Even Bluey wouldn’t eat them.”
“That’s true. I don’t know why I bothered with the best cake cook in the Blue Mountains living across the road.”
“Dorothy said she’ll be here soon and to leave the front door open. Said she’s bringing trifle. I didn’t know anyone made it anymore,” I said as Autumn sat in the shade.
“I love trifle, but maybe it’s because I’m English. Our live-in nanny used to make it when I was small.”
“Why am I not surprised you had a nanny.”
It was hot by the barbecue, but that wasn’t the reason I was feeling the heat. Now the moment had come, I was having doubts. I had almost been on the streets growing up and she had a live-in nanny. We had been through so much though, and she’d said she loved me. I still had that unsure part of me inside—the insecure kid who went from one bad home to another. I still didn’t understand why this wonderful woman wanted me.
I glanced over to the back door where Dorothy and the others were gathered. Even Bluey had jumped up and was wagging his tail. If I didn’t do something soon, my rascal of a dog would give it away. I turned the chicken on the barbecue plate and then bent down and hooked the little box onto Bluey’s collar. The two of us walked over and stood in front of Autumn.
She glanced up at us. “What?”
This was it.
I got on one knee, and her hand went to her mouth as she stared at me wide-eyed.
“Autumn. We’re both so lucky that you came into our lives and Bluey and I would like you to stay forever. What I’m trying to say is, will you marry me?” Bluey put his paw on her lap, and I unclipped the box from his collar and opened it to show the diamond solitaire ring I had bought. I held it out, but she hadn’t said yes yet. When I gazed at her, I could see tears in her eyes. I hoped they were happy tears.
“Yes. A thousand times, yes.”
As I slipped the ring on her finger, a loud cheer went up from the others as they rushed out into the garden.
“Oh my god. What are you all doing here? And Ginny is here, too. Now I’m really going to bawl my eyes out.” Autumn was crying with more tears of joy.
Dorothy came out with glasses as Grant opened a bottle of champagne.
Autumn kept her arm around my waist as everyone made speeches, and it was the best feeling in the world. She wanted me and I would never let her go.
“I have another surprise for you,” I said.
“I distinctly remember telling you when we first met that I didn’t like surprises,” Autumn said, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “It does not seem to have stopped you though.”
“Grant and Charlotte are not just here to see me get down on one knee. They are here for a sort of wedding.”
“What? Whose?”
“You know, for a doctor, you’re not very smart sometimes. Yours,” Grant stated, shaking his head at her.
