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“By the sounds of things, about half an hour before you did. I heard the others rambling around this morning but rolled right over and went back to sleep. They have surprisingly nice bedshere. I would not mind staying here more often. It is quite luxurious.”
Beth exited the bathroom, fully put together. One nice thing about wearing her daughter’s clothing was that she didn’t have to decide what to wear. It wasn’t that the selection was limited but that Sarah had sent over complete outfits. All Beth had to do was choose the style she felt most comfortable in and put it on. Secretly, it was a little weird wearing her daughter’s bra and panties, but she had never been more relieved to find she wore bikini briefs and not thongs. Beth wasn’t sure if she would have rather gone commando or had floss crawling up her crack all day. It didn’t matter because, as it turns out, that was one thing she didn’t have to worry about.
“Wow, Beth, I know you are aging well but in those blue jeans, cranberry boat neck top, and riding boots, you look like your daughter’s twin sister, not her mother. You look absolutely stunning, sweetheart.”
Chad’s earnest appreciation for her looks always made her feel confident, but when he looked at her that way and complimented her, she felt like a model on a runway.
“Thank you. Are you ready, or did you have more primping to do?”
“What? I don’t look put together enough for you in my khaki pants and pullover sweater? I thought the cream and navy went well together.”
“You look fine. A bit like you just left the golf course, but fine. I am ready to head outside. I am dying to see this garden. I bet it is magnificent when it is in full bloom. This would make a stunning wedding venue. I wonder if they open it up for events like that.”
“A beach wedding in February works well in Florida. A garden wedding in February in Massachusetts, I can’t imagine being much fun.”
“No, silly, it would need to be a summer wedding here. Time for the flowers to bloom and temperatures to be comfortable for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.”
“Bethany, I am not waiting another day past February 14th. If at any point you want to move this celebration forward, be my guest. Moving it back may just result in an abduction and marriage at sea.”
He helped her into her coat as peals of laughter rang out and echoed off the marble floor and polished wood-paneled walls. The entry had been dark when they arrived last night, so they had not been able to appreciate the grandeur of the old home. It was truly magnificent. Chad imagined they were from some very old money to have built a home such as this almost a hundred years ago.
A chilly breeze swept through the room as the main door opened, and an older gentleman walked in. “It is all yours. About time for me to rest my old bones by the heater and enjoy a cup a joe with my lady. If I stay out any longer, she will be coming after me like an old wet hen fretting about me catching a cold. Best o’ luck.” With that, he turned and made his way to the back of the house.
“They are such a sweet old couple. It is clear they care about each other deeply,” Beth remarked, making her way out the door.
Chapter 24
Chad caught up quickly, having shut the door behind them, and took her hand in his. She appreciated the warmth having left her gloves back at the hospital. As they made their way along the sidewalk beside the house towards the back garden, Beth imagined what flowers would grace the flower beds come spring. Small patches of snow missed by the shovel crunched beneath her borrowed boots, and she was grateful for their warmth.
She looked up into the bare branches of the trees lining the walks and scattered throughout the garden as they finally made their way to the entrance. It was clear this garden had been planned by a master and laid out with a center courtyard and elegantly designed and trimmed hedges and footpaths. A bright spot of red on the otherwise white landscape caught her eye.
“What is that, do you think?” she asked, moving forward to inspect the unexpected color. “Nothing natural should be that bright red at this point. It can’t be winter roses; they would be standing tall.” Curiosity lit her voice as she walked nearer. It was the center of the garden. A stone border marked the edges.Whatever grew here was dormant and seemingly below ground. But on the surface of the snow was sprinkled… bright red rose petals in the shape of a heart. The footprints that would have been necessary to place them had been smoothed over by a rake to make the picture before her as pristine as humanly possible.
Beth turned her amazed gaze on Chad, who was slightly behind her, and found him on one knee, ring box in hand, open to reveal a stunning diamond with a halo of blue sapphires the color of her eyes.
“Bethany, I have waited, hoped, and planned for as long as I can possibly stand. Will you please put me out of my misery and do me the honor of becoming my bride.” Chad’s deep voice was strong and confident, even as his eyes begged her to say yes with no more conditions.
“Yes, Chad. I would be honored to become your bride… on February 14th.“ Her eyes twinkled with merriment as he stood and placed the engagement ring on her finger, then scooped her into his arms and spun her around before taking her lips in a searing kiss to seal the promise.
“Woman, February 14thcannot come soon enough, but I waited for ten years for this day to come, so I guess I can survive another month and a half to finally call you mine.”
“You can call me yours now. Your fiancé.” She grinned and placed another kiss on his lips.
The afternoon flew by as they helped a precious young lady named Harper and Eric’s friend Zach finish preparing the public rooms downstairs and the enormous dining room for the Christmas Eve dinner and party.
Things ran a little late, so they wound up rushing to dress and get back downstairs for the festivities. Sarah introduced them to all of her friends, and Beth nearly cried the first time she said, “This is my mother, Beth, and my future father, Chad.”Chad wasn’t unaffected himself, and when they had a somewhat private moment, he expressed his gratitude to Sarah.
“Chad, you probably didn’t know it, but we have all been rooting for you two for a long time. When I was younger, I imagined you walking me down the aisle at my wedding, you on one side and Mom on the other. You were a little too slow for that to happen, but now is just as good. You will be a wonderful granddad to our little girl. I am hoping that Tom and Natalie will provide us with a cousin soon, but they are taking their time and enjoying each other. I can’t blame them. Oh, Gwen and the new doctor just arrived. Come over and say hello. I would love to hear your take on him later. I am not sure if he is an acquired taste or just… well, you decide and let me know.” With that, the round of introductions and mingling resumed.
The evening passed by quickly and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Beth had never experienced such an elegant event before that was a private affair and not a fundraiser thrown at a fancy hotel or country club by the elite, trying to dig into their neighbors’ pockets for one thing or another. As a head nurse at the hospital, she had been required to attend and shmooze the donors. This Christmas party felt completely different. Yes, the men wore nice suits, an unexpected sight seeing her rough mountain man son-in-law looking like a fancy businessman instead of the wood craftsman he was by trade, and the ladies wore formal gowns, but everyone was so kind and friendly. This event had been hosted for the friends and family of Zach Harrington and many everyday folks from the town were here. She realized for the first time that her daughter and almost son were some of the wealthiest people she knew, and their friends were no doubt wealthy, too. Yet they were all so normal.
As crystal flutes of high-end champagne were passed around, genuine laughter echoed around the room. Sarah and her friends were some of the happiest people she had ever interactedwith. She was so happy for her and proud of the life choices she had made. Living so far away would be hard as her and Tom’s families grew. She definitely wouldn’t mind visiting here more often. Beth wondered if it would be possible to put a room on retainer so she and Chad could visit frequently without having to worry about inconveniencing the children.
“Your mental gears are turning. I am sure this lovely old home is insured, but they could never rebuild it. Don’t let the sparks flying from your ears catch fire.”
“Stop teasing me. I was just thinking how nice it must be to live here and how much I will miss Sarah and Tom. I don’t want to miss seeing their children grow. Just wondering at the possibilities, that is all.”
“Well, don’t let thoughts of tomorrow rob you of the memories you could be making today,” Chad remarked wisely.
