“Good girl. I’ll be expecting details later tonight with our tea.” She winked.
Dakota assured her she would. She waved goodbye to the ladies and then met Tristan with two coffees in hand. She directed him to the back corner booth. She wanted him all to herself.
Chapter Nine
“We’re having a Christmas dance at the winery in two weeks. I’d love for you to come with me.”
Dakota laughed.
“You find that funny?” He’d been nervous enough to ask her and then she laughed at him.
“Sorry,” she spit out through her laughter. “It’s just your tone. You sound nervous like you’re asking me out on our first date. We’ve spent more time in the past week together than I’ve spent with my family in years.”
He admitted he was nervous. “This will be our first official date together in public as a couple.” His sudden onset of nervousness eased a bit. “We are a couple, aren’t we?”
Dakota hugged him. “Yes, we are.”
Then she stressed, “I really like the sound of that.”
He whispered against her ear, “I enjoy having you to myself. But besides Ethel at the coffee shop last week, no one else has spotted us.”
“I like that,” she admitted. “It means you’re all mine.”
He withdrew from their hug and placed his hands on either side of her face.
“I’ll always be just yours. I promise.”
Tristan meant it. He knew she was the woman he’d waited for. He’d confessed to her earlier in the week, he believed their accidental meetings to be fate.
****
After many tries, she found it. Her friends had been patient after a couple of hours and numerous choices. The winning pick was a sleeveless knee-length knit, lace dress with a ruched waist and scoop neckline. It fit her like a glove when she slid into it. The rich berry color caught her eye at first, but the softness she’d felt labeled it the perfect dress for her. The girls stood and applauded when she exited the fitting room. Maisey gave a little whistle and they all cheered. Finn found matching mid-high heels in the same shop. Dakota had never worn high-heeled shoes so she settled with a two-inch. She did a little happy dance outside the shop and made her friends laugh at the sight.
“What? I’ve never been to a Christmas dance before. Come to think, I didn’t go to my senior prom either. The kids at my school were too superficial for me.”
Dakota grinned from ear-to-ear and then strolled alongside the shops with her friends. Her stomach growled. All that shopping made her hungry. She’d been thankful when Finn pointed to the pub ahead.
“Now, we eat. I’m starving! I haven’t shopped like this in a long time.”
“It’s made me hungry too,” Kady agreed as she rubbed her stomach.
“And since Dakota finally found the perfect dress, let’s celebrate,” Maisey said.
Dakota laughed. “Sorry ladies.” She gave them a puppy-dog look that made them stop outside the pub door for a group hug.
Dakota crawled into bed, exhausted. She’d never understood why her mother and sister shopped all the time. But for the first time, she’d loved it. She smiled as she pulled the covers up under her chin. Shopping with her best friends for a dress had been fun. The wine and food at the pub filled her empty stomach and made her sleepy. But excitement still flowed through her. She hoped she could sleep. Thoughts of Tristan and the dance made her feel like a child the night before Christmas. Life was good. No, life was perfect. Her dreams and wishes were all coming true in a little village she now called home.
Dakota walked down the staircase one slow step at a time in her attempt to get used to her new heels. Her eyes locked onto his, Tristan waited by the front door in a tailored black suit. His tie caught her eye. The color matched her dress perfectly. She hadn’t mentioned the color of her dress. Unless he’d asked her friends, fate had taken over once more. Ethel came from the direction of the kitchen and raised her hands to her mouth.
“Oh, dear, you look so pretty. Let me get a picture of you two.”
She raced back to the kitchen.
Tristan met Dakota at the last step.
“I am the luckiest man. You are so beautiful.”
He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips, and placed a soft gentle kiss on it. From behind his back he brought around his other hand which held a single red rose.
“Come into the sitting room.”
Ethel’s statement pulled Dakota from her trance. She’d been speechless. Tonight was going to be perfect. Tristan looped his arm in invitation to escort her. They followed Ethel for their first picture taken together. She knew she’d treasure it forever. One she hoped to show her grandchildren in the years to come. Along with the greatest love story of how she met their grandfather.