***
Erik pulled into the Pamlico House parking lot, as he had hundreds of times before—as he had all that summer when he and Laire were first dating, as he had a little over a week ago, when he came out to the Banks to check on his parents’ house. But tonight his hands sweat and his stomach was alight with butterflies. Yes, he had already gotten Ava Grace’s permission in the living room at Utopia Manor, but would Laire say yes? Or would she ask for some time? They’d only just been reunited, he reminded himself. If she needed a little time, it wasn’t a no; it was just a pause. Right? Right.
Opening her car door, he took her hand as they walked up the steps to the reception area.
“The dining room’s not open for dinner yet, is it?” asked Laire.
Erik held open the door. “We’re not goin’ to the dinin’ room. We’re goin’ upstairs.”
Laire turned and looked at him. “Up to the widow’s walk?”
He nodded. “Is that okay?”
“I thought we were having dinner.”
“We are,” he said, leaning down to press his lips to hers. “Now, no more questions.”
He’d arranged it all with Kelsey, calling her from Raleigh two days ago, after he’d purchased the ring at Sidney Thomas, and asking if it was possible for her to arrange a private dinner for two under the stars on Friday night. After some pretty impressive haggling, Kelsey had agreed to set up everything, her excitement taking over as she told Erik to let her handle everything. Now, as he ascended the stairs with Laire, he hoped that “everything” would be perfect.
Opening the door to the roof, he held it for her, watching over her shoulder as she stopped beside the candlelit table, feeling the satisfaction of her surprised gasp and silently promising to give Kelsey a hundred dollar tip when they got home tonight.
A small table, covered with a long white tablecloth, had been set for two with china plates and gleaming silver. Ice water sparkled in two goblets, and a bottle of Champagne shifted in its icy bath. On the table was a low arrangement of red roses, surrounded by flickering candles, and in a heater beside the table, Erik knew he would find fresh catch plated with sautéed vegetables and warm rolls.
But the most important part of the night was going to happen right now. Erik dropped to one knee as Laire turned around to face him.
She gasped again, the tears in her eyes spilling onto her cheeks as she covered her mouth, her sea-green eyes so wide, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Darlin’, can I have your hand?”
Shaking like a leaf, she dropped her hands from her face and offered one to him.
“Erik,” she murmured through a soft sob, shaking her head. “You didn’t have to do this for me.”
“Of course I did,” he said, taking her hand firmly in his. “We dated in secret. You had our child all alone. But this, baby? This time I’m goin’ to do it right.”
She smiled at him, sniffling softly as she wiped the tears from under her eyes.
Reaching into his pocket with his free hand, he withdrew a black velvet box and flipped it open. She inhaled sharply, staring at it for a moment before shifting her eyes to his, more tears following the others.
“Laire. Darlin’.
Wait. First, I want you to know: this afternoon at Utopia Manor, I got permission from Ava Grace to ask her mama to marry me so I don’t want you to think she’s not on board. She is. And Mr. Mopples is too, bless her heart.”
Laire chuckled softly, her shoulders shaking as she nodded at him to continue.
“Darlin’, I have loved you since the first moment I saw you. My feelin’s only grew deeper that summer, until the only future I could imagine included you. I was destroyed for any other woman.”
His hand squeezed hers.
“Even when I lost you, I didn’t stop lovin’ you, Laire. All it took was a glimpse of your face for every feelin’ I ever had to come rushin’ back so fast, I could hardly bear to let you out of my sight.”
Tears cascaded down her face, and she nodded at him, her smile so true and so lovely, it took his breath away.
“I don’t want to live another day without you. I don’t want this life if you’re not in it. I want to wake up next to you every mornin’ and make love to you every night. And every moment in between, I want to know that you’re mine and I’m yours and we’re the only family we’ll ever need.”
A small sob squeaked through her lips as she nodded.
“And if you need time, darlin’, that’s okay. Because we’ve always followed our own rules. And I’m not goin’ anywhere ever again, unless you’re goin’ with me.”
Her hand was shaking, but damn, she looked so beautiful, part of him wished he had more to say, just so he could kneel at her feet a while longer, looking up at his mermaid, the freckled, red-haired girl who had captured his heart so long ago.