“I knew she’d act like a villain.”
“You knew she’d be here?” Meadow blinked.
“I tried to warn you, to cushion the shock, but you rejected all my calls and refused to answer my door.” He smiled ruefully.
“You were with Blythe at the mall.”
“You saw us?”
“Yes. I thought—” Red adorned her cheeks. She groaned. Paced.
Colin chuckled. “That’s why you’ve been avoiding me. The reason I was with—”
“It doesn’t matter.” Meadow ran into his open arms. “Sorry I was swift to doubt and slow to trust.”
“Meadow, you can’t do something bad enough to make me stop lov—” His lips clamped. He’d almost blurted his feelings.
Her dropped chin and open mouth told him she knew. “What were you about to say?”
He drew breath. Tried to say but got tongue-tied. What if she rejected him?
Face softening, she inched close, hand over his heart. “Then I’ll say it. I guess you know I love you,” she whispered straight from her heart to his.
“I’d hoped.” He grasped her hand, still resting against his chest, then soaked in the joyous moment of deeply held dreams coming true. “I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you kicking that snowman.”
He hugged her securely enough to assure her he was never letting her go.
“She’ll never believe this, Colin.” Flora glowed from a Maldives island tan and treasured time with Pete on their honeymoon. Colin couldn’t wait to whisk his own bride to Komandoo. “I hope she says yes.” He was terrified she wouldn’t—and glad she hadn’t asked questions when he called her after a catering event to say she should meet him at her house. Del and the teens had just arrived, barely ahead of Meadow’s probable arrival.
“She will. Right from the ER gurney.” Flora smirked.
He turned. “Why would you say that?”
“Because she’s going to faint when she figures out you single-handedly fixed all this food without burning down her brand-new catering kitchen.”
“Ha-ha.” He heard a car pull up. Excitement surged. “Everyone hide! She’s here.”
Del flicked lights off in Meadow’s new kitchen. The one she’d dreamed about, not the one she thought she’d settled for. Colin’s home across the street could be theirs together, her cottage the catering business. If she said yes, that is.
Seconds later Meadow stepped through the door to a chorus of, “Surprise!”
She blinked. Teared up. Sought Colin’s face. “A party? For me?”
“Yes.” He met her and motioned around the room to her family and friends, teen waitstaff, design and chef school pals, business colleagues, catering clients, and even former high school classmates—all crammed into her kitchen.
“How’d you get all these people here?”
“Sent invitations.”
“And they wanted to come?”
“Most people change for the better when they grow up, but you’ve isolated yourself so long you couldn’t see it.”
As the crowd moved into other parts of the house, Meadow seemed to nearly faint at the sight of her dream kitchen, understanding now why he had kept her out so long. After giving her the grand tour, time to gush over it, and a chance to greet everyone, Colin left the guests to Flora and led Meadow outside. Candles lit a path winding through her front yard.
When she saw where they ended, she burst out laughing. “You did not.”
Two snow people, man and lady, stood side by side. “Colin, really? A snow couple?”
He inched her sideways. Little snow people nestled between the two larger ones. The hole she’d kicked into Frosty was patched up nicely. It had been so cold the whole month of February that he hadn’t melted.
“What is this?”
“A big family. And a big hint.”
He reached behind the snowman and pulled out a big wooden box. “Open it.”
Meadow did so to find a nice set of Ruffoni Historia copper cookware. “Colin! These cost a fortune!”
He draped his arm around her shoulder. “Look in the little one.”
She tore the packaging away and ripped off the lid. Nested inside was a pretty set of red, white, and black damask neoprene pot holders. “They’re gorgeous,” she breathed.
“So are you. Peek inside the smallest pot holder.”
Her heart raced as she pulled the edges apart. A red velvet box greeted her gaze. She opened the container with trembling fingers. A heart-shaped solitaire winked up at her. “Oh! Oh my starch!” She held the ring under moonlight. “It sparkles like stars.”
“So do you.” He dropped to his knee. “Meadow—”
“I do! I do!”
He laughed. “I didn’t ask yet.”
“Oh, but I know you’re going to!” She squealed, grabbing his face.
Smush-cheeked, he grinned. “Glad we finally established trust.” He slipped the ring on her finger. “Be my Valentine forever, Meadow? Marry me and make a bunch of little snow angels?”
“I’d be honored.” She received his ring, his promise, his kiss.
“Wait. Who’s catering our wedding if you’re in a pristine white dress?”