“Marry me.”
Kit didn’t ask, merely stated what he wanted, as though there was no doubt in his mind that she would give in.
But she couldn’t fight the smile blooming on her face if she tried. “You want me to marry you?”
“Tomorrow.”
Now she was sitting up, looking down at him with wide eyes as she tried to gauge how serious he was.
“You want me to be your wife?”
Dark brows drew together as he regarded her. “Of course.”
He said it with such conviction that the pleasant warmth she felt only grew. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say yes.”
She said yes.
Everyday for the last week, Luna had awakened to the sound of gently lapping water and the soft cry of sea gulls. That, coupled with Kit being next to her, she couldn’t think of anything better.
No, she could.
It was the weight of the ring on her finger that was better than everything this place had to offer. She had almost thought she’d dreamed the day before, that he had’t actually proposed, but the blinding diamond on her finger told her otherwise.
A knock at the door to the bungalow had Luna sitting up in surprise, immediately looking to her right, but Kit wasn’t there. When the knock sounded again, she shuffled to her feet and peeked out the window first before opening the door.
Kit had promised surprises the night before, refusing to elaborate no matter how much she begged, so for all Luna knew, this was one of them.
Standing on the other side of the door were three women, all wearing the resort’s uniform of white short and a white polo. The one wearing a short hairstyle and stood slightly in front of the others spoke rapid Dhivehi, but when she realized Luna didn’t understand what she was saying, she switched to broken English.
“We get you ready,” she said with a brilliant smile, stepping past her in a flourish as the others followed.
Already, the butterflies were fluttering faster.
Luna spun around to follow them back.
Loley, her name tag read, headed directly for the bathroom where she stopped next to the giant free standing tub and ran a bath, mixing in an assortment of bath salts, citrus scenting soaps, and topped it off with brightly colored flower petals.
Luna didn’t even get the chance to fully appreciate it before she was stripped of her clothes and practically shoved into it.
They shuffled out after and she could just see the swish of fabric as a dress was brought in, one that sparkled and shone.
Luna’s movements were jittery as she washed, grabbing a towel and drying off. Wrapping it around herself, she stepped back into the main room.
There was a flurry all around her as she was given lingerie to put on, and a slip.
Then, and only then, did she get her first look at her wedding dress.
It looked like diamonds had been sown into the fabric, rainbows glittering all around it. The sparkles extended over the straps of the dress, down the bodice, and further still until it reached the very end of the dress’ train.
When she thought of weddings, Luna thought of magnificent ball gowns, of adoring family and friends that gathered inside a church to witness the union between a man and a woman before their God. She had always imagined a big celebration for herself—a winter wonderland was what she had always wanted.
Fake snow, white roses—well white everything—and a horse-drawn carriage that brought her to the man that loved her, and the church full of people that were excited to see her off into a new life.
She had wanted something grand, lavish, with memories that would last her a lifetime.
This, with Kit, was nothing like she had ever expected, but was everything she could have ever wanted.
The ladies helped her step into the gown, zipping and buttoning it into place as she stared across the room at her reflection in the mirror.
This was happening.
It was really happening.
She’d expected the garment to be heavy considering the level of detailing, but it was nearly weightless as she moved about.
The anxiousness she felt had her stomach in knots in the best way possible.
By the time they were leaving again, smiling at her with encouraging nods once she was fully dressed, Luna was ready.
Or as ready as she could possibly be.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror now, cheeks flushed, hair strategically pinned with errant strands curling to frame her face, she looked like a bride. Unconventional, but a bride all the same.
Gathering the skirt in her hands, she walked barefoot across the floor, following the scattering of rose petals until she reached the front door where a note was taped that hadn’t been there before.
See you soon …
Three little words that made her heart flutter.