That made two of them.
“I like surprises more these days.” Her voice sounded odd, as if she hadn’t spoken in a while.
“I messed up the last one, but I worked really hard on this one.” He sidestepped to the passenger side of her car and pulled out the picnic basket.
“You sure came a long way for a picnic.” She felt so uncertain, she wasn’t sure she could get in the canoe until she understood what he wanted. What he hoped to gain from coming here.
In the trees, birds chirped and whistled. The water gurgled around a small cove, but for the most part, the river provided a calm, easy place to paddle a boat or fish. The weather had turned warmer and Erin’s bare arms were hot from the sun.
Remy’s cargo shorts and T-shirt showcased lean muscle. He eyed her as if he wasn’t sure where to go next. But then, apparently coming to a decision, he put the picnic basket on the ground. His hands caressed her shoulders.
“Erin. I love you. I came all this way to say that, but I am ready to show you in every way possible, if you’ll give me another chance.”
Speechless, her mouth fell open.
"It's okay. You don’t need to answer or anything. I just… I've had a lot of things building up that I want to say to you if I can just get it all out."
"Of course." She nodded. "Yes."
“I know I wasn’t ready before, and I was scared to think about a future with you when I wasn’t doing very well on my own. Or with Sarah. I figured I had to be more—sure of myself—before I could make you happy.” He stepped closer, the clean, masculine scent of him making her want to drag in deep breaths. “But the thing is, I would have never feltlike that—restless and dissatisfied with myself—if I wasn’t full-on, one-hundred-percent crazy aboutyou. You make me want to be better."
Her heart sang at his words. Her eyes stung with tears at the rightness of the moment. But he wasn't finished yet.
"I've thought about this a lot. And I’m going to save a little more from the shows I’m producing next year and then I’ll be ready to go back to photography, which will give me a lot more flexibility. And happiness.”
Erin still couldn’t make her mouth move or her brain function. She just dove into his chest and squeezed him tight. Tighter.
“I’ve missed you so, so much,” she finally managed to say, crying softly against his shoulder and wetting his T-shirt. “I knew we were right together and it hurt terribly when things were falling apart, but I didn’t know how to fix it.”
“I’mfixing it.” His hands stroked up and down her spine, his broad palms warming her from the outside while his words soothed her insides. “I’m fixing me, Erin. That was the problem the whole time. You’re incredible. And loving. And patient with me.” He kissed the top of her head. “Beautiful, too. I like the highlights.”
Happiness filled her to overflowing. This was real. This amazing man loved her.
“I love you.” She wiped her eyes and met his gaze, knowing she wanted to look into his eyes for the rest of her life. “I knew it, even before you left, but I could tell you weren’t ready, and I was scared to admit to myself how much I’d already gotten in over my head.”
“Marry me, Erin.” His arms circled her waist, his eyes filling with love and an intensity that humbledher. “I want to spend every day of my life with you. Here, when you travel, or wherever you go. I want to be with you.”
“Oh!” A shocked gulp caught in her throat. “That reallyisa surprise. A huge surprise.” She realized he’d taken her breath away. “Honestly?”
“Sarah and I debated for an hour whether I should buy you a ring or wait for you to choose one. But we thought—if there was any chance you heard me out long enough to get to this part—well, we thought you might want a vintage ring we look for together.” He stroked her hair and tenderly kissed the back of each hand.
He kissed the ring finger on her left hand longest and she melted.
“Yes. Yes.” She lifted her voice to shout it. “Yes!”
Startled birds took flight as she jumped into Remy’s arms and let him spin her around.
“Yes to all of it,” she whispered in his ear, barely daring to believe her dreams were coming true. “I want to be with you forever. I’m going to make you so happy.”
He scooped her up off her feet. “Starting right now.” He grabbed the picnic basket with the other hand and marched them down the hill toward the canoe. “We’re going to have the best damn picnic ever. Right after we catch the biggest fish.”
“You mean right after you kiss me.” She arched up closer to brush her lips over his.
“That part is a before, during and after kind of thing,” he said, pausing long enough to kiss her thoroughly. Kiss her senseless. “I picture a lot more of that happening.”
She still felt as if they were spinning when he settled her onto the blanket in the canoe.
“This is the best surprise.” She stared up at him as he situated the picnic basket between them.
