He’d carved in flowers and trees as well, all of them painted in bright colors. The words “Botanical Farm” sat in a single line beneath his last name, and the whole thing spanned a good six feet.
He came up beside her and gazed down at the sign. “Too bright?”
“No, it’s going to be perfect out on that road.” She glanced at him. “Just perfect.”
He hadn’t asked her to marry him yet, and she had no indication that he’d even thought about it again. He hadn’t mentioned it, or brought up a wedding ring, nothing. Farrah had followed his lead and kept her mouth shut.
She was enjoying college, and she had just gotten settled enough to consider adding something else to her to-do list. Maybe that was how he felt too.
“How are things on the farm?” she asked as he laced his fingers through hers.
“Going great. Our sugar maples aren’t going to sap this year, but they’re on track for next April.”
“Are you going to hang tea lights in them?” She went with him as he took her to the couch in the corner and sat down.
“Should I?” He lifted his arm over her shoulders.
“There’s a big sugar maple park in Montpelier,” she said. “That’s what they do. It’s very romantic.”
“I’ll look into that.”
But he didn’t need to. Darren was romantic in dozens of ways, from how he sometimes texted her to say,I was in town and bought you a berry nut salad so you don’t need to stop after class today.
He put it on the desk in the boutique so it was waiting for her. He saddled her a horse when she wanted to go riding. He provided dinner and company for her every evening. He let her talk as much or as little as she wanted.
“My bathroom sink is still leaking,” she said with a sigh as she leaned into him.
“I’ll come on Saturday.” His voice sounded sleepy, and sure enough, a few moments later, he yawned. “Oh, hey, I have something for you in the kitchen.”
“You do?” They’d just finished dinner, and they’d cleaned up in the kitchen together. She hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary.
His eyes glittered like dark diamonds as he nodded. “I’m, well, it’s…. Maybe we should just go see.” He rose to his feet, and she went with him.
Once in the kitchen, her eyes swept the familiar space. He hadn’t done anything to remodel, but the dark cabinets were beautiful. The countertops were in good shape. The floor had been replaced recently, but Darren hadn’t done it.
Everything looked as it had a half an hour ago. Clean. Wiped down. Everything put in its place. Quintessential Darren.
“I don’t get it,” she said, glancing around, her heartbeat increasing like maybe something would pop out at her and startle her.
“Rambo probably ran off with it. Just a sec.” Darren released her hand and stepped to the doorway that led into the dining room. He whistled and called, “Rambo! C’mon boy. Where you at?”
The dog’s claws clicked on the hardwood as he came trotting over to Darren. “There you are. Did you take Farrah’s present?” He scrubbed the dog’s ears affectionately. “Go on. Go give it to her.”
Rambo came over, and Farrah caught sight of something in his mouth. It looked black, and she stooped to try to get it out from between his teeth.
Darren leaned against the counter and said, “Drop it, Rambo.”
The dog dropped a black jewelry box on the floor. Before Farrah could even move, Darren retrieved it. He cracked the box open to reveal a bright, shiny diamond, and she straightened slowly, her eyes never leaving the gem.
“You said you wanted to be a Buttars,” he said.
Farrah lifted her eyes to his, her breath frozen in her lungs. “I do.”
A smile graced his face. “And I’d like to spend my life with you. I’ve got this great big house, and it needs to be filled with more than me. So? What do you think? Will you marry me?”
He didn’t even need to ask, but Farrah loved that he did, almost like she might say no. Warmth glowed in her chest, and she returned his smile. “Yes, Darren. I’ll marry you.”
He removed the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. She giggled and he laughed, and then he sobered long enough to kiss her like he was her fiancé.
