Now it’s just Luke and me, his grandparents, and his parents. We all stand there in awkward silence.
“So, what, we just wasted that money on a wedding?” his dad says, looking around. “Can we get any money back?”
“I very much doubt it, Dad,” Luke says. “And look, it’s fine. I’m worth a lot of money. I can take care of this.” He looks so solid and so nonchalant that I know that he will take care of everything. Luke, who thought of himself as the black sheep of the family, was now to be their savior. There was poetry in that thought and it delighted me.
“I have an idea,” Bitsy says, beaming as she heads toward us. I’m surprised that she’s not more upset about Rex, but I’ve always knownshe preferred Luke. Bitsy was a gossip, but she was shrewd and smart. There was a reason why she was my grandma’s best friend.
“What’s your idea, Grandma?” Luke asks, a tinge of apprehension in his tone.
“Why don’t you two get married instead?”
“Oh, no,” I say quickly. “I don’t think we’re ready to take that step yet.”
“Yeah, Grandma,” Luke says, offering her a wry smile. “I don’t even know if she’s going to marry me yet.” He looks over at me and there’s a look in his eyes that tells me that he’s going to put this all on me. Bastard!
“But you love her,” his grandma says, sounding confused. “It’s obvious to me and to your grandfather that you two are in love. Why wouldn’t you get married?”
He turns to me. “Why won’t you marry me, Mia?”
I gaze at him with wide eyes, not sure if he’s being serious. “Excuse me, what?”
“You know you’ve always been the one,” he says softly. “And you know I want you to be my wife.”
I swallow hard. “I—what?”
He grins at me. “Is it too soon for me to propose to you?”
“Yes. It’s too soon.” I punch him in the shoulder. “Luke, what are you doing?”
He laughs and pulls me into him, kissing me hard. “Just wanted to see if you’d say yes.”
He turns to his grandma. “I’m sorry, Grandma, but as much as I would love to marry Mia right here, right now—or next week or two weeks from now—I think it’s too soon for us. And I don’t think Mia wants to take over someone else’s wedding plans. She’s been waiting her entire life to get married. Trust me, I know. We’ve talked about it enough times, and I think when it finally happens, she’s going to want to make all the plans for herself. Aren’t you, darling?”
I stare at him, my heart pounding with love for him because he’s so sweet and gracious and loving. And I know I will marry him one day.
I nod slowly and squeeze his hand. “Yeah. When we get married, I think I’d like to be the one to plan everything.”
His grandma just nods and smiles—a secret little smile. A smile that makes me think that she knows far more about our relationship. Maybe even more than we do.
“I have to make a call,” she says as she leaves the room. “You’ll see yourselves out?”
“Okay, Grandma.” Luke turns to me. “You want to go? I know it’s been a long day.”
“Okay,” I nod and try not to laugh. It had been so much more than just a long day.”
“Let’s go to Hidden Cove. Let’s see if we can find that final clue,” he says, a glint in his eyes that tells me he wants to do more than search for a clue.
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Mom, dad, let’s talk tomorrow.” He heads over to them and gives them both a hug. “I promise I will do whatever I can to fix everything.”
“Thank you, son.” His dad says stiffly while his mom holds onto his arm. I can tell from their expressions that they are thankful, but I still think it’s far too little after the way they’d treated him, but I know better than to say anything. I may have a big mouth, but even I know when to keep it shut.
We walk out of the house and to his car, and I just look at him with love and awe. Luke was even more of a good guy than I’d given him credit for.
“You know what? I was wrong about something, Luke.”
“You were wrong about something? No way. What?”
