Page 67 of Hearts of Wealth

Catherine

––––––––

“HEY,” I SAID AND TOUCHED his arm. “What’s up?”

“I was hoping we could take a walk on the beach.”

“Sure.” I shrugged. “That sounds nice. You’re trying to escape your party?”

“Not escape,” he said. “I just wanted to spend some time with you.”

“I’m certainly not going to complain about taking a walk on the beach in the moonlight. Isn’t that every girl’s dream?”

He let out a soft chuckle. “Is it? I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been a girl.”

I swatted him gently for that, laughing as we started walking side by side toward the beach. The music and chatter from the party became drowned out by the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore. The salty breeze tugged at my dress and his hair, making everything feel unreal, like a scene straight out of a romance movie.

We stopped at the edge of the water, looking out at the moon’s reflection in the dark, glittering sea.

“Let’s go down this way,” he said, gently pulling me.

“Mr. Hastings, are you planning to seduce me?”

He laughed. “I’m always trying to seduce you.”

The beach wound around a slight corner. The party felt like it was miles away.

“Wait here,” he said.

“Where are you going?” I asked, a little concerned. It was fairly dark, and I wasn’t typically prone to being scared, but I didn’t want to be alone on the beach.

Suddenly, the beach ahead lit up with candles around a white blanket. “Timothy? What is going on?”

He put a little remote back in his pocket. “I wanted this to be special,” he said.

He took my hand and led me to the blanket surrounded by what looked like a hundred candles, which were just the little battery-operated ones.

“I wanted to tell you how much I love you,” he said.

“Timothy...” I whispered, my voice catching in my throat. A sense of wonder washed over me along with a sudden realization. He had coordinated this incredibly romantic surprise, and the effort he had put into it took my breath away.

He gently brushed a loose strand of hair from my face and tugged me closer. “You tumbled into my life, and from that moment on, things have never been the same. You are a breath of fresh air. You’ve shown me a sense of joy and love that I never thought I’d experience. You’ve been the best part of my every day since then.”

I was in awe, completely captivated and helpless against the rush of emotions flooding through me. I wanted to tell him I felt the same way, but I didn’t dare interrupt what sounded like it might have been a speech he had prepared.

“I want to spend the rest of my life chasing sunsets with you, Catherine,” he continued, his voice husky and filled with emotion. “Waking up next to you, sharing coffee in the morning, lazy Sundays, everything...I want it all with you. I want to be the man you can count on when things are rough.”

Tears welled up in my eyes and trickled down my cheeks before I could stop them. His words were more than I could process. I could only feel.

“I know how fast things are moving with us, and I don’t want to rush you, but I can’t imagine another day without knowing you’re mine forever. So...”

And then he was down on one knee, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. My heart hammered in my chest as he opened it. A beautiful diamond ring winked at me from inside. It was stunning, a simple band with a single diamond sitting atop it like a lonely star. It was simple and beautiful. I wanted to jump up and down and shout ‘yes,’ but he hadn’t asked the question. I had to wait.

“Catherine,” he began, his voice full of emotion, “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. There will never be another woman who makes me smile like you do. I want to spend my days smiling, Catherine. Will you marry me?”

The world around me seemed to freeze; the only thing I could focus on was Timothy staring into my eyes.

My heart swelled with love and gratitude, knowing that I had found my soul mate in him. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes as I looked into his eyes, seeing the depth of his love reflected in them.