Page 29 of Love at First Swim
He could see Arielle looking around in shock and he walked to the door, pulling it open and the bell overhead letting out a small ding.
She turned to see who it was and a mask fell over her face, and he hated that she would hide her emotions from him.
She fought to look at him and he walked to her side, and then dropped to one knee.
She took a shocked step back and he pulled the picture frame from his desk and held it out to her.
She looked down at it, and then into his eyes in shock.
“What is this?”
He gave a smile, “That is the picture that changed my life. The one that showed me my future and the one that told me that my wishes from when I was a kid had been answered.”
She looked confused and he went on, “You see, when I was little my mom would make me watch princess movies with Genna. Her favorite was Ariel and I secretly loved it as well. I wanted my very own mermaid to love me, like the prince did. One that would save him and give him life at the same time.”
She touched the picture softly and he went on, “I put those wishes away. Not wanting my heart to dwell on a fantasy that would never happen. And yet, when Genna sent me that picture, I knew my heart hadn’t truly given up on finding my mermaid. I knew she was out there, and that she would save me. And you did. I felt hope for the first time in a long time. I knew that you were the girl I wished for. The one I wanted to grow old with, to have children with and to spend my life with. The one I would share my hopes and dreams with and the one that would see me at my best and get me out of my worst. It was you. It has always been you for me. I was made for you. Like you were made for me. My personal mermaid. My siren, my love. And though you think I was trying to steal your shop from you, it wasn’t truly my goal. I want you to know, I found a new place to build that mall. And I will do everything in my power to make your shop flourish. I want to give you the world. To help you. And to love you. That is all I want.”
She let out a small gasp and he inched closer on his knee. “That’s right. I love you. I knew from the start that I did, and meeting you last night, I loved you even more, because you were real. Not just a fantasy. I have never felt so protective, so possessive as I did when I saw your eyes for the first time. I want to love you, protect you and make you happy for the rest of our lives.”
He pulled the ring he picked from his pocket and opened the box showing her. It was an antique oval emerald in the center with triangles of small emeralds on either side. And the band was covered in diamonds surrounding the entire thing.
There was also a smaller band at the top that came on and off. It looked like a tiny crown of emeralds. The top one was cut in a small marquis diamond and then had two round cut diamonds flanking it. Then there were two other marquis diamonds that flanked it lying on their sides..
She covered her mouth, and he went on, “Will you marry me, my mermaid? Make me the happiest man alive? I will do my best to make all of your dreams come true.”
