Page 84 of Sugar Coated Lies
Last night, we drank margaritas by the fire pit, laughing and talking until one in the morning. Too late for a workday, but Sadie was having so much fun, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her. She and Easton bicker like an old married couple. They haven’t slept together yet. She’s holding out to see if this turns serious. After her previous four failed relationships, she says she’s not taking any chances. I get it. I’m not sure where Easton’s head is at. He has no real ambition and seems to float through life, taking pleasure wherever he pleases.
Casual is smart for them.
Daire walks out of the bathroom ensuite into his room, wearing jeans and a farm logo V-neck in blue.
“We match again.” I glance down at my own outfit, although my jeans are cut-offs.
“I knew I’d like those on you.” Daire takes in my bare legs. The weather predicted a high of ninety this afternoon, and while he sits in his air-conditioned office, I’ll be working the ice cream stand by the playground.
Apparently, the new covered shade structure is a hit and Saturdays have been busier than ever with families and kids.
“These aren’t the ones I wore the other day,” I tell him. Those shorts bared my ass whenever I bent over, which Daire loved. He couldn’t keep his hands off me. I wore them with my bikini. It was a peep-fest. “Those ones aren’t farm friendly.”
He laughs and slides his hands around my waist, pulling me against his muscular body. “I’d like to see you in those shorts and nothing else.”
My head goes back with a laugh. “Maybe one day, if you’re lucky.”
He kisses me, deep and sensual. “How does the ring feel?” He takes my hand and eyes the sparkling diamond set high in a platinum band.
“It’s as big as I thought it’d be, but I’m getting used to it.”
The day after Daire asked me to marry him, he had a lunch set up for us in the sunroom, which is more like a conservatory with all the windows overlooking the backyard. The room was covered with bouquets of hydrangeas, my favorite flower. He had a variety of tea-style mini sandwiches made, knowing I love sandwiches minus the crust. Pimento happens to be both our favorites. He also had a beautiful charcuterie board prepared. I’d never seen so many different cheeses in my life. I’ve always been a sharp cheddar or pepper jack kind of girl. Now, I’ve learned I love goat cheese and beer cheeses from England.
Of course, there was a tray of desserts but not the usual from the farm café. These were a collection of petit fours in raspberry, vanilla, and chocolate ganache.
You’d have thought I would have guessed what he was doing, setting up the perfect luncheon for his proposal. But when he handed me a champagne flute with a strawberry at the bottom and a 4-carat diamond flanked with sapphires to match my eyes tied with blue ribbon to the stem, I can honestly say I never saw it coming. Tears flooded my eyes, and I lost the ability to speak.
Daire got on one knee and asked me to marry him again, officially.
Officially, I said yes. At that second, Sadie and Easton sprang into the room, congratulating us with hugs and kisses.
Sadie had tears in her eyes. “I’m so happy for you, Everleigh. No one deserves this more than you,” she gushed.
“How long were you hiding for?” I asked.
“Since the beginning, but we got bored after a while and left. Daire texted us when the champagne was being served and we hurried back. I should have known you’d spend almost an hour sampling everything on that cheeseboard.”
I can’t stop from smiling at the memory and how the four of us celebrated into the evening.
Daire kisses my hand. “I love seeing this on your finger, but if it’s too big, we can always pick out something else. I know women do that—switch out their engagement ring for one they like better. I won’t be offended at all.”
“But then it won’t be the ring you gave me after that glorious lunch. It’s in my memory. I couldn’t change it now. Besides, I love this. I love the way it sparkles everywhere, casting tiny flecks of light in random places. I couldn’t part with it any more than I could part with you.”
Daire’s eyes close and he moans out a breath. “I love hearing you say that.”
“You worry about me too much. I’m not going anywhere. I couldn’t if I wanted to. I love you too much.” I kiss his lips, reveling in the soft feel of them.
So much has changed now that I’ve accepted I’m worthy of Daire’s love and affection. Resisting was so much harder. I don’t know why it took me so long to come around.
Not true. I do. I’m terrified of getting hurt. But now I see Daire as a gift, maybe from Grandpa or all my family. I lost all of them, but I was rewarded with the love of this amazing man.
“What are you thinking about?” Daire lifts my chin.
“You, my family, my grandpa. It’s probably time I united his ashes with everyone else’s at the lake.” I just hadn’t wanted to let him go yet, keeping him on my nightstand in an urn I ordered online. It has trees and a parklike setting etched on one side.
“There’s no rush.” He kisses my forehead. “Take your time, and when you’re ready, we’ll arrange everything.”
He says that a lot.We. We’ll.It’s his way of offering to do it but also understanding that I struggle with accepting help or letting anyone do anything for me that I can do myself. I feel like I’m coming around slowly, though.
