Marlowe had been waiting too. He let out happy yips as she unlocked the door, and then he burst into a series of gleeful leaps and twirls as she stepped into the house. She leaned down to hug the dog and let him give her a few sloppy kisses before she straightened up, laughing and scratching behind his ears.
Ken came into the hall to greet her.
“Wow,” she said, her eyes widening at the sight of him in nice black trousers and a gray dress shirt. “You’re looking particularly scrumptious tonight.”
“Yeah?” His eyes were warm and fond as he pulled her into a hug and then a kiss.
“Yes. I’m glad I put on something decent.”
“You look beautiful.” It was very clear from his expression that he meant it.
He took her hand and pulled her into the dining room, which was lit with candles and beautifully set with purple gerbera daisies in a vase in the middle of the table. “Ken! It’s gorgeous. You really went all out.” Her heart was starting to race. It felt like something really good—important—might be happening.
“I did,” he admitted. “Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay.” She wrapped an arm around him, snuggling against his side as she asked, “What’s going on?”
He opened his mouth and then closed it again.
She pulled away to look up at him. “Ken?”
His mouth twisted almost sheepishly.
She sucked in a breath. “Are you nervous about something?”
“Course not.” He was lying, and he clearly knew she could see it.
Her heart was beating at a gallop now, and her cheeks had flushed with excitement. “You don’t have to be nervous, Ken. Not with me. Not about anything. I know I was scared at first, but I’m not scared anymore. Not about anything. I promise I’m not.”
That was evidently what he’d needed to hear. His face relaxed. “Oh baby, I love you so much.”
“I love you too. You know I do. And I know you’ve been so careful all this time about never calling me your girlfriend, and I really appreciate it. But that’s what I’ve been. Both of us know that’s what I’ve been.”
He nodded and stuck his hand into his pocket. “I know. But I was thinking...” He took a step back as he retrieved his hand. “I was thinking maybe we could skip over the girlfriend stage and move right to something else.”
Her mouth fell open, although she’d known something like this was about to happen. “Move to what?” she whispered.
Ken gave her another sheepish smile and lowered himself to one knee. He extended a diamond ring in one hand. “Madeline, I love you. I love everything about you. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you the way you deserve. So would you please be my wife?”
She fell into helpless giggles. Had to raise her hands to her mouth to hide it.
Ken started to frown.
“Yes!” she burst out. “Of course I’ll marry you, Ken. I love you more than anything. There’s no one else in the world I’d ever want to marry.” She reached down to pull him back up to his feet.
He grinned as he straightened up. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I want you to be my husband so much!”
Ken slipped the ring on her finger, and they both beamed down at it. Then he kissed her and pulled her into a tight hug.
Marlowe had been watching these strange proceedings with interest, and now he ran in clumsy circles around them. He might have no idea what was happening, but his people were obviously full of joy, which meant that he was full of joy too.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Second Chance Flower Shop series continues with the third book, The Reunion. You can find an excerpt from it on the following pages. If you haven’t yet read it, the first book in the series is The Return (about Ria and Jacob).
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Excerpt from The Reunion
“I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE you yelled at Matthew,” Madeline said three weeks later as she sorted through dresses on a rack at a small regional department store in a town not far from Azalea.
Skye had been looking at dresses on another rack, but at this she whirled around. “I did not yell at him!”
Madeline laughed. Her gray eyes were just like Matthew’s, and right now they were warm and teasing. “I know. I know. You just spoke to him sternly.”
“It wasn’t sternly.” Skye’s cheeks were growing hot for no good reason. “It wasn’t anything really.”
“Well, whatever it was, it had a big effect on Matthew. It’s still nagging at him weeks afterward.”
“He really talks about it?” Skye had gone with Madeline and Ria to look for new dresses to wear to a reunion party at their old high school the following weekend, but she’d completely forgotten about shopping for the moment.
The amusement faded from Madeline’s face. “No. Of course not. You know Matthew. He wouldn’t open up about what he’s feeling to save his life. But every time the conversation even hints in your direction, he’ll ask about you. He thinks he’s being subtle, but he’s not.”
“He asks about me?” Skye’s heart was starting to hammer.
“Yep. Just casually, but something’s definitely prompting it. He never used to do it. I’m sure it’s because he’s upset about you telling him off.”
“I didn’t tell him off.” Skye felt a little like huffing, but she was also strangely gratified. She wasn’t used to having the things she said make a big impression on other people. She was more used to being metaphorically patted on
