He laughed. “You’ll like this one. I promise. Now, scoot.”
Though she still had her doubts, she trusted Will enough by now to do as he’d requested. She changed into wool slacks, a long-sleeved shirt and sweater, then added lined boots, her heaviest winter jacket, a hat and a scarf.
“I feel like an overstuffed snowman or something,” she grumbled when she joined Will downstairs.
“Stop complaining. You’ll be grateful for every layer.”
Once they were out on the boat and Will had moved into the bay’s open waters, the air seemed to cut right through her clothes. “Will, this is crazy. We should go back.”
“We won’t be on the boat for long. Look up.”
She followed the direction in which he was pointing and caught a glimpse of a full moon above, only partially visible between the dark clouds that seemed to be rolling in.
“It’s going to rain,” she predicted.
“It is not going to rain. If anything, we’ll get some snow. Stop being such a pessimist.”
“Snow?” she echoed sarcastically. “Just what everyone wants when they’re at sea on a boat with an open deck.”
“You can always go below until we get where we’re going,” he said.
“Which will be when?”
“Ten, maybe fifteen more minutes.”
She sucked in a breath and stared at him. “Moonlight Cove? On a night like this?”
“Trust me,” Will requested quietly.
Jess looked into his eyes and felt herself relax for the first time since he’d brought her on this whole outrageous excursion. “I do.”
She stood beside him at the helm as he guided the boat into the cove.
And then she saw it, some kind of bonfire ahead on the shore. She turned to him in wonder. “That’s for us?”
“It is,” he said with a smile. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re just a little bit crazy. You didn’t start it, then take off without someone to keep an eye on it, did you?”
“Have you ever known me to be irresponsible?”
“Never,” she conceded. “Who’s here?”
“Doesn’t matter. If all goes according to plan, they’ll be gone as soon as we set foot on shore.”
“About that. You can’t take this boat all the way into shore.”
“I know, which is why I brought along my double kayak. We’ll anchor the boat, then row in. You game?”
She smiled at him, suddenly eager for whatever lay ahead. “I’ve come this far. I see no reason to stop now.”
When the boat was secure, Will lowered his kayak, then helped her down to it before following, himself. As they rowed toward shore, Jess could see that he’d done far more than build a bonfire. Around the perimeter, there were hundreds of big white candles buried in the sand. In among them were baskets of flowers far too delicate to survive long in the cold. For the moment, though, they were beautiful. She could smell the scent of roses as soon as her feet touched shore.
“Will, it’s absolutely beautiful. This may be the most romantic setting I’ve ever seen.”
She heard a subtle cough from the direction of the woods and chuckled. “Your helpers, I presume.”
“My helpers, who were just leaving,” Will said loudly.
There was more rustling from the surrounding woods, then the sound of the motor on Kevin and Connor’s little fishing boat. Only when the chugging had faded into the distance did Will lead her to a blanket where there were glasses, wine and a picnic waiting.
“Why did you do all this?” she asked, looking into his eyes. “You should know by now that you don’t have to impress me.”
“I think I do,” he said. “Especially now. I have a lot to make up for. I’ve been neglecting you.”
“I appreciate the gesture, but I really do understand why you’ve been so busy,” she said.
“Doesn’t mean that my not being around hasn’t worried you,” he said, his gaze on hers. “Am I right?”
Jess nodded. “A little. You know me too well.”
“I’ve been trying to tell you that. But that’s not entirely why I did all this. I wanted you to have a special memory of Moonlight Cove with me, the kind of memory you’ll be able to treasure for a lifetime.”
Tears burned in Jess’s eyes. “Oh, Will.” She reached over and put a hand on his cheek. “I love you.”
It was the first time she’d said the words, and she wasn’t sure which of them was most surprised, but then Will began to smile.
“It’s a good thing,” he said softly, “because there’s one more thing about tonight.”
“What’s that?”
He reached in his pocket and drew out two small packages. “This one first,” he said.
It was wrapped in midnight-blue paper and tied with silver ribbon, reminding her a bit of the sky, at least on the nights when its scattering of stars were visible. Jess almost hated to open it, but there was nothing she loved more than presents. This one promised to be special.
Inside, she found the most delicate antique gold-and-diamond necklace she’d ever seen. The stones were small, but the perfect size for the gold filigree in which they were set.
“Will, it’s lovely,” she whispered. “It looks old.”
“It was my grandmother’s,” he said. “She gave it to me before she died and told me to save it for the woman I love. That’s you, and I want you to have it now.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, almost holding her breath.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he insisted solemnly. “In fact, that’s what the second gift is about.”
This time the box was smaller, the size of a ring, and like the other one, the velvet was old and somehow familiar. Jess couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away, but eventually she did.
“Will?”
Holding her gaze, he slowly flipped open the box.
Jess stared at her great-grandmother’s engagement ring, then looked back into his eyes. Her head seemed to be spinning, but maybe that had something to do with the glass of champagne she’d had while sitting up in the attic waiting for him.
“Where’d you get this?” she asked, though the answer was obvious. Her mother must have given
