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  I press an intercom button.

  “Yes,” the driver says.

  I realize I haven’t even gotten his name. I was still in shock when we met.

  “I’m really sorry, but can we please turn around and go back to the house for a second? I forgot to lock the front door.”

  “It’s been taken care of,” he says.

  “Been taken care of,” I whisper to myself. “May I ask by whom?”

  “I slid out the side door of the garage three minutes after you entered and locked it from the front. Mister Dawson instructed me check and lock it just in case.”

  Mister Dawson. I giggle. “Thank you,” I say.

  “Anything else, madame?”

  “No. That’s all for now. Sorry to disturb you.”

  “Not at all.”

  Light music begins playing and I lean back in my seat. Chance thought of literally everything. He must be planning something incredibly big if he’s also planned out my reactions already.

  I’m like a giddy schoolgirl. No one’s ever planned anything even remotely close to something like this for me before. There’s nothing that could top it.

  And when the car comes to a stop, I realize I was wrong.

  Chance has outdone himself again.

  CHAPTER 42

  Harmony

  “I’m here to see Officer—”

  I see Vic and run around the side of the check-in desk.

  “Ma’am you can’t go back there.”

  The lady at the front desk comes chasing after me, but I’m too quick. I’m a woman on a mission and I’m not going to be stopped.

  “Vic, you’ve got to listen to me,” I say in-between gasps.

  “Arrest her!” someone yells.

  I feel the uniformed officer grab me from behind and I hear her pull out the cuffs.

  “It’s okay,” Vic says.

  “You need your visitors to check in! Not run around here like wild animals.”

  I don’t say anything to the officer. She’s right. I am acting like a wild animal because we’re running out of time.

  “What do you want, Harmony?”

  “It’s about Chance and Violet. It’s important.”

  “Great. The last two people on earth I want to talk to or about. You totally wasted your time coming here.”

  “Just hear me out.”

  “There’s nothing to hear. You know the story. It’s pretty cut and dried and pretty messed up.”

  He still hasn’t even made eye contact with me.

  “You should go,” he says, as he turns to walk back into the depths of the station.

  “What about us?” I say.

  He freezes in his tracks. He does an about face and sends a look so deep it’s like he’s shooting lasers right through me.

  “In my office,” he says.

  Well, at least I got his attention.

  “What in the hell is wrong with you? You can’t come into the station like that. And then you start yelling random crap. You think the other officers here don’t hear you?” He’s barely got the door shut and he’s already going off on me. Perfect. I want him emotional.

  “I don’t care if they hear me or not. I need you to hear me.”

  “There’s nothing to hear. Can’t you get that through your thick skull? He’s with my sister and they both did it all behind my back.”

  “So you’re saying they owe it to you to tell you what they’re doing with their lives? Two adults need to check in with you?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “No I don’t know what you mean. And as a matter of fact you’re making a big deal out of them sneaking around without your so-called approval, well what about us?”

  “That was just a month or so.”

  “Oh, don’t you dare. That was an entire summer! And did we ever check in with them? No. They don’t even know about it to this day.”

  “We were kids then,” he says.

  “And Violet wasn’t a kid when she first fell in love with Chance? Hey this is kind of weird for me too, but in this world when you find someone you love and they love you back it’s about as rare as a polar bear in the Mojave Desert.”

  Vic can’t help it. He smiles a bit.

  “And when you find that person you do the logical thing, the right thing, and the smart thing. You hold on tight with everything you’ve got and don’t let go. World be damned.”

  He says nothing.

  “And right now that world is you. It’s you by your own choosing.”

  Vic exhales hard and leans back in his seat. “Listen, Harmony. He’s on the rebound. We both know it.”

  “You think this is a rebound story? Buddy, you’ve got your stories confused because this is the second chance happily ever after wrapped up with a bow on top and a cherry on top of that.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Never mind. The point is they’re perfect for each other! Everybody sees it but you. Even our dad sees it.”

  “Your dad doesn’t approve. Don’t try and feed me that line of crap.”

  “He does approve because Chance fought for your sister and he told my dad either get in line or he walks, forever.”

  “No he didn’t. You’re bluffing.”

  “Bluffing. Well my dad sure didn’t think so when he cancelled everything on his schedule and flew down to meet with Violet all by himself just to apologize and to give her his blessing.”

  “Benedict? No Budge Benedict? The guy they—“

  “Yeah I know. They call him “Been a Dick and Always Will Be a Dick.” And yes, we’re talking about him. You’re the only one left who seems to have some sort of problem with this.”

  “I don’t know Harmony. Give me some time. I’ll think about it.”

  “We don’t have time. Chance is planning something big tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yeah, he’s been trying to get ahold of you but you won’t pick up your phone and you won’t responds to the FedEx invitations he sent you.”

  “That’s what’s in those envelopes?”

  “You haven’t even opened them?” I stop to slap myself on the forehead. “How old are you two? Get with it. You’re pouting and you’re about to miss a major life moment that involves both your best friend and your sister.”

  “What life moment?” He leans forward in his seat.

  “Well, if you would open those damn packages or pick up your phone once in awhile you’d know, but since you don’t I’m not telling you. All I’m telling you is you need to sign out for the day and go with me to L.A.X.”

  “The airport?”

  “They haven’t changed the name. Of course the airport! We’re flying to Vegas and we’re flying now.”

  “First I have to get approval and second I don’t have a ticket.”

  “First, Chance called ahead and talked to your boss. He knew I was coming.” I drop my voice. “I just wish he was here when I arrived because it would have made things a lot easier. That was as close to being cuffed as I ever want to get for the rest of my life.”

  Vic smiles again.

  “And second of all I have two tickets. One for me and one for you.”

  I can see his adrenaline kicking in. I’ve been able to recognize it since the days he and my brother were kids playing sports. I can read this guy like an open book at this point.

  “Where’s your car?” he says.

  “Taxi’s parked out front. Meter’s running.”

  “You have a taxi waiting?”

  “No time for questions. Let’s go!”

  CHAPTER 43

  Violet

  The driver has my door opened seconds after we’ve stopped.

  But this time he doesn’t help me out of the car. In front of me stands the most amazing man in the world in what appears to be a made to measure suit.

  “You look beautiful this evening,” he says.

  “Thanks to you,” I say.

  “You always look amazing. I
can’t take any credit for that.”

  “Well it’s you who always puts a smile on my face and that’s how I get my glow.”

  “Speaking of glow, you’re just in time to see the orange glow of the sunset over the mountains.”

  “I can see that. And…what…is…that?” I say. I point to the single table at the foot of the Red Rock Canyon upon which sits a single candle and two plates of something that looks absolutely delicious.

  “That would be dinner,” he says. “For two.”

  He looks down at my heels and I shrug my shoulders and lift my palms to the sky.

  “Wait. Is that what the other pair of shoes are for?”

  “Nope. I’ve got this covered,” he says.

  In one quick motion he reaches down and sweeps me right off my feet.

  “Oooh!” I say.

  He carries me to the table and the romance is somehow taken up yet another level. Romance overload, and I’m not complaining one bit.

  He helps me into my seat and walks around to the other side.

  “The wine, sir.”

  I jump in my seat and turn around to see a maître d’ just behind me. He takes another step and stops at Chance’s side of the table, pouring him a glass of wine.

  Chance swirls it like a pro and gives it a taste. “Perfect,” he says. “Just like my date for the evening.”

  The maître d' nods and fills my glass first, followed by Chance’s.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, my beautiful,” he says.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, my handsome,” I say.

  We clink glasses and take a sip before looking to the side together as the sun sets over the most beautiful mountains in the entire area.

  I hear something and look back only to see he’s laid his hand on the table. I place mine in his and for the next few minutes we are completely silent, just enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature.

  “That was allllmost as beautiful as you,” he says. “Shall we?”

  I smile. That was a spectacular sunset and to be compared to it…well, I don’t know what to say.

  “We shall,” I say.

  We release hands and begin eating.

  My plate has the perfect mix of juicy flame grilled steak, grilled calamari in some sauce that I have no idea what it is other than delicious, and a side of steamed vegetables. It’s unbelievably tasty.

  Chance has the same, just a little bigger portions for a man who’s easily two-thirds more than my size…if not more.

  The strangest thing happens as we’re eating. We don’t say a single word. We just take in the sound of the insects off in the distance as we look into each other’s eyes. We only break eye contact briefly to cut our food.

  I never knew a completely silent meal could be so perfect. Maybe with the elimination of the need to talk it allows us to focus totally on each other…to be completely present. And the best part is we get to stare into each other’s eyes.

  When we finish the maître d' reappears out of nowhere and removes our plates. A few seconds later he presents us with some sort of chocolate cake with a sauce and cherries on the side.

  I want to compliment how amazing this tastes, but I don’t want to be the one to break the silence. It’s just too perfect out here. The two of us alone enjoying Valentine’s Day. And to think I was just hoping we could get a decent table at TGIFriday’s!

  We finish the dessert and just like clockwork the maître d' appears again.

  He clears our finished desserts plates and then in a snap he’s back again with a creamy and delicious coffee and a limoncello shot to help with digestion.

  If we’re having coffee now, and the limo driver said there was another pair of shoes for later, then what exactly does Chance have planned?

  I can hardly wait.

  We slowly enjoy our coffees. Surely forty-five minutes have passed since we sat down to eat. If we would have been talking it probably would have taken two hours, and been just as enjoyable…had we not know about the power of silence. Maybe I should say had I not know. Apparently Chance prepared for this as well, or at least I’m going to give the man who’s thought of everything tonight credit for one more amazing thing…planned or spontaneous, whatever it happened to be.

  I sit my empty coffee cup in the saucer, and not five seconds later the maître d' is there to remove our final pieces of tableware for the evening…at least I would guess so.

  Chance reaches out both hands on the table and I place mine in his. I could just melt in his arms tonight. I hope I get the chance.

  Then without warning he stands, not losing his grasp of my hands and slides around to my side of the table and gets down on one knee!

  I feel my hands shake and his grip tightens just a bit, steadying me as he always does. He’s my rock, and it’s no coincidence he picked Red Rock Canyon for this moment.

  I try not to freak out, but it’s no use. I pull back more firmly and he gently releases my right hand, which I bring to my mouth.

  “Violet, we’ve known each other since we were kids, but we only got to really know each other since we became adults. At least that’s what I first thought. Now I realize we’ve known each other all along. You knew me before I even knew myself. You were just waiting for me to figure it out. Well, it took me a while but I did figure it out. I figured out that we were perfect together as kids and we’re perfect together as adults. And if you feel the way that I do then we’ll be perfect together through the rest of this journey called life. Kids, adults, the next step is parenthood together, and one day we’ll be grandparents. But in order to take the next step we need to take the first one…right here, right now.”

  He doesn’t say anything for another five or ten seconds. I only get this moment once in life and he sure is letting me enjoy it more than I would have ever though humanly possible.

  “Beautiful, will you be my bride. Will you marry me?”

  My head falls forward and I try my best to catch the tears, but it’s no use…not that I’d want to anyways.

  I raise my head back up. “Yes,” I mouth, but the word barely comes out. “Yes,” I say again a little louder. “Yes!” I yell, and the sound echoes through the mountains.

  Suddenly I hear a cork pop and there’s that darn maître d' again. I sure hope he gets employee of the year for whatever company he works for. I certainly know who gets man of the year from me. Chance.

  And it’s not just man of the year. It’s man of the lifetime.

  I hear music start to play and clapping.

  I stand and from behind the same rock where that maître d' must have been hiding I see people walking toward us.

  “Charlotte!” I say and reach down to give her a hug.

  “Mister Dawson,” I say to Chance’s dad as I give him a hug too.

  “Oh my god. Mom and dad!” I try and take off running toward them but remember my shoes.

  They walk more quickly towards me and a second later the three of us hug.

  “You!” I say pointing to Chance playfully. “You are incredible!”

  He takes a step forward towards me. “I was hoping you were saving the best hug for last.”

  “I’m not saving just the best hug for last, I’m saving all my hugs for you and only you.”

  I squeeze him tight and he hugs me too. He lifts me up off the ground and our two lips meet for the first time as fiancée and fiancé.

  CHAPTER 44

  Chance

  “Son, a beautiful job tonight.”

  “Thanks, dad,” I say. “Did you enjoy your meal?”

  “I sure did and I’ve got to tell you the way you set it up was beyond clever. To have us behind that secluded set of rocks while the two of you were out here…you’re a genius.”

  “I had to check the acoustics a few times to make sure the sounds of you guys eating wouldn’t bounce off the mountains and tip off Violet that someone else was nearby.”

  “Did she hear us?”

  “Not only didn’t we hear you, but we did
n’t even speak during the meal and we still didn’t hear a peep out of your area.”