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The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores'

Mick & Megan O'Brien

By Annette Zoaps

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'Once a Promise'

"I think you'll love it, Megan."

Mick wipes his mouth with a napkin at the outdoor café near the entrance to city hall after enjoying lunch with Megan on her break.

"An elegant dinner out tonight? What's not to love!" she replies. "They say the steaks are incredible. Thanks for the invitation."

"Hey, what about tomorrow we try Giuseppe's, the Italian place you used to like. I hear they have a new chef."

"A new chef?" She looks dismayed. "Their fettuccini alfredo was to die for. I guess if it's half as good as I remember, it'll still be a great meal."

"If it's not, we'll go somewhere else next time."

Their lunch finished, Megan gathers her briefcase and purse, and the two rise together.

He gives her a smile and is about to walk away, when Megan stops him.

"Mick?"

"Yes?"

"Are — are we dating again?" She has a confused look in her eyes.

"What an excellent idea! I'm so glad you thought of it!" he enthuses, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. "Tonight, six o'clock. It's a date!"

He grins and heads off to the parking lot, as Megan slowly meanders back to her office, mentally replaying what just happened.

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"This is a nice place," Megan remarks, looking around the restaurant in admiration.

"I had a meeting here with my subcontractors recently, and everyone raved about it. Changing the subject …" Mick leans forward in his seat. "So, you agree we're dating?"

"That's what you say. Pretty slick the way you turned around my words earlier."

He gives her a satisfied grin. "There's no reason we shouldn't make it official. We're already going out all the time."

"I thought we were just friends trying out the local cuisine." She flashes an impish smile. "It's been fun, and I'd really hate to break up with you because you were getting too serious."

"You have no idea how serious I am."

"Mick, honestly, declarations aren't necessary. We're not teenagers anymore. You don't have to ask me to go steady, for heaven's sake. I enjoy spending time with you, and isn't that what matters?"

"If I asked you to go steady, would you say 'yes?' Wait, don't answer yet."

She shakes her head, but her eyes open wide when he produces a ring box.

"Oh no, you didn't!" She laughs. "Tell me this isn't your old high school ring!"

"I'm telling you it's not my class ring," he recites obediently. "Open it."

"I'm almost afraid to," she says, but temptation and curiosity override her caution.

She gasps when she recognizes what's in the box.

"It can't be! Not the little promise ring you gave me when we were in high school!"

"One and the same."

"I threw it in your face that time we broke up, but I didn't know you found it in the grass, let alone saved it."

"You stalked off, mad as a hornet, but I wasn't leaving until I found it."

"We got back together a few weeks later, but I was too embarrassed to ask about it. You never gave it back to me, so I figured it was lost forever."

"Remember all the teasing we got after I gave it to you? People saying it looked like a soda can pop-top? But I'll have you know there's a genuine diamond in there – even if it is microscopic."

He takes a pair of reading glasses out of his suit pocket and plucks the ring from its box to inspect it. Then he hands the glasses and the ring to her.

"My very first diamond." She sighs. "And my very first gift from a boy. I loved this ring." She hands him the glasses and handles the ring with affection. "I'm sorry I threw it at you."

"Me too." He laughs and rubs his eyebrow as though it's still wounded from the ring's impact. "But it was incentive to go big the next time I gave you a ring — your engagement ring."

"Who knew you were so sentimental." She smiles. "Yes, I'll accept this ring from you. But honey, it won't fit. I've grown up a bit since I was 16."

"We won't know until we try. Give it here."

"Careful." She winces. But when it slides onto her right-hand ring finger with little effort, her eyes meet his in surprise. "You resized it?"

"Yep! But I'm thinking I could have made it more snug so you can never take it off and throw it at me again."

She turns her hand from side to side and watches as the miniscule diamond twinkles in the candlelight.

"To answer your earlier question — yes, I guess we're dating."

"And we're going steady, by the looks of it."

He tenderly takes her hand and gives it a kiss.

"You've always been able to convince me of anything. I'm not so sure that's a good thing."

"Sweetheart, you've only just begun to witness my powers of persuasion," he says, leaning in for a kiss. "And that's a promise."

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The End

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This story is complete! If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:

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If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:

NEW! Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The Whiskers of Machu Picchu, 2 chapters

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Come Let Me Love You

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Fear of Flying, 3 chapters

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The One That I Want

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Where the Wind Blows

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Once a Promise

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Mother of the Bride, 2 chapters

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Love Song

Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, First Kiss

The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores' — Mick & Megan O'Brien, 9 chapters

Chesapeake Shores — Megan at the Met — Mick and Megan O'Brien, 6 chapters

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I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been reading and making positive comments about my stories!

I appreciate it more than you know!

Annette Zoaps

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