Chapter 3: Sweet Smiles, Favorite Flowers
Stacy and Jenny ended up staying all day. Doing each other's nails they thought and talked about everything.
Then, they spent the last three hours getting Candace ready for her date with Jeremy, which most of the three hours was spent in worrying.
Even though both Stacy andJenny knew how she looked wouldn't matter at the end of the evening, they also knew Candace. And in knowing her, the understood that looking her best was important. Just as important as wigging out helped her be calmer later, and being so would certainly help, so the let her wig out, let her fret, and then helped her get to her level of perfection.
As soon as they were done, Jeremy had arrived, carrying her favorite flowers and the ring in his pocket.
When he offered his arm, she took it, and he led them to the car, leaving Stacy to take care of the flowers and Jenny to help clean up the mess.
(((((()))))))
He took her out to a trendy little restaurant downtown, where the food could fit the mood as much as the music.
Today, the music was quiet and sweet, and the food comforting and flavorful.
They talked about everything and nothing. Laughing and smiling, they had their feet enter-twined, teasing and enjoying each other's company.
After the meal, he took her out to the park where they'd met, where they'd spent a lot of their childhood together.
Enjoying her surprised look, he pulled her along by the hand, their fingers interlaced, and sat them both on a swing.
With her on his lap, the two of them rose into the sky.
Still swinging slowly, he looked down at her, and she up to him. Kissing her temple, he murmured, "I love you Candace. You know that?"
She smiled in turn and replied, "I do now. I love you too, Jeremy." Her heart felt lighter after that.
They sat on the swing together for a while, the silence between them not unsettling, but rather peaceful. There was no need for words.
When she kissed him sweetly, he then recalled the ring in his pocket.
She pulled him up off the swing and reeled him in for a passionate kiss underneath the starlight.
When they were both gasping for air, she kissed the spot below his ear and whispered teasingly, "I can't think of anything that could make this day better," Knowing what his reply would be.
"I can think of some," He said in the same tone, knowing where she was going. "but first . . ." he said, which shocked her.
He let go of her and knelt down onto one knee in the slightly damp grass.
He pulled out the ring and whispered the words. "I love you, Candace. I have for years. Will you marry me?"
"Yes, yes, yes, YES!" she exclaimed, nearly squealing with delight.
Pulling her in to seal the deal, he kissed her with every fiber of his being.