Okay, Here's Chapter two, and the answer to Margaret's Bridge challenge. I think the hardest part was finding a real bridge in Trenton that could serve as a romantic backdrop. If you google George Page Park, Trenton, NJ and click on the map, there is an image of the bridge. It probably looks better in the summer, though. I pinned the Tiffany ring and the dress to my page. If you're interested, it's /spiffytgm/plum-diamond/

Since I don't like relying on Google translate, anything in italics was spoken in Spanish.

Same disclaimer applies...

RPOV

The night my babe turned down Morelli's proposal was somewhat of a turning point for me. Now that she is free from that distraction, we are spending more and more time together. In fact, she officially moved into my apartment on seven last month. We usually spent our nights here, so it didn't make sense for her to continue to pay rent for the apartment we all call 'Stalker Haven'.

So far we have both carefully avoided any talk about the future. I know that I told her that I have thought about marrying her, but she looked so panicked that I dialed it way back down to sharing a closet. My previous marriage was more about doing the right thing than love. The next time I marry, it will be with the right woman for the right reasons. Honestly, one Stephanie Plum is all I'll ever need.

This morning, I awoke to the feel of her exploring my body. On the rare mornings that I sleep in, this is my favorite way to start the day. By the time we are finished, we are both thoroughly satisfied. When I moved to get out of bed, she kissed my shoulder and said, "I love you, Carlos."

I rolled back to face her. I could see the truth of her statement in her beautiful sapphire eyes. "I love you too, Babe."

I stood in the shower and relived those three words. I've always known that she loves me, but she is usually even more skittish than I am about saying it. I debate with myself as to whether or not she is ready to take the next step. Would she say yes if I asked her to marry me? If she agrees, I would want to do it as soon as possible. I don't see a long, drawn out engagement in her future. Her mother would drive her crazy alternating between wedding plans and criticism.

We ate breakfast together, and I asked her if she had any plans for the day. She told me that she was going to stop by the bonds office to see if Connie had any files for either of us, but she was otherwise free. Afterwards, I kissed her and went downstairs to my office.

Tank came into my office a short while later. He looked from me to the open safe to the ring in my hands with one eyebrow raised. Wisely, all he said was, "Need any help?"

I closed the ring box and put it back in the iconic blue Tiffany box. "No. I think I finally have it figured out."

Tank turned around and walked out, but not before I heard him mutter, "It's about damn time."

I walked down to the fourth floor and knocked on Hector's door. He opened it and looked at the bag in my hand. "Boss, I didn't think I was your type." Apparently Tank is more afraid of me than Hector is.

I gave him a flat stare and he let me into his apartment. "How long will it take to set up?"

Hector loves Stephanie like a little sister. He is the only one of my men who I trust with the plan I had worked out. Hector walked to his bedroom and came out carrying a dress bag. Handing it to me he said, "Two hours."

I nodded and told him, "One o'clock. Stay on the Hetzel Field side."

I took the dress bag and made my way back to seven. Stephanie was long gone, no doubt on her way to Tasty Pastry before getting to the bonds office. I opened the bag and laid the dress carefully across the bed. I remembered the day I saw it. Ella had purchased it for a distraction, but as soon as I saw it, I knew that it was the dress she would wear when I married her.

Ella would describe it as a V neck, A line, tea length dress with a ruched waist and a silver and crystal belt. The bust is draped, and the skirt flows beautifully. The only thing that saves it from looking too much like a wedding dress are the delicate blue watercolor flowers that swirl along the hem of the skirt. Inside the dress bag are white sandals and a matching diamond and sapphire necklace and earrings.

Once the outfit was laid out, I placed a note on top. It simply said, "Babe, Meet me at the George Page Park bridge at 1:00. Love, Carlos." Once that was ready, I put on an Armani suit and left for my appointment.

At 12:30, I made my way to the bridge where we were going to meet. It is a sheltered haven over Assunpink creek. There is a canopy of trees and dense bushes that hides the bridge from the baseball field on one side and the playground on the other. The bridge itself is wood with black steel supports. As I walked up, I saw Hector talking to Father Mike and making some last minute adjustments to something attached to the bridge. I spoke to both men, we shook hands, and they left in the direction of the baseball field.

By 1:05, I was beginning to sweat. It was not unheard of for Stephanie to be late, but I was concerned that she figured out my plans and ran in the opposite direction. When she walked around the corner wearing that outfit, my world stood still. She was beautiful. When she smiled at me, every inch of me knew that this was right. She met me in the middle of the bridge, and I gave her a brief kiss hello.

When we pulled apart, she looked slightly dazed, but she got right to the point. "What are we doing here, Carlos?"

I gave her my 100 watt smile. "Babe, I've thought about this moment for a long time, but now that we're here, I'm not sure what to say. I love you, and I can't imagine not spending the rest of my life with you." I got down on one knee and took the ring box from my pocket. I opened it so that she could see the two carat round diamond ring. There is a sapphire on either side of the diamond. They sparkle in the light just like her eyes. "Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She dropped to her knees and reached out to touch the ring. Tears were welling in her eyes as she looked at me and said, "Yes." I placed the ring on her finger and helped her stand. Once we were both up, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me like she meant it.

Once we pulled apart to breathe, she asked, "When do you want to get married?"

"Well, we're both here right now."

She gave me a look. "Carlos, we have to apply for a license and then wait 72 hours before we can get married. If you want to do it now, we'd have to drive to Connecticut."

I raised an eyebrow. "Babe."

She sighed and rested her head on my chest. "What was I thinking, you're Batman, of course you have it all planned."

I cleared my throat. She turned in time to see Hector and Father Mike come to the bridge from the other side. Hector gave her a hug and twirled her around. She was smiling and laughing as she showed him the ring. Once he set her down, she came back to my side. I whispered in her ear. "If you don't want to do this now, I would understand. I want to do this as soon as you're ready, though."

She beamed at me. "No. I'm ready to do this, too." Suddenly, her face fell. "Carlos, what are we going to tell my mother?"

I smiled. "Babe, Hector is recording this, probably from multiple angles on several cameras. While we're on our Honeymoon, he will send copies to whomever you want."

She ran her hand up my chest. "Honeymoon?"

"Yes, Babe. Unless you don't want to go to Maldives. It's only fair to warn you that you would be missing out on a private villa that is actually in the water, with an infinity pool and hammocks that stretch out over the ocean."

I think she might have had a small orgasm at the thought. Her eyes glazed over and a little drool started to form in the corner of her mouth. She snapped out of it and kissed me again. "I think I'm ready to be Mrs. Manoso."

The ceremony was short and sweet. Hector promised to send copies of the video as soon as he was done editing them. None of us noticed the slight rustle of the bushes near the ball field as I led her back through George Page park to my waiting Porsche so that we could begin our Someday.