I slammed my lips to hers, and everyone began cheering as I stood there and kissed Emma with as much passion as I could. We were so lost in each other that we didn’t even realize people were staring at us.
As I pulled away from her lips, I whispered, “Are you ready for your surprise?”
Her eyes lit up. “Garrett! There’s more? How could you possibly top that?”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Let’s go, Buttercup.”
I took her hand in mine and led her back to the table. We said good-bye to the couple we had met and wished them a safe trip home. We made our way back to the gondolas.
When we walked up, the gondolier from earlier today smiled and nodded. “Are you ready for your midnight gondola ride?”
I helped Emma into the gondola and then reached into my pocket for the hundredth time this evening. It’s still there. Thank God.
As we softly and smoothly moved along the lagoon, Emma stared up at the night sky. I swallowed hard and reached into my pocket. I had no idea why I was so nervous to give her this gift. It wasn’t anything big, but I just prayed she would like it. I pulled back some and turned to look at her. She gave me a sweet smile. She was about to say something when I pulled out the jewelry box. Her eyes moved to the box and then came quickly back to my eyes.
“Emma, the first moment I saw you in that drugstore, I knew I was going to love you forever. I took everything in about you—how you were dressed, what you smelled like, the pink ribbons in your hair, and your beautiful eyes and how they danced in the light. My God, how your ey
es captivated me from that moment on.”
She smiled as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. I brushed away the tears from her beautiful face as I smiled back at her. I held the box up and opened it, revealing a white gold charm bracelet.
Emma let out a gasp when she saw it and looked back up at me. “Garrett, it’s…it’s beautiful.”
I smiled as I took it out and placed it on her wrist. I moved the bracelet around until I found the first charm.
“A milkshake?” she asked.
“That’s what you were drinking when I first met you—a strawberry milkshake.”
“I didn’t think you noticed me at all since you were talking to Margie the whole time.”
I slowly shook my head. “I noticed everything about you.”
I moved on to the next charm—a heart. “Because you stole my heart the instant you smiled at me,” I whispered.
She began crying harder.
The next charm was a quilt. “I had to have this one made. I don’t have to tell you the meaning behind it.”
She giggled as she wiped away her tears.
I moved on to the next charm. “Daisies because they are your favorite.”
The next charm caused her to laugh. It was the University of Texas symbol. “Attending college with you was some of the best years of my life. I’ll never forget that time for as long as I live.”
She nodded her head and barely said, “Neither will I.”
I smiled when I showed her the next charm.
“A sock?” she said with a giggle.
I nodded and said, “For the sock hop. When we danced, it was the first time in my life that I truly felt happy. I knew the second I took you into my arms, I would never want to let you go. Plus, you love dancing so much.”
I watched as she wiped another tear from her eye. I moved along the bracelet and held the dog charm. She looked completely confused and tilted her head. The moonlight was catching her beautiful eyes just right, and I had to swallow hard because all I wanted to do was take her in my arms and kiss her.
“A dog?” she asked as she raised her eyebrow at me.
I laughed. “My favorite movie will always be Lady and the Tramp. Always.”