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“Will you marry me?”
Rhi, gasping and crying, knelt in front of Mars. “Yes, I will!”
Slowly and carefully, Mars slid the ring onto the third finger of Rhi’s left hand. “This diamond was created in a process that harvests carbon from the air. No digging in mines to find it.”
Rhi gazed at her ring, seeking out its beauty. “It’s so beautiful.”
Mars smiled and ran his finger down Rhi’s cheek. “No more beautiful than you are, love.”
Mars and Rhi left the Concourse and headed to the entrance of the shelter. Before they left, he called his best friend. “Lenard, please come to the Concourse and arrange to have all of the flowers and bouquets sent to nursing homes in the city and outside of it, please.”
Rhi heard what he said and smiled.
* * *
In the restaurant,one of the city’s best, Mars pushed Rhi’s chair in. Sitting, he took her left hand in his and gazed at the carbon-harvested engagement ring. “It is beautiful. But you absolutely surpass its beauty with your own.”
Mars raised his eyes to Rhi’s. His eyes shined with unshed tears. “Gerri did wonderful work introducing you to me. But you let me get to know you, your likes, dislikes, and your beautiful heart.” He swiped at his face as a betraying tear slid down. “May we spend many happy and loving years together.” Now, his voice cracked.
Her own eyes filled with tears. She had a pretty good idea about what and who was behind Mars’s emotions. “Your grandad sounds like he was a wonderful man. I believe he’s looking at you now and smiling.” She blinked rapidly, her own emotions taking over.
Mars was silent as he nodded. He couldn’t trust his voice to let him speak. “I feel his presence. In here.” He patted his chest. “He would absolutely love you.”
Mars and Rhi both struggled with their sentiments, getting them under control as the server came to their table. They placed their beverage order, then scanned the menu. Several minutes later, Rhi enjoyed her Cajun-blackened salmon with scalloped potatoes and vegetables. “This is to die for. We have to come back here again.”
Mars tore into his rare venison steak, which was still bloody. A shifter habit she was still getting used to. “This is one of the best restaurants in this entire city. I decided to save it as a celebration if you accepted my proposal.”
Rhi tipped her head slightly. “Where would we have gone if I had said no?”
Mars put his fork down and thought. “Hmm. A fast-food place?”
Rhi began to laugh. She put her fork down. “A burger and fries as a consolation meal?”
Mars laughed with Rhi. “I am glad you want to marry me. Sometimes, I don’t feel like I deserve you.”
“There’s still time for you to decide you don’t want to put up with me,” she teased. “I am very stubborn when it comes to events.”
“So true.” Mars shook one finger in the air. “We do have a wedding to plan.”
Rhi nodded. “Big wedding or small?”
Mars gazed off into the distance. “Probably small. But we’ll have to invite people we know. Gerri has to be there. And we both know a few people who are pretty well-known here.”
Rhi nodded in agreement. “Do you mind if I make some notes?”
“It’s better to have them so we can remember what we decide on.”
The couple continued discussing options and preferences, and Rhi wrote them down. In between, they finished their meals.
“Dessert?” Mars was looking forward to the restaurant’s lava cake.
“Whew. There’s not much more room in here.”
“I’m really looking forward to their chocolate lava cake. How about we split it between the two of us?”
“Oh, chocolate. You twisted my arm. Okay, but we split it.”
Mars ordered a single lava cake with two plates and forks. As they waited, he asked Rhi about her preferences in wedding wear.
