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Our relationship blossomed when we decided to be together, and there was no holding back. We had told each other everything and did so because we wanted to, not because we had to. Ryder was still his same old grumpy self, but it was habit. He smiled more than I did, and his laughter warmed my heart. It was like coming home to me.
I pulled up in the driveway and sighed as I got out of the car, dragging my bag inside. Ryder greeted me at the door with a smile. He walked up and kissed me softly on the lips. "Welcome home. I can't believe I'm home earlier than you."
I laughed, slipping off my shoes. "I know. It was a long day."
I started toward the living room, but Ryder redirected me, taking my hand and walking me up the steps. I followed him, curious as to what he had in mind. As we entered the bathroom, I melted like putty, finding candles lit everywhere and a hot bubble bath waiting for me. He kissed my cheek and handed me a new bottle of honeysuckle body wash. "Relax, don't worry about anything, take your time, and when you're done, come downstairs. I'm going to cook us dinner."
I smiled and kissed his cheek. "You are on your game today. I'm wondering what bribery is in store, but at the moment, I'm too tired to care."
He chuckled as he backed out of the bathroom. "Don't fall asleep in the tub."
As the door closed, I breathed in the warm heavy scent of rose scented bubble bath, something I realized he must have just purchased. It made me think about standing in the field of roses with him almost a year ago. I undressed, dreaming of lanterns and roses, and slipped into the hot water, my body instantly relaxing. It was exactly what I needed after the week I had at work.
I laid there for quite a while and felt no need to check the time, my phone, or anything else that would distract from my relaxation. However, once the water had simmered to a lukewarm and my body began to prune, I decided to get out. I put on the clean comfy clothes Ryder had left for me and combed my hair, leaving it wet. I could smell dinner being prepared downstairs and suddenly realized how hungry I was.
I had been so busy during the day that I had completely forgotten to eat lunch. I paused in the bedroom to straighten the bed a bit, noticing how strong the rose-scented bubble bath had been. I could still smell it like I was surrounded by flowers. I finished setting up the bed for sleep in a bit and headed downstairs to join Ryder for dinner. As I turned the corner into the dining and kitchen area, I stopped in my tracks. All over the room were vases and vases of red roses. They covered all available table tops and ledges and even lined the stairwell into the living room. The smell of the beautiful flowers filled my senses. Hanging from the ceiling were dozens of paper lanterns, all flickering with battery-operated candles.
Behind me, I heard the floorboard squeak. I turned around to find Ryder on one knee, looking up at me. He held a small ring box with his family's antique engagement ring inside. “Amber, I know this may not be as perfect as the fields of roses from my first proposal, but I promise it's even more filled with love than that one. You have been my rock, my steady hand, and the woman that makes me strive to be a better person. You break me from my grumpiness and test my quick wit daily. I love you more than words can say. So, in this field of roses that is just ours, will you please, finally, be my wife?"
Tears filled my eyes, and I nodded, pulling him to his feet. He smiled as he slid the ring onto my finger before pulling me tightly into his arms. I didn't think life could get better, but I realized the best was yet to come.
Guy
The Mystery Continues
She said yes!
I smiled at the text from Ryder, happy that he had found that place with someone he cared so deeply for. I wasn't looking for anything, and I figured if it struck me, I would know. Being the oldest out of all the guys, people tended to want to set me up a lot, especially my little sister, who couldn't keep her need to jump into my love life to herself.
Take that night, for example. I was sitting at a quaint table in an Italian restaurant, waiting on a blind date that I had done everything to get out of. My sister had met this woman at a festival, and for some reason, she thought we would be perfect together. I wasn't sure what brother she had come to know all those years, but I never put off the vibe of wanting to date a festival chick.
I had no problem with the events. They sounded like something at which the guys and I would have had a ball. But now that I was older, I felt like I'd be the old guy at the party. The Matthew McConaughey of current-day festival life. But that wasn't me. I was chill, I liked sports, and I just wanted to be at home, feet propped up, enjoying the things I worked so hard for. So I barely went out with the guys anymore, much less to weekend festivals where sleeping involved the ground and a tent.
But there I was, waiting on her to arrive to appease my sister. I tried to keep an open mind, and even though she was a bit younger than me, I knew age wasn't always a factor, within the law, of course. So I sent Ryder a congratulatory message and shoved the phone back in my pocket. The front door of the restaurant opened, and a woman walked in, her hair long and curly, her smile very pretty, and not wearing anything crocheted or patchworked which I was surprised at.
She spoke to the hostess, who nodded, and they walked back toward me. I stood and put out my hand to introduce myself. However, she immediately leaned in and kissed both of my cheeks — as if I had somehow fallen into a bakery in Italy. She was already giggling, and I hadn't even said anything.
"It's so good to meet you," she said with an overly excited smile. "Your sister is so sweet."
The valley girl tones in her dialect were making me grit my teeth. "It's nice to meet you too. My sister told me a lot about you. Can I get you a drink?"
The waitress walked up, and the woman's facial expression changed from happy-go-lucky to snide and judgmental. "Uh…yes, please. Can I have a seltzer, three ice cubes, and a lime wedge on the glass? Not in the water."
I could see the restraint on the waitress's face as she smiled and walked away. Chelsea, the woman's name, dug around in her purse, finally pulling out a lip gloss tube. I stared into the abyss of excess, finding both hippy and upscale overbearing snob all wrapped up in a little package. She was a trickster with her downhome beauty but valley attitude.
"So," I said, clearing my throat. "My sister says you are a vet tech."
She nodded. "I am. Though I just left my last vet office. They were really insistent that vet techs were responsible for waste removal, and I didn't spend two years in school to collect poop."
"Wow, two whole years," I replied, sighing deeply.
"Mhmm," she chirped, shaking her head. "I mean, can you believe it? Whatever. It's more time for me anyway."
I pulled my phone halfway from my pocket and smiled. "If you could excuse me. I must use the restroom."
"Sure," she chirped.
I scooted back quickly and headed to the bathroom, unsure of how to get myself out of this date. We were basically the only ones at the restaurant, and my driver couldn't do anything. Clarence was great. He had been my driver for years, but I was pretty sure, no matter how dimwitted this girl was, she would not believe my driver when he came in with a sudden emergency. I put both hands on the sink and let my head hang, feeling that the next couple of hours were going to be hell.
