Unconditional Love (Journey of Love #1)(76)
Author: Kelly Elliott

“Will she like it?” I asked as I looked over at Scott. He smiled and nodded his head.

“Dude, she is going to love it and be totally surprised.”

Linda let out a chuckle and said, “Mr. Williams, it looks perfect. We will be over in the trailer. Once you come out, just give us a wave when you are ready for us to start bringing out the food.”

I nodded my head and watched as Linda walked to the trailer. I looked at Scott and said, “Hell, I hope she can cook and Azurdee likes the food.”

Francis smiled and said, “I’ll be leaving now. Thank you so much, Mr. Williams.”

I shook her hand and said, “Thank you! Let me walk you to your van.”

As I walked back toward the front door, it opened and Jessie stepped outside and attempted at least four times to whistle.

“What in the hell are you doing?” I asked as Scott walked up to her and kissed her as he laughed.

“I was giving you a signal. You know, whistling. I told Azurdee to go change for dinner. Are you ready?”

I nodded and Jessie turned as we followed her into the house. We walked into the living room and Jessie looked over my shoulder and smiled. When I turned around, Azurdee was standing there in a pale pink sundress and cowboy boots.

“I’m ready. Are we all going out to eat?” she asked as she looked between the three of us.

Jessie grinned and said, “Nope. This is just dinner for two. Scott, Lauren and I are leaving and heading to his parents’ house and spending the night there.”

I looked at Scott and he winked and nodded his head. “The house is y’all’s tonight.”

I walked up to Azurdee and kissed her on the forehead as I took her hands and led her to the front door.

“Where are we going?” she asked with a confused look on her face.

I looked at her and said, “Dinner.”

She laughed and said, “On the front porch?”

I glanced at her and said, “Kind of. Close your eyes, mi amor.”

She tilted her head and gave me a questioning look as she closed her eyes. I opened the front door and guided her out the door, down the steps and to the side of the table.

“Can I open my eyes?” she asked with a giggle.

“Not yet,” I whispered as I pulled the ring box out of my pocket.

I knelt down on my knee and took a deep breath as I opened the box.

I slowly let out the breath I was holding and tried to talk, but my voice cracked. I cleared my throat and said a quick prayer.

“Open your eyes, mi amor.”

She opened her eyes and then looked down. She threw her hands up to her mouth and instantly started to cry.

“I’m really hoping that you don’t think I’m moving too fast. Something hit me the other night though. Do you want to know what it was?”

She nodded her head as tears flowed down her beautiful face. “I can’t ever live this life without you in it. It’s been over a year since I stood here and laid my eyes on the most beautiful woman ever. I felt something that day that scared me. Then you smiled at me and I knew in my heart I was going to love you for the rest of my life.”

She wiped her tears away as she whispered, “Lark.”

“You took me exactly how I was, faults and all. You never once judged my life or me. You made me feel worthy of your love. Your unconditional love brought me out of the darkness and into a light I never dreamed could be so amazing. You taught me how to open my heart again, Azurdee. You are the only person I want to give my heart to. The only person I want to spend the rest of my life with. You’re my whole world…my entire life.”

She dropped to her knees and looked into my eyes like she was looking into my soul.

“Azurdee, will you please go on this journey with me? Will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

She began nodding her head as the most beautiful smile spread across her face.

“Will you marry me, Azurdee?”

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes!”

She threw herself into my arms as we wrapped our arms around each other. I held her as she cried and I fought like hell not to be a pansy ass and cry. Scott and Jessie had already left so no chance of him seeing me if I did let a tear…or two…slip.

“Lark, I love you so much. I can’t wait to start my journey as Mrs. Michael Williams.”

And there are the tears. Shit. There goes my man card.

The moment I opened my eyes and saw Lark on his knee, my heart began pounding and my stomach had been doing a complete circus act.

Lark stood up and gently lifted me up with him. He took the ring out of the ring box and took my left hand as he slipped the ring onto my finger. I looked down at the most breathtaking ring I’d ever seen. It was an oval diamond framed by round diamonds. Ribbons of diamonds overlapped to form the band, which was white gold.

I sucked in a breath of air and said, “Oh Lark…it’s beautiful.”

His whole body seemed to relax as he asked, “You like it?”

I looked into his eyes and smiled. “Like it? I absolutely love it!”

“It was my grandmother’s ring.”

“Oh my! Oh…Lark…this is just…” I shook my head and attempted to hold back more tears.

Lark glanced over his shoulder and gave a thumbs-up, and that is when I noticed the small white table. I looked up and saw the lanterns and let out a small gasp.

“Lark. Oh my gosh. When did you do all of this?”

He let out a chuckle and said, “When Jessie and you went for a walk.”

I raised my eyebrow and said, “Sneaky.”

“I’ve had extensive training in the area of sneaky.”

He sat down across from me and a young lady walked over and poured us each a glass of champagne. She gave me a sweet smile and said, “Congratulations.”

I felt the heat move up my face as I quickly looked over at Lark and back at her. “Thank you so much.”

“Did he surprise you?”

I grinned and said, “Yes. Very much so.”

She took a step back and said, “Your salads will be out momentarily followed by dinner. My name is Linda, so if you need anything just be sure to ask.”

When she turned and walked away I looked back at Lark. “You couldn’t have picked a more romantic way to do this.”

He grinned from ear to ear and said, “Well, I kind of borrowed Scott’s idea when he asked Jessie. I just knew I wanted to ask you in the same spot I first saw you. The same spot I knew my life would never be the same again.”