“Does it bother you that I’m not ready is what I want to know?” she asked.
“It did at first,” he admitted. “But like I said the last time we spoke on it, not anymore.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Marriage is a huge step. Who’s to say I’m ready? You were right. We need time,” he said. She laid back down on his chest and closed her eyes. It was best to hide her disappointment. Maverick’s proposal was beautiful. He actually had Noah bring her the ring. When she discovered the jewel on a platinum band tucked away inside the toy car, she turned to find Maverick kneeling. He said the most beautiful things to her. And she believed every word. When her mouth parted to answer with her heart, she soon closed it and responded with her brain. Delilah should have said yes. She wanted to, but she couldn’t. Now she feared he’d never ask again.
“When do you have to go back to New York?” she asked.
“Tuesday,” he said.
“Okay, if I don’t go this time?”
He didn’t answer at first. The silence made her open her eyes. He was now in the thick of the investigation against the Mayor and Governor. She was his attorney, but her team could handle the affair. Her presence at his side was just to strengthen him.
“Is it okay if I don’t go this time?”
“It’s fine,” he said and kissed her brow. He squeezed her to him. “And Delilah?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“Goodiva and the baby will be okay. If I haven’t learned anything about you and your friends, I’ve learned this. You're survivors, sweetheart.”
TUESDAY—
“I’m pulling up right now,” Delilah parked in front of Noah’s Classic Cars and Collision. She grabbed her cellphone and keys, leaving her purse behind. Her new assistant, a young woman named Lacie, came out of the garage's front door. She looked relieved to see her boss.
“Is everything ready?” Delilah asked.
“Yes, mam, I’m just here to do the walkthrough with you. But we’re out of time. He’s landed.”
“What?” Delilah stopped. “He has? He isn’t supposed to be here for another two hours.”
“Yes, mam, two minutes ago his plane—”
Delilah’s phone buzzed. She put a finger to her lips to silence Lacie and answered. “Hey?”
“Hey babe, I’m back,” Maverick said.
“Oh? Really? You’re early,” Delilah said and bit her bottom lip before revealing her distress.
“I know, we wrapped early. Wanted to surprise you. But I called the house, and they said you aren’t home. Where are you?”
“Yes, uhm, yes, we got a problem.”
“What’s wrong?” Maverick asked.
“Pipe. It burst here at the garage. You need to get here as fast as you can,” she said.
“On my way!” Maverick said and hung up.
Delilah hurried inside the garage with her assistant on her heels. “We got twenty minutes. Where is my dress?”
“In the office. Can I help?”
“No, I got this. Go. Thanks for everything,” Delilah said and ran faster in her heels than she’s ever done in her adult life.
“Shit,” Maverick mumbled. He turned into the drive of his collision shop and parked behind her car. He tried to call her once he got his car and was on the way, but she didn’t answer. The garage had twenty employees. Why was she the only one there in the middle of the day? He called his shop managers and got no answer. Cars from Denver and had just arrived to be restored. He couldn’t deal with a flood in the warehouse. The insurance premiums were already through the roof.
Maverick got out of his car and slammed the door. He walked past Delilah’s car and paused. Her purse was open and on the front seat. “What the hell?”
Maverick opened the unlocked door and retrieved it. Delilah would never make a mistake, such as leaving her purse in an unlocked car. The discovery immediately alarmed him. Maverick glanced around and saw no other cars in the otherwise busy parking lot of the shopping center. Concerned, Maverick hurried to the garage. Before he opened the door, he heard the music. When he entered the lobby of his business nothing, seem out of place. He immediately walked past the reception area to the doors of his garage. The lighting looked different through the windows. And it was. Dimmed to candlelight glow, the lights were used to play with the atmosphere and center his focus toward the middle of the garage. There was a table set for two—red roses in a tall vase as the centerpiece. And a small Bluetooth speaker played a sultry songstress voice.
“Delilah?” He said as he approached the table. The candles on tall pedestals around were a nice touch. Maverick smiled. He had plans to celebrate his good news with her, and as usual, she anticipated the outcome and took care of him.
“Do you like it?”
Maverick looked back over his shoulder at the sound of her voice. Delilah smiled at him. She wore a business suit tailored to her curves and large dark sunglasses. Confused by her attire, he stared at her, unable to respond. She turned around for him and then posed. “Do you remember?”
“Remember what? I’m confused, sweetheart. What is this about?” Maverick asked.
Delilah approached him. She beamed with happiness. He could see it in her smile. “Do you remember the first time we met? What I wore?” She asked.
He looked her up and down again. Indeed he did remember. One of his main thoughts was the sunglasses prevented him from seeing her eyes. He removed them from her face and stared at her. “I remember now.”
She hugged his waist. “I thought my world was falling apart. I thought that meeting would be the death of me, Maverick. I thought... I saw no way out.”
Maverick hugged her.
“I was wrong. That day and every day afterward was the new beginning for Noah and me. It was what it was meant to be. I can’t tell you how much I’ve grown because of your love. I’ll make mistakes. Not because don’t love you, Maverick, it’s because I’m learning how to focus and love me while loving you.”
“I don’t see them as mistakes Delilah. I just see you.”
Her head lifted from his chest, and she smiled up at him. He wiped the tears that could threaten to wash away her makeup. Delilah took a step back. She removed a small black ring box from her suit pocket and went down on one knee. Maverick brows lifted in surprise. “Maverick Dylan Lennon, will you do the honor of being my husband.”
“What is this?”
“That’s not the answer I want to hear,” she chuckled.
Maverick pulled her back up and lifted her into his arms. Delilah wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him with so much passion his head spun. He couldn’t believe the amount of happiness he felt all at once. Maverick kissed her face and neck squeezing her tight to his chest. Delilah grabbed the sides of his face and made him look up at her. “Hey, what’s your answer.”
“Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”
She hugged his neck and let out a squeal of joy, and Maverick nearly spun with her in his arms. There was the sound of applause that stopped him. He looked over her shoulder to see another older gentleman and Queen. Maverick let her go, and Delilah slid down him to her feet. She glanced back at the people and then him.