Intensive Care: Escape to the Country (28 page)

What are your plans for tonight after work?

The text message from Joel made Kate smile when she read it and a shiver of excitement coursed through her.

Shaving my legs and painting my toenails. You?
She shot the quick text reply back to him.

Oh. You’re busy. Another time then.

Joel!

Want to have dinner?

Absolutely. Your place or mine?

How about we go out?

Sure. Where?

Meet me at the café at six and I’ll surprise you!

It wasn’t unusual for Joel to be mysterious about the details and Kate wondered what he was up to this time. With Joel, she never knew what was about to come next. He was always full of surprises and it was one of the things she loved most about him.

Thankfully the rest of her shift passed quickly and after work she went for a quick run before heading back home to get ready for dinner. The weather was warm and Kate decided it was the perfect night to wear the new dress she’d purchased. Since moving to Birrangulla she rarely wore anything other than jeans and a simple top, but something told her it would be nice to surprise Joel by getting dressed up a little bit.

She took her time in the shower and shaved and moisturized her legs before applying a hint of bronzing glitter powder to give them a touch of color.
Might as well paint my nails too.
The afternoon sun was beginning to set but it was still warm. Kate sat on the back step and painted her toes, enjoying the gentle breeze. When her toes were dry she slipped her feet into her sandals and was pleased she’d taken the extra few minutes to put the polish on.

After blow-drying her hair, she spent more time than usual and added some loose curls. Brushing the bronzing powder over her face, arms and décolletage, she stepped back and inspected her reflection in the mirror. She was happy with the result. She looked pretty but not overdressed. She knew Joel would notice.

An hour later she pulled up at the laneway and parked her car. As she stepped onto the sidewalk she was greeted by the sound of a guitarist playing soft chords. She wondered where it was coming from. Glancing around, she noticed strings of fairy lights had been wrapped around the flower beds and the trees that lined both sides of the laneway. There had to be hundreds of tiny lights.

Has Joel done all this?

Up ahead the roller door to the café was raised and hanging from the open door were seven red Chinese lanterns, each one glowing from the fairy lights inside them and moving gently in the warm evening breeze. The closer she got, the more clearly she heard the sound of music. She approached the open door with a sense of anticipation.

For a brief moment she almost forgot to breathe. Joel was propped on a stool, just inside the door, quietly strumming a guitar. All she could do was stare. She had no idea he could even play. Her heart began to race.

“You never cease to amaze me,” she said softly as she saw him.

Joel looked up as she walked through the door and grinned at her, his dimples showing. He was dressed in navy pants and a pale blue and white check shirt and Kate thought he had never looked more handsome. She was glad she’d made the extra effort to dress up.

“And you, my sweet Kate, never cease to amaze
me
.
You are a sight to behold.” He laid the guitar down.

“Oh, don’t stop. That sounds amazing. You never told me you played.”

“There’s lots about me you don’t know yet, Kate. But you know I have to save some things for later.”

She easily read the promise in his gaze and she felt her cheeks redden, knowing what he was referring to. He brought his head down toward her and kissed her so passionately her stomach felt like thousands of butterflies had been released inside her. Eventually he pulled away and took her hand, leading her inside and closing the door behind her.

“You look incredible.”

“Why thank you.” Kate’s hands were sweating slightly and she wiped them on her dress as she smoothed the front of it down.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so pretty. I love the dress.”

Joel held her arm above her head and encouraged her to twirl around for him. Kate obliged and then giggled.

“What if people see all the lights and think you’re open? We might get interrupted!”

Joel turned the sign around on the door to read “closed.” “Now they’ll know we’re shut.”

“But the lights and the lanterns? Did you do all of that?”

“I did.”

“What for?”

“For you.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to make tonight special.”

“What’s so special about tonight?”

“Seven months ago, almost to the day, a beautiful young woman walked into my café and into my world. Everything about her was full of light. And with her came a sense of hope. Hope that I would be able to find love again. And I have.”

Kate was speechless. It was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard.

Joel took her by the hand and led her to a table he had prepared in the center of the café. The square table was covered in a thick white cloth and a single flower was set in the center. The whole café had been cleared of the usual tables and chairs and hers was the only one in the otherwise empty room. It must have taken him hours to set everything up. She stepped over the tiny candles that were dancing in the semi darkness to take a seat, glancing down and realizing the candles formed a heart shape around the table.

“Joel, you continually surprise me.”

“I told you once before, I aim to please you, Miss Kate.” Joel took a bow as he laid the white linen napkin across her lap. “Now, I believe you like coffee.”

“I do.”

“Then I shall bring you a coffee.”

Kate watched as Joel stepped behind the machine and began the familiar action of preparing her favorite drink. He turned the CD player on and soft guitar music filled the air. The effect of the smell of coffee and the sound of the music had a soothing effect on Kate and she began to relax. So far the whole evening was a beautiful surprise and she wondered if Joel had prepared dinner for them to eat at the café. Was he also able to cook? Perhaps cooking was another of his many skills he hadn’t shared with her yet. He never ceased to amaze her.

Joel brought a small white cup on a saucer to the table and placed it in front of her. She noted the two small brown raw sugar cubes beside the cup in the saucer and she was pleased that he knew her so well. Joel took a seat opposite Kate.

“Nice touch,” she said, pointing to the intricate heart shaped pattern he had created in the crème on top of her latte.

“Thank you.”

“I haven’t seen you make that pattern before.”

“Ah, I only do this one for my very favorite customer.”

Kate smiled at him. “Aren’t you having one?”

“No. Maybe later.”

She shrugged.
Whatever.
She took a sip of her coffee. “Perfect. As usual.”

Joel continued to watch her, the smile never leaving his face.

She put the cup back in the saucer. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

“Joel!”

“Just drink your coffee, Kate.” He pretended to be stern but Kate saw the twinkle of his eyes.

“Yes sir.”

She took another sip and then used her spoon to wipe the edges of the cup, mixing the frothy milk into the drink. She stirred slowly and looked up at Joel again, delaying the moment of finishing her coffee.

“Okay. Enough! Stop staring at me!”

“I can’t take my eyes off you.”

“Oh my god, can you be any cornier?” Kate laughed.

“Probably!” Joel replied. “Drink.” He pointed to her cup.

“Fine!” Kate tipped her head back and finished off the remainder of the creamy coffee. As she was about to place the cup back down, something caught her eye and she gasped.

“Joel!”

“Yes?”

“Does that say what I think it says?”

Written in black ink on the bottom of the empty cup were the words Kate had been longing to hear for as long as she could remember.

Marry me?

Joel pushed himself back from the table and bent down on one knee. Kate’s hand went to her mouth in shock.

“Kate Kennedy, I love you. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Well that was one question I did
not
expect today!”

“So, your answer is …?” Joel raised his eyebrows, waiting for her reply.

“My answer is yes!” Kate threw herself into Joel’s lap, almost pushing him to the ground as she kissed him fervently on the lips. “Yes, yes, YES, I love you and the answer is yes, I will marry you!”

Half an hour later they were strolling hand in hand down the main street of town. Everything within Kate wanted to scream out to every person that she passed, “I’m engaged!” but she held herself in check.

“Where are we going now?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“How many more surprises have you got up your sleeve?”

Joel stopped suddenly and let go of Kate’s hand and made a show of checking up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Just one more.”

They stopped out the front of a jewelry store and although the “closed” sign was displayed in the front door, the store was well lit, displaying a glittering array of diamonds and other sparkling objects in the window. She’d only been engaged for half an hour and already she was drawn to the window like a moth to light. Joel didn’t let her pause to look, instead he pulled her by the hand, pushed open the door and walked into the empty shop. She was stunned.

“Hello Joel!” A tiny weathered Italian man greeted Joel warmly as they walked inside. He came from behind the counter and kissed Joel on each cheek, wrapping his arms around Joel’s waist. “I take it she said yes!”

Joel nodded, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

“Kate, meet Enzo Armando. He’s going to help us choose your ring.”

“Are you serious?” Kate’s hand went to her mouth. “When did you plan all this, Joel?”

“Enzo is an old family friend. I called him up and had him on standby – just in case you said no.”

“Come, my dear. Let’s choose a ring that is every bit as beautiful as you.” The old man winked at Joel. “Sit here and let us begin. Do you like diamonds? Of course – why do I ask? Every woman likes diamonds!” Enzo laughed.

“Actually …” Kate paused and looked from Enzo to Joel. “I’ve always dreamed of having a sapphire engagement ring.”

“Sapphire it is then.”

Without missing a beat, Enzo pulled out a small navy blue velvet-covered pad full of rings from a drawer at his left and placed them on the table in front of Kate. Joel stood to the side, watching her as Kate selected each ring and tried it on. When she got to the end of the selection she was frowning and her shoulders slumped with disappointment. There was nothing that seemed to be quite right.

“You’ve got time, Kate. Is there a particular design you like? We can choose a stone and have it made especially if there’s not one here that you like,” Joel said. “There’s no hurry. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get a ring today.”

“It’s not that,” Kate said as she nibbled nervously on her lower lip. “I know I said I always wanted a sapphire engagement ring but these just don’t suit – they don’t feel right. It feels like my desire for a sapphire ring is meant to be in the past. I’m not even sure how to explain.” Kate looked up at Joel apologetically.

Before Kate said another word, Enzo pulled another velvet-covered pad from the drawer and carefully withdrew a ring from the middle row. It was a massive diamond surrounded by a circle of tiny diamonds all set in white gold. It was completely different from every other ring Kate had tried on. Its style was not one she would have chosen herself. He handed it to her and she slid it onto her ring finger. As she did, she turned and looked at Joel.

“This is it! This is the one!” She felt her pulse begin to race and tears of happiness threatened to fall.

“Ah,” said Enzo, “I knew this one was for you the moment you walked in the door.”

“Does it fit?” Joel asked her as she twisted it slightly around her finger, admiring it from different angles.

“Like it was made for me.” Kate’s eyes were shining and her expression was pure radiance, sparkling as much as the large diamond.

“Can you take it off easily?” Joel asked.

Kate slid the ring off and handed it to Joel. He spent a moment inspecting the diamond as Enzo explained the cut and color of it to him. Then Joel stunned Kate once again by dropping to one knee in the middle of the shop. Enzo miraculously disappeared into the background.

“Kate Kennedy, I know you have already said yes, but I want to hear you say it again. Will you please marry me?” He held the ring up in his fingers.

Kate leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. “Nothing would make me happier. Yes. I will marry you.”

Joel slipped the ring back onto Kate’s finger and lifted her hand to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand softly, lifting his eyes to watch her face. “I love you, Kate.”

“I love you too.”

It was dark when they left the jewelers and walked hand in hand down the near-empty street. Kate couldn’t stop fiddling with the ring on her finger, turning her hand every which way, watching as the light from the streetlamps caught the diamond and reflected its radiant sparkle. She could not wipe the smile off her face.

“What now? Any more surprises?”

“I think that’s enough for one day,” Joel laughed.

“Can I call my parents?”

“Of course you can! Let’s go back inside.”

They walked back into the café and as Joel turned on a few lights Kate called her parents.

“Hello, Katie darling. How are you doing? How is Joel? So, what’s the weather like out there today? It’s been so hot here but a lovely cool sea breeze has just come through and I’ve opened up all the windows. Have you got the weekend off work? What have you been up to today then? Anything special? Any exciting news?”

Kate let her mum speak, knowing she would eventually pause for answers to her questions.

“Mum, is Dad there?” Kate struggled to keep her voice calm; she was brimming with excitement.