she straightened, blowing the hair out of her eyes. Then frowned at him. "Why are you grinning at me that way? Is my face all sweaty and grimy already?"
"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my lifetime, Alexs Hathaway. And you always surprise me. Even knowing you in'de out, you surprise me."
"Well, honey. . ." she tilted her head, batted her lashes. "I mean to."
Giff slid his hand into his pocket, fingered the small box he'd tucked there. "I had different plans for doing this. But I don't think I've ever loved you more than I do right this second."
He tugged the box out of his pocket, watching her eyes go huge and wide as he flipped open the lid with his thumb. The little diamond centered on the thin gold band winked out points of fire in the sun.
"Marry me, Alexa."
Her heart swelled and butted against her ribs. Her eyes misted so that the light shooting from the diamond refracted and blinded her. Her hand trembled as she pressed it to her mouth.
"Oh, how could you! How could you spoil it all this way?" Spinning around, she thumped the hammer against the edge of the wood.
"Like I said," he murmured, "you're always a surprise to me. You want me to put it away until we have candlelight and moonbeams?"
"No, no, no." With a little sob, she struck the wood with the hammer again. "Put it away. Take it back. You know I can't marry you."
He shifted his feet, planted them. "I don't know any such thing.
Why don't you explain it to me?"
if you keep asking. You know I'll give in because I love you so much.
Then I'll have given up everything else. I'll stay on this damn island, I won't go back to New York, and I won't try to make it in the theater again. Then I'll start to hate you as the years pass and I start to think, if only. If only. I'll just shrivel up here wondering if I could ever have been something."
"What makes you think I'd expect you to give up on New York and the theater, that I'd expect you to give up everything you want?
I'd hate to think you'd marry a man who wants less for you than you want for yourself Whatever you want for Lexy, I want twice that much."
she wiped a hand over her cheeks. "I don't understand you. I plan on swinging a hammer on Desire my whole life."
head, then shoved it back on again. "Things need to get built in New York, don't they? Things need fixing there just like anywhere else."
could read them. "You're saying you'd go to New York. You'd live in New York? For me."
closed and shoved the box back into his pocket. "If I was to do that, I'd just end up resenting you, and we'd be right back where we started.
I'm saying I'd go for both of us. And that even with the money I've been putting by, we'd live pretty tight for a while. I'd probably have to take some classes if I wanted Nathan to give me a chance at a job in his firm."
"A job with Nathan? You want to work in New York?"
"I've had a hankering to see it. And to see you, on stage, in the spotlight."
"I might not ever get there."
"Hell you won't." His dimples winked down, and his eyes went from sulky brown to golden. "I've never seen anybody who can play more roles. You'll get there, Lexy. I believe in you."
Tears gushed out even as she laughed and threw herself at him. "Oh, Giff, how'd you get to be so perfect? How'd you get to be so right?" she leaned back, catching his face in her hands. "So absolutely right for me."
"I've been studying on it most of my life."
"We'll have a time, we will. And I'll wait damn tables until you're out of school or I get my break. Whatever it takes. Oh, hurry up, hurry up and put it on." she jumped down, held out her hand. "I can't hardly stand to wait."
"I'll buy you a bigger one someday."
"No, you won't." she thrilled as he slipped the ring onto her finger, as he lowered his head and kissed her. "You can buy me all the other bright, shiny baubles you want when we're rich. Because I want to be good and rich, Giff, and I'm not ashamed to say so. But this . . ." she held up her hand, turning it so the little stone winked and danced with light. "This is just perfect."
After two hours, Jo's head throbbed and her eyes were all but crossed. Kate had come and gone twice, hauling guests to and from, swinging by various cottages. Brian had dropped off a dozen campers, then headed back to make another sweep in case there were any lingering. Her only news of Nathan was that he was helping board up cottages along the beachfront.
Except for the monotonous thwack of hammers, the house was finally quiet. she imagined Kate would be back shortly with the last of the cottagers. The windows on the south and east sides were boarded, casting the house into gloom.