The Truest of Words Read online

  “No one wants to hear about your epic sex life, Daniel,” Brad said.

  Patty cast a stern look at Penny and Brad. “I hope you’ve all got healthy sex lives. And don’t you two go paying attention to those ridiculous stories about the dangers of sex during pregnancy. That’s absolute rubbish.”

  “Thank you, Patty,” Brad said, looking at Penny as if the words I told you so might spill from his lips any second.

  “If my baby is born with a ruddy enormous dent in its head, we’ll have you to thank,” Penny said, nodding at Patty.

  Brad elbowed Daniel. “Did you hear that, bro? An enormous dent.”

  Jeremy snorted, and Daniel shook his head, sighing as he looked over his shoulder at his parents chatting by the bar.

  “Mom, I don’t mean to be difficult, but Aubrey and I have dinner reservations. What’s the plan?”

  “Of course, we shouldn’t hold you up. Mother?” Gwen said, craning her neck around to see Patty. “Are you feeling up to having a dance?”

  “That is why we’re here, Gwen,” Patty said, holding her hands out in front of her.

  Daniel pulled her up as Brad gave her a helpful push from behind.

  Gerald offered her his arm. “May I have the honor of escorting you to the dance floor, Henrietta?” he asked.

  “My goodness, what a lot of nonsense,” Patty said, trying to brush off his chivalrous advances, but blushing like a schoolgirl anyway.

  We entered the ballroom, finding an empty table bordering the dance floor.

  “Off you go, you two,” Daniel said. “Show us how it’s done.”

  Julie clung to my arm as we watched Patty and Gerald take their place among the rest of the fox-trotting couples.

  “They’re so cute,” she said with a sigh. “I hope I’m that feisty when I’m older. I’ve never known such a pervy eighty-year-old.”

  “I wonder if you’ll still be able to touch your foot to your ear when you’re eighty,” I whispered. “That would be amazing.”

  Julie giggle-snorted. On the other side of me, Gwen leaned over, touching my forearm lightly.

  “I was talking to Ralph on Wednesday, Aubrey. He said you wrote a fabulous piece on The Boys in the Photograph. He’s really impressed with your work.”

  “He’s very supportive. I’m learning a lot.”

  “And Daniel was telling us that he’s almost ready to defend his paper,” she added, looking around the table. “I’m so proud of you all.”

  “Mom,” Jeremy said, a note of warning in his voice. “Don’t go getting all verklempt.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.”

  David made his way around the table, leaning between us. “I hate to interrupt, but are we permitted a turn on the floor if we’re not collecting pensions?”

  Gwen held her hand out to him. “I can’t imagine they’d toss us out on our ears, David. We did pay a fee for the private room.”

  She stood, and together they crossed to the floor.

  “This place is beautiful,” Julie said, surveying the room.

  “Why don’t you and Jeremy go and dance?” I suggested.

  “Do you think we can?”

  She looked at Jeremy beseechingly, and he lifted her to her feet, slipping his arm around her waist.

  “Come on, fancy feet,” he said.

  “Try not to steal the show,” I called out.

  Julie beckoned us over. “You guys should come, too.”

  “I think I’ll sit for a bit, actually,” Penny said. She ruffled Brad’s hair. “Not up to having my toes squashed at the moment. Daniel, you and Aubrey should go ahead.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, go on, have a dance. We’ll be fine.”

  Julie and Jeremy disappeared into the crowd, and we followed. Daniel took me in his arms, and after a couple of missteps, we found our groove. We’d done our fair share of dancing at clubs and concerts over the last few months, but Daniel was so versatile. He could make the switch from the bump-and-grind to the rumba without batting an eyelash. Truth be told, I was beginning to feel a lot more at home ballroom dancing, too. Daniel was an excellent teacher.

  Being held close while slow-dancing was one thing, but being able to travel the floor in unison somehow seemed more intimate than plodding around in a circle. It spoke of a shared history, secret understandings. A quick double-squeeze of his hand would let me know he wanted to spin me; a slight increase in the pressure of his fingers on my lower back warned me not to move too far beyond the circle of his arms for fear of crashing into another couple.

  “You’re getting good at this,” Daniel said, bringing me in closer. “You seem more confident.”

  “I’m following you, sunshine. You lead well.”

  “Don’t get all modest.”

  “It’s not about modesty. Being good at this kind of dancing means you have to listen to your partner’s body. Communication isn’t only about words—it’s subtext and body language too. Dancing well together is a great indicator of compatibility, don’t you think?”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  As we danced, I caught sight of Patty and Gerald on the other side of the floor.

  “Your grandmother and Gerald look happy. I’m glad we worked this into our plans tonight. It’s nice for them to have family around to enjoy these special moments after all that secrecy.”

  Daniel nodded and leaned his chin against my temple. As the song came to an end, he whispered a kiss on my forehead before facing the front to applaud the band. I was all set to exit the floor and rejoin Penny and Brad at the table, but when the next song started, Daniel reached for me.

  “No…wait…we have to dance to this one.” He drew me toward him again.

  Beside us, Julie and Jeremy drifted by. Not missing a step, Julie called out to us over her shoulder, “They’re playing your song.”

  I frowned up at Daniel. “What song is this?”

  “It’s ‘The Way you Look Tonight.’ Not quite the same as Michael Bublé’s version, is it?” he said.

  “Oh, right. It does sound different—especially without someone singing.”

  “Did you tell Julie we danced to this song the last time we were here?”

  “I guess I must have. The way we’re dancing right now is a hell of a lot more impressive than our first dance, don’t you think?”

  “I think we pulled off a pretty good Grade Nine Grope.” He laughed. “It was a quick grope, but I’ll never forget it.”

  I felt his smile against my temple, and then he took a deep breath, the pressure of his hand on my lower back keeping me close. I peeked over my shoulder, assuming we were on a collision course with another couple, but there was no one in our immediate vicinity. We had plenty of room. Again, I felt him take in a giant lungful of air, and then his arms seemed to tense as he breathed out. I looked up at his face.

  “Are you okay, sweet-knees?”

  “I’m fine. I’m wondering if I should…I mean—there’s something I need to tell you.”

  “What is it?”

  “I was going to tell you later, but I don’t know. I think I should tell you now. It seems like the right time. It’s kind of important.”

  I examined his expression. “Daniel, you’re scaring me.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s nothing bad. It’s actually quite good…at least I think so.” He looked at my lips, and then his eyes swept upward until they were locked with mine. “It’s just—well, your dad says hi, and he wants you to know he might come out for a visit over Christmas.”

  “My dad says hi? When were you talking to my dad?”

  “I did more than talk to him. I met him. I went out for dinner with him…”

  “What are you talking about?”

  In my bewilderment, I tripped over myself. Daniel led me out of the way of the other moving couples and into the middle of the floor where he took both of my hands in his.

  “I told you a fib, sweetheart. I’m really sorry. I wasn’t
returning home from British Columbia yesterday. I was coming home from Calgary. The symposium finished on Tuesday. I flew to Calgary on Wednesday and stopped over for a night. You see, I needed to meet your father and talk to him about something important.”

  I shook my head. “What are you—?”

  “You’re going to think I’ve lost my mind,” he said, scanning the room before turning to regard me solemnly. “I never dreamed I’d do this here, in the middle of a crowded room, but what you said before about Patty and Gerald…it’s true. We’ve spent too much time hiding in the shadows, as well. I don’t want to hide. This wasn’t how I’d planned things, but God help me, I’ve chosen now to do something completely spontaneous.”

  He squeezed my hand, and then he stepped back and dropped down to one knee.

  I was so completely unprepared for what was happening that I drew my hands up to cover my enflamed cheeks. The elderly couples around us smiled and moved to the edge of the dance floor.

  On the other side of the floor, Patty’s mouth dropped open, and Gerald put his arm around her waist to steady her. Even the bandleader looked over his shoulder, perhaps sensing something unusual was happening behind him.

  All of this happened in the space of ten seconds, the time it took for Daniel to lower himself to his knee and reach into his jacket pocket to pull free a small velvet pouch.

  “Your father gave me his blessing, Aubrey, so I’m going to ask you a really important question,” he said. “Are you ready?”

  I nodded, my eyes stinging and my hand over my mouth as I swallowed my tears. If only he’d given me a hint, I could’ve prepared myself. I could have been articulate and composed instead of idiotically mute. He gazed up at me, still clutching my fingers. I tried to breathe evenly, willing myself to stay upright, although my kneecaps were threatening to jump out of their sockets. Daniel swallowed hard.

  “Aubrey Price, over the past nine months, you’ve been my muse, my jester, my favorite sparring partner, and my best friend. You’ve shared everything with me. Your intellect, your heart, your body, and your soul.

  “I feel like I could spend all night making a list, describing the ways you touch my life, and still not be able to adequately explain what you mean to me. Perhaps with enough time, I can give it my best shot. If you do me the honor of becoming my wife, I’ll prove to you every day how important you are. Knowing you’ll be beside me for whatever my life holds would make me the happiest man alive.”

  He released my fingers long enough to withdraw the ring from the small pouch and place it tentatively at the end of my ring finger.

  “Please say you’ll marry me.”

  “Yes,” I said, laughing and crying at the same time. “Yes, of course! Of course I’ll marry you.”

  He took my shaking left hand and slipped the ring on. I suppose I should have held the ring up to look at it, but I was too preoccupied with the happiness on Daniel’s face and the adoration shining in his eyes as he stood up, hugged me, and whispered, “I love you, Aubrey.”

  “I love you too, Daniel. I think I’m going to burst.”

  He laughed and kissed me, and the couples around us applauded. As he held me tightly, his lips found my ear.

  “That was the most singularly nerve-racking moment of my life.”

  We stood, gently rocking until the song came to an end. I grabbed his shoulders.

  “My knees are jumping. I swear I’m going to fall over. Don’t you dare let me go.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not letting you go. Like it or not, you’re stuck with me. Forever.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Julie squealed and hugged us from behind, dragging us off the floor with Jeremy following close on her heels. Penny was making a beeline for us with Brad in tow.

  “Bloody hell! Brad just told me what happened. I missed everything,” Penny exclaimed, throwing up her arms in frustration. “I was in the damn loo!”

  “Sorry, Penn.” Daniel shrugged. “Should I have sent around a bulletin beforehand?”

  “I can’t believe you proposed in the middle of the dance floor.” She took his face in her hands, slapping his cheeks lightly and scrutinizing his eyes. “Is that really you, Daniel?”

  He removed her hands and grimaced. “Stop being so dramatic.”

  She whirled around, her eyebrows shooting upward. “Did you hear that, Brad? Daniel told me to stop being dramatic.”

  “You guys. Enough,” Julie said, taking my left hand and bringing it close to her face. “Oh my gosh, the ring turned out perfectly…”

  Before I even had a chance to inspect my own engagement ring, Patty and Gerald emerged from the dance floor, with Gwen and David in hot pursuit. Everyone crowded around us, talking over each other, enthusiastic hugs and kisses and handshakes coming at us from all sides. My head spun.

  Daniel drew me close to his side.

  “I’m so sorry,” he murmured against my cheek. “What the hell was I thinking?”

  In the private room, Daniel and I stood by the French doors, and I finally took the opportunity to examine my ring. Across the room, David was pouring champagne, and everyone else was speaking in hushed voices, giving us a moment to collect ourselves.

  “Are you all right?” Daniel asked.

  “Of course. A little overwhelmed. I wasn’t expecting this tonight.”

  “We’ll have a few sips of champagne, let everyone make a fuss, and then we’ll head to Canoe, okay?”

  I nodded, holding my hand out and tilting my fingers from side to side.

  “Daniel, I love the ring. It’s beautiful. It’s so…me.”

  “Your mother helped me design it.”

  I gaped up at him. “My mother?”

  “We’ve been emailing each other since Labor Day weekend. I told her my ideas and explained what I was working with, and she started sending me sketches and pictures.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “Of course not. Your mom’s a great secret keeper. Julie was the one who said you tend to wear silver, and suggested white gold, but see this?” He pointed to the delicate thread of rose gold running through the center of the band. “It’s from Patty’s engagement ring.”

  “What? Are you kidding?”

  “The night she met you in March, she took me aside after dinner. I think you were in the washroom. She told me that when I was ready, she wanted me to have the ring—she said she really hoped it would be for you.”

  I looked across the room at Daniel’s grandmother. I recalled the moment he’d just described. I’d come out of the bathroom at Patty’s house to find Daniel kneeling beside her chair as she spoke to him quietly. I’d retreated to let them finish. How had she known I was the one, and that, eight months later, Daniel and I would be planning a future together?

  “There wasn’t much to her engagement ring,” he said, drawing me from my reverie. “My grandfather didn’t have a lot of money. In those days, rose gold was quite reasonable. He got her another ring on their fifth anniversary, but she kept that first one, and when she gave it to me, she said I could do whatever I wanted with the band and the diamond. I wanted to incorporate both. That’s what inspired me to buy you the rose gold jewelry in the first place.”

  I touched the pendant at my neck.

  “Daniel, you bought this necklace months ago. Did you know, even then, you’d be proposing to me one day?”

  “I knew we weren’t ready, but I guess I quietly hoped. Even now, there’s no rush. We can have a long engagement if that’s what you want.”

  He gently squeezed my fingers and pointed to the band again. “These small diamonds are cuts from Patty’s solitaire. There are six on each side, plus the one in the middle. That diamond is new, of course…”

  “Thirteen diamonds…”

  “Exactly. Thirteen is my lucky number.”

  Could he be more adorable?

  “You’ve planned everything so carefully.”

  “I’ve had lots of help. Jul
ie’s been scouting for me since the summer, picking your brain, making sure you weren’t completely averse to the concept of marriage.”

  “Everything makes sense now.”

  “Everything’s always made sense, poppet. We just didn’t know it.”

  I’d told him earlier I thought I was going to burst, but now I truly thought I might. My feelings were impossible to contain—my body was simply incapable of holding in all of that love. Even my face ached from the effort of keeping myself together. I finally had to move, sniffling and rubbing under my eyes.

  “Here, try this,” Daniel said, pinching the bridge of my nose.

  I laughed, feeling ridiculous. Batting his hand away, I stepped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice low against my ear. “How does it feel knowing you’re going to be Mrs. Shmexy?”

  Brad was the one who finally decided we’d had enough quiet time.

  “You guys can smooch later,” he called across to us. “We can’t drink this champagne without you, you know.”

  Julie joined us. “Here you go,” she said, giving us each a flute glass.

  I hugged her. “Thanks, bun-head. And thanks for giving Daniel such stellar insider information about what kind of ring I’d like. You know me so well. It’s important for a maid of honor to be completely in touch with what the bride likes, don’t you think?” I looked at her hopefully.

  “Are you serious?” she squeaked.

  “Of course I’m serious. Is that a yes?”

  “Well, duh,” she said.

  “This is so touching,” Daniel said, pretending to dab his eyes with his tie.

  Again, Brad waved impatiently. Daniel guided me across the room, and I reached for Patty and hugged her.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. “I love my ring.”

  I wanted to say more, but my throat tightened again. She squeezed my hand.

  “Thank you for giving a weary old artifact a new lease on life.”

  “How did you know, Patty?” I asked her. “When I came over for dinner in March—how did you know?”

  “I watched you two interacting. Daniel’s a tough nut to crack. When someone spends so much time trapped in his own head, it can be terribly challenging to reach him, but you seemed to have such lovely long arms,” she said, squeezing my elbow for emphasis.