Page 45 of Hearts Aweigh

T HE SILVERY MOON TOOK CENTER stage in the tropical sky, and grains of sand sifted between Abby’s toes. She carried her sandals, but Spencer left his shoes on. He kept his head down, hands clasped behind his back, oblivious to the soothing swoosh of the waves.

After their kiss at Cascada Sorpresa and his subsequent apology, she’d been determined to put all romantic thoughts of Spencer out of her head.

But then he’d invited her on a moonlight stroll.

The butterflies of anticipation had been attacking her stomach en masse ever since.

She stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye.

He staggered in the shifting sand, and his arm flailed. She grabbed hold.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his eyes swinging in a self-conscious arc.

Was he as nervous as she was? Lights from a nearby hotel helped her make out his expression. Definitely nervous. But why?

They meandered along the beach until they reached a copse of trees. As they passed the wooded area, a new scene met Abby’s eyes. In the distance, a path of tiki torches highlighted a carpet of red rose petals on the sand. It led to a heart-shaped pattern of candles.

Her own heart pitter-pattered. The setup screamed proposal. Was this why Spencer had brought her here?

Giddy elation bubbled, but common sense smacked it down. This wasn’t some holiday romance chick flick. It was too soon. They’d known each other two weeks.

Still …

There must be a reason the phrase love at first sight existed. Did he fall for her the day he noticed her in her purple ball gown?

His kiss at the waterfall had rocked her like a seesaw. The thought of repeating that experience for the rest of her life made her toes curl in the Mexican sand.

Could she really marry him? Besides his knock-you-dead physical attributes, his beautiful heart beckoned her. The bumbling attempts he made with Madeleine proved his sincerity.

And Maddie!

The idea of mothering the adorable girl thrilled Abby to her hot pink toenails. Marrying Spencer carried more than one perk. But she had to be rational. Two weeks wasn’t long enough.

Right?

Maybe she should ask the Shippers. They were the marriage experts. Her personal matchmakers could offer wisdom.

Spencer halted, his face still pointed at the ground. “I have a proposition for you.”

A proposition? Is that what lawyers called a proposal? Abby slipped her hand in her pocket and closed her fingers around a slender tube. Would it be too obvious? He wasn’t looking at her. She turned at lightning speed, refreshed her lip gloss, and spun back.

“In the past two weeks, I’ve observed you with my daughter, and your talent and connection with her is undeniable.

You treat Madeleine with a tender consideration she’s never received in her entire life.

The effects are startling, and there’s a marked difference in her.

She exudes confidence, I dare say even joy, which has also added to my own happiness.

” His brow furrowed. “You may be the greatest surprise God ever sent my way. And the best one.”

They hadn’t even arrived at the candlelight setup. He must be so crazy about her, he couldn’t wait a minute longer. How adorable!