Chapter Thirty-One

“I want you to go back through the story again,” Jackie said. “And this time don’t leave anything out.”

Meredith sighed. She’d already been through the story in detail and wasn’t sure she had the heart to repeat it. “I’ve already told you everything.”

“How about Olivia?”

“When I left, the two of them were like peas in a pod.” She could have said, like Sweet Pea and Cuddly Bear, but just the thought of voicing that out loud made her nauseated.

“Ugh. That’s what I was afraid of.” Jackie frowned above her paper cup and Meredith realized how much she’d missed her. Their friendship had fallen by the wayside over this past year, and Meredith wanted to improve things. “Brent always said Olivia had a way of getting her hooks into Derrick.”

Jackie mentioning Brent made Meredith aware that this conversation might be sensitive for her. She’d been engaged to Brent, after all. “He was there, you know,” she told Jackie. “With Hope.”

“Yeah, Hope mentioned the christening and that they were going.” Jackie smiled but her eyes looked sad. “You know what? I’m really happy for them, her and Brent. I reconciled with that a long time ago. They’re a very good match, much better than he and I ever were. But I don’t have to tell you that,” she joked. “You’re the matchmaker.”

“Yeah.” Meredith chuckled sadly. “I was right about them at least. Not so sure how things will develop between Derrick and Olivia, though.”

Jackie shook her head and scowled. “Olivia. Right.”

Meredith studied her a moment. “The Olivia I met is probably pretty different from the one you heard about.”

“What do you mean?”

Meredith set down her cup on the small café table in the cute coffee shop. “She was actually okay, Jackie. Not mean-spirited or conniving, or anything. I really believe she loved Derrick once, and wants to love him again.”

“Ahh. But she doesn’t already?”

“Hard to say.”

“What about him?”

“I believe they’re both trying. I mean, Olivia’s probably trying. Derrick, he…was a little unsure about things.”

“Sometimes you can’t fit a square peg in a round hole,” Jackie commented. “From what I’ve heard, the two of them were like oil and water before.”

“Well, maybe ten years have changed that? Things may have been a little awkward between them at first,” Meredith conceded. “But as time went on, they got better.” Whether that’d be enough remained to be seen.

Jackie thumped her fingers on the table, thinking, and for a moment she was indistinguishable from her sister apart from the haircut. Jackie had grown out the layers in her hair and now wore it pulled back in a ponytail.

After a beat, she met Meredith’s eyes. “You really fell for him, huh?”

“I thought I…felt something.” Meredith rolled back her shoulders. “But, apparently, I was wrong.”

“Derrick does have his good qualities,” Jackie said, “if you can overlook his big mouth.”

Meredith laughed at the truth in her comment. “Yeah.” Heat burned in her eyes and Jackie touched her arm.

“Hey,” Jackie said. “You’re going to come out of this okay. You’ll see. When you go back on the air and tell your story, your viewers will go nuts with support for you.”

Jackie leaned toward her. “Ironically, this disaster with Derrick could make your career. You’ll be proving to the entire world that you’re not just a matchmaker extraordinaire. You’re one with compassion. With heart. A woman who puts true love first, while sacrificing her own happiness. You’ll get plenty of media coverage then. After that, who knows? Maybe that exec will reconsider your streaming deal, and those other networks will come knocking?”

Meredith brightened at the possibility. “Do you really think so?”

Jackie grinned. “Things can only go up from here.”

She certainly hoped so, because for the past twenty-four hours Meredith had felt like she was at rock bottom. And she’d sunk very low. She’d been crying her eyes out over losing a guy who had never been hers to begin with.

But she needed to get over it and do the big girl thing. Go on her television show and spill the whole can of beans about what had really happened. She wasn’t going dish out the set-piece tale she’d come up with in the beginning. She planned to lay the whole truth bare and tell her viewers everything. About how she’d had no boyfriend in the picture when Tanya Gibbs had pressed her on it and had been embarrassed to admit that for fear of losing face.

About how she’d arrived in Blue Hill with a pot roast and a plan. The way she’d unexpectedly fallen head over heels for the man she was supposed to be setting up with somebody else, because he was honestly that amazing. And how she’d followed through with her mission to set him up with his ex, in spite of her breaking heart.

Yes. She needed to do it. Get everything out in the open and let the cards fall where they would. Maybe Jackie was right, and her coming clean about the situation would lead to her greatest success. But, even if it didn’t, Meredith needed to be honest for her own sake.

And also, maybe, just maybe—way down deep in her soul—she hoped Derrick would catch wind of her confession and learn the truth about how she felt about him. Even if it was too late, he’d at least know how greatly Meredith had come to care for him.

“So?” Jackie questioned. “What do you intend to do?”

Meredith set her jaw in a determined fashion. “Tomorrow’s Tuesday, so…I go on with the show.”

They started to stand and Jackie peered under the table, her mouth dropping open.

“Cute canvas shoes.” She stared Meredith in the eye. “I’ve never seen you in anything but heels. Where did you get them?”

…

Derrick stopped by his grandparents’ place to say goodbye to Sally. He’d said goodbye to Olivia last night, since she’d planned to head out early. With Sofia and William leaving today, there wasn’t much point in her staying on, not after the honest conversation she’d had with Derrick about their non-relationship.

When Derrick reached the main house, Sally had already loaded up her car and had her sunglasses perched on the top of her head. She wore shorts and a T-shirt, looking ready for a comfy drive back to Bangor. “I thought you weren’t leaving until later?”

“I decided to get an earlier start.” She shrugged. “I was just hanging around here waiting for you.”

“That’s sweet.”

Sally laughed and slapped his back. “Yep. That’s me all right. The super sweet baby sister.”

They walked back toward the house. “Do you have time for a cup of coffee?”

“Sure.”

Derrick passed his grandmother in the hall. She was headed outdoors wearing gardening gloves and holding her sheers. “Nice of you to come and see your sister off,” she said. “Just brewed a fresh pot of coffee.”

Grandpa Chad exited the kitchen, gingerly holding a full mug. “Derrick.” He nodded at his grandson and kept walking toward the library. “Don’t forget to come and get us before you go,” he called back to Sally.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Grandpa,” Sally said.

She and Derrick headed out onto the porch, each holding a mug of coffee. It was another gorgeous day with clouds dotting the azure sky. Sally sat on the porch swing, propelling herself backward periodically with a push of her running shoe clad toes.

Derrick was in his standard workshop fare. T-shirt and jeans. While the temps were warming up, he preferred working in long pants around power tools, and he wanted to get more work done on that pie safe today. Once his classes started up next week, he’d have less free time and he aimed to have it finished before his grandparents returned to Boston.

“All in all, it was a good time.” Sally gave herself another shove in the swing. “Wouldn’t you say?”

“Yeah, really good. The baby shower was a raging success.”

“It was tons of fun. Everyone was such a good sport. Including you and Meredith.”

She cast her gaze toward the flower garden where Grandmother Margaret worked and the path beyond it. “Saw Olivia’s car leaving the guesthouse this morning.”

“Did you?”

Sally’s eyebrows arched. “She took off awfully early.”

“Yeah.” Derrick drew in a breath and released it. “We had a talk.”

Sally frowned. “Oh no. What happened?”

“Nothing bad.” He studied the waves rolling across the bay. “In many ways, it was the perfect ending.”

“Wow. You guys had barely gotten started.”

“We’d never gotten started, Sally.” He met her eyes. “I mean, not again.” He sipped from his coffee, feeling even more relieved about the situation today, because down deep it had never felt right. “Some things aren’t meant to be.”

“Right-o,” she said. “But others are.”

“What?”

“Come on, bro. Don’t look so stunned. I’m talking about Meredith. Have you contacted her?”

“What? No. Why?”

“She’d probably want to know.”

“That her stellar matchmaking failed? I doubt that very—”

“No,” Sally said with a grin. “That you’re single now.”

“I’ve always been single,” Derrick grumbled. “She knew that.”

“You sure? Because I’m pretty sure she believed you were actually trying to get back together with Olivia.”

He raked a hand through his hair, recalling their talk in the hall and then later when they’d said goodnight. He’d felt something between them, not just when they had kissed, but in all the time they’d spent together at his cabin and here at his grandparents’ house. But she’d been so closed off, so determined that he and Olivia would work things out, that he’d believed she wasn’t interested.

Had he misread everything?

“Derrick?” Grandmother Margaret called, striding toward the porch holding a hand-cut bouquet. “Would you mind getting the trash down at the guesthouse before you go and emptying the other bins upstairs? Our trash man comes tomorrow.”

“No problem,” he answered, mulling over Sally’s assertions.

Sally finished her coffee and hopped down out of the porch swing. “I should probably get wheels on the road.”

He stood to accompany his sister to her car. “Hey, about what you said—”

“It’s just an instinct that I have.” She tossed him a look over her shoulder. “Maybe you should try listening to your instincts, too.”

…

Derrick walked down to the guesthouse, his hands wedged in his jeans pockets. The earlier sunshine had given way to an overcast sky, and a light drizzle fell. He didn’t hurry along or mind getting wet. It reminded him of the time he and Meredith kayaked out to the island and had been caught in the rain on their way back. She’d been so pretty standing there covered in mud while the wild winds blew. He hadn’t been able to resist kissing her.

He’d been even happier when she’d eagerly kissed him back.

Had Olivia not been waiting for him on his deck, he and Meredith might have explored what he was sure had been building between them.

Instead, she’d bolted.

And then claimed it was a mistake.

Why?

Derrick entered the guesthouse, wondering if Sally could be right by some huge stretch. If there was even a chance Meredith was into him that would be a game changer.

He recalled her showing up at his cabin with a pot roast in hand and chuckled at the goofy way she’d traipsed through the mud to his workshop, and later tried to conceal her late-night ice cream chow down. Then there was her sunny smile as she’d helped him gift wrap the cradle, and her genuine belly laugh when she’d bested him at the baby shower clothespin game.

She’d told him about her family and her ambitions and he’d talked about his, too. Conversations with Meredith were so easy when they weren’t purposely goading each other. And, even when they were, it was entertaining. Those dark brown eyes of hers were definitely sultry enough to stir a man’s fire. His neck burned hot just at the thought of them. Then the rest of him burned hotter, recalling the feel of her in his arms. She was so soft and sexy, and yet strong underneath.

Exactly the kind of woman he needed to make him want to toe the line.

Derrick was great at his job, but he’d always aspired to having something more. A wife and, someday, a family. People he could care for and do for beyond himself. Seeing his brother so happy with Sofia and little Julia made him want that kind of life. But not just with anybody. And definitely not with Olivia. He’d clarified that now.

He reached for a spare trash bag under the sink and lifted the lid off the kitchen bin. He was about to haul the plastic bag out by its drawstring when he stopped short.

A piece of clothing had been plunged down inside it, partially buried in coffee grounds and discarded orange peels. Derrick carefully reached into the trash and picked it up by its sleeve, shaking the debris from the garment before holding it up.

“Well, what do you know,” he mused to himself. “Mer’s old football jersey.”

She’d thrown it away, but why? Because she was tired of thinking of her ex? About those early glory days that made her feel special? Or because she was ready to move on?

He gazed at the shirt again, then he dropped it back in the bin, chastising himself for not seeing the situation for what it was sooner. William had been 100 percent right. Meredith was the perfect woman for him in every single way. And he wanted things with her, not just for now but forever. Including shared sunsets in their later years just like his grandparents enjoyed.

He just had to tell her, and hope with all his heart that she felt the same way.

Derrick stared out the window that overlooked the bay. He was going to do this.

Now, all he needed was a plan.

…

Meredith sat in the makeup trailer while April worked her magic. Her face was lightly dusted with powder and her lips outlined and painted in, while Joel wielded a wand, smoothing her curls with a flatiron.

The trailer door cracked open and her producer called inside. “Five minutes! We need you on set.”

Meredith waved, her insides fluttering like she was suffering from beginner’s stage fright. Sure, she’d done this a million times, but this was the first time she’d ever eaten crow on camera, and that notion made her slightly queasy.

Beth waited outside, wearing sunglasses and holding a clipboard, and the two of them crossed the studio lot together.

“This is going to go fab,” Beth said. “I read through your script and it’s fantastic.”

Maybe so, but Meredith also intended to go a little off-script near the end. Only she hadn’t told anyone that part. She needed to be sure she’d have the courage to do it, and she might not know if she had it until the last minute.

They entered the building with the set made to look like a Valentine’s-themed living room. She scanned the coffee table, seeing someone had forgotten her coffee cup. No. Not today. She wanted real caffeine in it, not water.

She stepped onto the stage as the camera crew discussed details with each other, and April attached a microphone to her collar while running its barely visible wire down her back and clipping it to the belt of her shirtwaist dress. April leaned closer and whispered, “We’re so sorry about what happened in Blue Hill. With Derrick.”

Joel frowned. “And about that syndication deal.” Meredith’s seashell earrings clattered as she lowered her head and he spritzed her flyaways. “Those people upstairs never know what they’re doing.” He clucked his tongue. “Disgraceful.”

“Thanks, guys.” Meredith’s lower lip trembled and she bit it. Then she realized she’d probably smudged her lipstick. Nooo. She needed to be on point today. She had important work to do. She took a seat on the sofa and raised her eyebrows at Beth. “Coffee?”

Beth stared at the coffee table. “Eep. Sorry.” She spoke into her mic ordering someone else to bring it out pronto—and hot. She handed Meredith her script. “This one’s been slightly updated.”

“What?” Meredith was surprised. “Since when?”

“There’ve just been a few changes in the timing of commercial breaks. Pretty much everything else is the same.”

She flipped through the script but barely had time to peruse it. “Oh. Um. Okay.”

“Two minutes!” the lead cameraman called.

Meredith sent Beth a panicked glance. “How are my teeth?” She grinned really big. “Lipstick?”

“Yeah, hang on.” Beth dug a clean tissue from her pocket and wiped what Meredith guessed was a crimson-colored smudge off of her pearly whites.

“Thanks!” Meredith watched the countdown clock and drew in a breath.

A second later, she beamed at the camera. “Hi, everybody! I’m Matchmaker Meredith and, wow, do I have a special episode in store for you today.” She leaned toward the camera conspiratorially. “And it’s much more personal than you’d expect.

“Thanks in part to my good friend and early morning talk show host Tanya Gibbs, my life dramatically changed course lately. Some of you might have seen snippets on the news or read the rumors on social media.

“But you know what they say. You can’t always believe everything you read—or hear. Sometimes it’s best to get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Or Mer’s. Ha! That’s me.” She gave the camera a sad smile. “Just a little inside joke. I’ll be sure to fill you in on the details when we get to that part of the story. And, trust me on this… They are heart-rending.”

…

Derrick paced in an area they called the Green Room. He’d stayed at his grandparents’ brownstone last night where he’d done some sleuthing and uncovered contact information for Meredith’s assistant. When he’d contacted Beth, she was all over this plan, believing it fun and romantic. And also hoping it wouldn’t cost her her job.

A flat-screen TV monitor was mounted on one wall and Beth came in wielding a remote and flicking it on. Then Meredith appeared in all her glory. She looked amazing on screen, like a really hot celebrity. She smiled at the camera, oozing confidence as she explained to her viewers that this episode would be unlike any other.

“It all started on Talk Time with Tanya,” she said. “Maybe you can relate to being put on the spot and not having the right thing to say? I know I’m a matchmaker and people expect me to be the best—including at managing my own love life. You know that expression; physician heal thyself? Sometimes doctors make the worst patients. We matchmakers, I’m afraid, are no better at helping ourselves.”

Her pretty face hung in a frown and Derrick’s heart went out to her.

“So, when Tanya asked me that question about who I was involved with, I’m afraid, dear viewers, I lied. Yes, I—Matchmaker Meredith—lied to you all by pretending to have a boyfriend, when the sad fact was I hadn’t been on a date in Two. Whole. Years.” Her eyes misted and she seeped sincerity. “And for that falsehood, I’m sorry. Though I’m not at all sorry about what came next.”

Meredith shared that she was telling the story of her life. Her very sad and broken-down life, because she’d believed she’d found everything she’d wanted—only to have it snatched away. What had she wanted? And who’d done the snatching? She’d let everyone in on those secrets right after the next commercial break.

“Wow,” Derrick said to Beth. “She’s good. People must shout at their screens when a commercial comes on.”

“Yeah. We tape things this way so everything dovetails well with commercials when we air. The pauses here won’t be as long as real commercial breaks. Just a couple of minutes so the set crew can check her hair, etc. and she can glance at her notes, or whatever.” She shrugged. “Don’t have to worry about those viewing interruptions with streaming.”

“She should have gotten that deal,” he grumbled.

“Maybe it’s not too late.” Beth smiled at the pretty rose bouquet he’d set on the small couch beside him and opened the door. “For that and other things?” Before she left, she said, “I’ll be back to grab you during the last ten minutes of the show. Be ready.”

Derrick supposed he was as ready as he’d ever be. He’d talked it over with Brent by phone until one a.m. and Brent had assured him he was thinking clearly. When you find your perfect match, you go for her. He patted his jacket pocket, feeling for the ring box he’d tucked inside and chuckled with nerves and excitement. His grandparents were in on the secret—which meant the rest of his family soon would be, too—and Grandpa Chad had recommended a good local jeweler.

Derrick wasn’t normally an impulsive guy. Of the three brothers, he was in many ways the most cautious. And yet, when he’d found that football jersey in the trash and processed what it meant, he knew nothing would stop him from getting to this moment. It was a sign that he shouldn’t give up, not on someone as important as Meredith, and she would always be special in his eyes. He couldn’t wait to tell her that.

He’d decided in that moment in the guesthouse that he didn’t want to wait a second longer. Not when it was possible to grab so much happiness now. He didn’t need to waste months and months dating Meredith when he had the possibility of becoming her loving husband as soon as possible. So what if she had her show in Boston and he had his life in Blue Hill? They’d make things work.

Meredith didn’t tape her show every day, and much of her work could be done remotely. And, if she wasn’t so keen on Blue Hill, Derrick was willing to consider living part-time in Boston. He could teach a few of his classes online. And anyway, at this point, a lot of his work was administrative.

All his priorities seemed to turn on their head when he realized that Meredith could actually be his bride. But she’d have to want him as badly as he wanted her, and there was a solid chance his rash actions would give her pause. She might want to take some time to think things through, and he’d be happy to let her. But he hoped she wouldn’t torture him with the suspense for too long.

It was excruciating enough for him that he was actually going on camera, in front of God knows how many people, to lay his heart on the line. And yet, on a gut level he understood that when he did that Meredith would know that his motives were sincere.

Derrick hated the limelight, and calling attention to himself even more. But a bit of embarrassment would be worth it if it meant winning her heart.

It wasn’t like they’d just met. They had, in fact, known each other since last summer. And when she’d shown up at his door with that pot roast, she’d been just as beautiful and infuriating and knock-his-socks-off desirable as she’d been before. Maybe even more.

The real difference between now and last summer was he hadn’t been able to admit to himself how attracted he’d been to her then. And, when she’d first arrived at his cabin this year, he’d still been denying it.

Well, he was done denying things now, because he’d gotten to know the warm and wonderful woman that she was inside and out, and he was driven to understand her better. He wanted to be all-in with Meredith, and not just for the moment but for the long haul. Tomorrow and the next day. Then the day after that. He planned to say all that shortly.

In public.

He swallowed, hard, and returned his attention to the television. The show was back, and in front of the tens of thousands of people who watched the show, Meredith continued to open her heart. The segment moved things along with a media clip of the reporters at his cabin. He chuckled at the scene of the commotion with the press and the shocked look on his face when he’d opened his cabin door.

Then he remembered Meredith arriving with her Crock-Pot, looking dynamite in those heels.

The camera returned to Meredith in the studio. “And that was just the beginning of that incredibly wonderful week I spent in Blue Hill. It was frustrating and amazing, and really awesome, too, because I met this super special guy, Derrick Albright. Or really, I met him again, because we’d already met last summer at his brother’s wedding.

“When Derrick and I first got to know each other, it wasn’t insta-lust. It was more like insta-hate.” She laughed. “But all of that recently changed, because”—she heaved a deep sigh—“I fell for the guy, I really did. The amazing thing is, he never knew it.

“Derrick is this ultra-talented boatbuilder, who can create just about anything with his hands, including sweet baby cradles. He made one for his brother’s little baby, and that was just one of the first incredible things I learned about him that opened up my heart.”

Derrick swallowed hard because he could tell this wasn’t just TV talk.

She was speaking the truth.

“The more I got to know Derrick, the more I understood that he’s not just witty and handsome. He’s smart, tender, and caring…” She sighed. “Really, everything a girl could want. No wonder his ex, Olivia, wanted him back! And I could see why he wanted her, because, well…she’s perfect.

“So. After the media thing got out of hand, Derrick and I cut a deal whereby he’d play along as my boyfriend to help me save face, and I’d help him win Olivia back, so he’d have something to gain.” She gave a tearful chuckle. “I suppose you can guess who got the raw end of that deal? I never got the business contracts I’d hoped for, and Derrick got Olivia. But that, friends, is what fate had in store. I’ll share more when we return.”

Beth entered the Green Room, breaking Derrick’s television trance. “It’s time!”

“What?” He anxiously got to his feet. “Now?”

“It’s now or never,” she said with a grin.

Beth led him across the studio lot and to another building. A short time later, Derrick stood off stage in a corner where Meredith couldn’t see him. She was seated up ahead with her gaze on the camera. He drew in an unsteady breath. How official and amazing she looked. Also, a little intimidating if he was honest. She commanded the whole stage. This was her kingdom, her territory, and she was the reigning princess.

“So that’s the way it happened, folks. The ‘Unmatched Matchmaker’ fell for the guy she was fixing up. Oh yeah.” She grimaced. “Hook. Line. And sinker. Until Olivia understandably fell for him, too, and I knew I had to step aside. It was the right thing for me to do. In the face of true love.”

She dabbed at the corners of her reddened eyes and it looked like she was really crying.

A cameraman sent her a signal and Meredith gave a barely perceptible nod.

“So, Derrick,” she said, “wherever you are and if you’re watching, I did this for you. Not because I wanted to, and not because it didn’t break my heart. But because I wanted what’s best for you, because that’s the kind of person you are. You do kind things for others, and I wanted to be that way, too.”

She gave the camera a shaky smile and he felt it in his soul. “You’re a good man, Derrick. No, a great man. I didn’t know that at first. But, little by little, you revealed yourself to me, and then suddenly it hit me.” Her chin wobbled. “I’d fallen in love with you.”

His mouth dropped open, but then happiness coursed through him. She loves me, yes!

Then a lightning bolt of terror, too. What was he thinking—about to go on television? In front of cameras? Being recorded? What if he choked? Or worse, tripped? Now he knew why they called it stage fright. This was terrifying. But Meredith loved him and he loved her. So, so desperately. His heart pounded in his throat as Beth nudged him forward, into the lights and Meredith’s view.

She jumped on the couch, startled. “Derrick?” she asked, growing pale.

“Keep rolling!” the producer shouted.

“What—” Meredith asked, dazed. “What are you doing here?”

Derrick froze in place, petrified by the blinding studio lights. His pulse thumped and his neck burned hot. Sweat broke out at his hairline. But he loved Meredith more. She was worth it. Worth anything. Worth everything.

He edged toward her, carrying his flowers and squinting against the bright lights. “I couldn’t wait. Had to see you.” He handed her the roses and she took them, gaping up at him.

“Meredith Galanes,” he told her in front of her studio crew and however many viewers he was pointedly not thinking about, “I came here to tell you that your time in Blue Hill wasn’t a mistake, and if it was a mistake then it’s the best one you’ve ever made. Because when you showed up on my doorstep with that pot roast, I didn’t know what hit me. Then I remembered how I felt every time I saw you last summer, and I realized this wasn’t anything new. This deep attraction I feel for you.”

Her eyebrows knitted together and those tears kept on coming. “But what—”

“Each time I saw you,” he continued, “it was like this red-hot arrow pierced straight through my heart. Only, I didn’t understand what was happening.” He gave a hoarse laugh. “Hey, I’m a guy and only human.

“The truth of the matter is,” he said, stepping closer, “I think I’ve always loved you, right from the very beginning when you berated me for crashing into your car, when it was really you who—”

She narrowed her watery eyes. “Oh no it wasn’t.”

“Oh yeah it was.”

“No way,” she said, but she was grinning.

Derrick plowed ahead, undaunted. “My point is, sweetheart,” he said and she blushed, “I think you and I were precisely made for each other. I’ve never met any other woman like you. I wasted so many years believing my future might be in my past, but I’d really been waiting—my heart had been waiting—for the right woman to come along.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “I was waiting for you. I want us to be together. Twenty-four-seven. And not as enemies or friends, or even just as lovers. I’m talking, as husband and wife.”

“But, but…what about Olivia?”

“History.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yeah.” He grinned. “And it was her idea. Both of ours, truthfully. Because we talked it out and realized we were never meant to be together. Not the first time, or the second time, either. But you and me? I’m hoping…” He dropped down on one knee in front of where she sat on the sofa and the set crew gasped. “Meredith Galanes, I’m done with pretending to be engaged, and finished with acting like I don’t care about you. Because I do care. I care more than you know.

“I’m crazy about you. You’re warm and wonderful and funny and gorgeous.” His voice grew husky. “Man, are you gorgeous—in every single way that I can think of.” He swallowed hard. “What I’m trying to say is, I love you and don’t want to live in Blue Hill without you.”

He took the ring box from his pocket and her eyes went wide seeing the shimmering solitaire situated inside it. “I know your life is here and mine’s in Maine, but I’m willing to work things out if you are. Because, my dear, sweet woman, there’s no other person I want with me walking through life—whether it’s down the country lanes of Blue Hill or the city sidewalks of Boston. As long as we’re together, I’ll be a happy man.” He leaned toward her and whispered, “I’ll even build you a cradle—or two.”

“Oh, Derrick.” She burst into joyful tears. “I’ll probably need more shoe racks, too.”

He grinned. “How many?”

She beamed up at him. “Maybe a dozen?”

He laughed out loud, his heart so light. “I’ll build you any little thing you want.”

He popped the ring out of the box and she grabbed it, shoving it onto her finger.

“Whoa. Eager, much?” He grinned in utter joy. “Does that mean yes?”

“Are you kidding?” She laughed, standing and pulling him to his feet. “You know it does!”

At that exact moment, he noticed her blue tennis shoes. “You’re wearing them?”

She sweetly cocked her head. “They’re my favorite pair.”

“Oh yeah, why’s that?”

She smiled through her tears. “Because I got them from you.”

Her dark eyes sparkled and his heart floated up into the stage lights. This was the moment he’d waited for his entire life. A gazillion viewers be damned.

He took her in his arms and kissed her then with a deep and fiery passion.

And she gave as good as she got.

“That’s a wrap!” a voice in the background said.

Then the room broke out in applause.