ANNALEE

Life in the few weeks after Mateo had finally let down his guard was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I’d known happiness and joy in my life, don’t get me wrong. But I had never really felt the security and confidence that came from knowing I had a partner. 

And Lily was the icing on the top of that cake. I’d avoided children my whole life—had assumed they were like some alien species I would simply not understand. And the truth? I felt certain they wouldn’t like me. 

But Lily made it easy. Not only was she a willing conversationalist on any topic that allowed her to stay up a little later than she was supposed to or would distract one from the fact that she was not eating any of the green things on her plate, but she taught me every day what it was to be kind and open. She accepted me into their little family unit so easily, I found myself wondering what I’d been so afraid of all these years. 

“Do you think panda bears need to eat vegetables?” she asked the little round table inside Mateo’s kitchen as she pushed florets around her plate. “Or tigers?” she looked over to where Poppy sat propped up in a chair away from the table. Then she looked at her dad, determination firing in her eyes. “If tigers and bears get strong without broccoli, then I can too.” 

“That’s a very logical argument,” Mateo said, eating his own broccoli. “But those animals are completely different species and have very different dietary needs than you do.” 

Lily frowned and looked over at me for help. 

“I like broccoli,” I said, shrugging. 

She pouted for a little while longer, and once she and Mateo had negotiated how much of the offending green vegetable had to be eaten, we cleaned up. 

“Is tonight a good night for a surprise?” Lily asked me as we finished putting things into the dishwasher. 

This had been happening almost daily since I’d waved off Mateo’s proposal attempt. He’d recruited Lily to the cause and it had almost become a joke. The ring box would appear on my pillow, or in my shoe, and I kept having to hand it back to Mateo, who would laugh and tuck it away again. 

“Now that you’ve asked me, I have to say no,” I told her, glancing up to find Mateo smiling at us, eyes dancing. “A surprise happens without any anticipation. And now I’m anticipating it.” 

“Won’t you just say yes?” Lily asked, looking very put out by my insistence on a real proposal. 

“Of course I will,” I assured her, glancing up at Mateo. 

“Then can’t you just put on the ring now?” 

I squatted down to be on her level. “I could,” I told her. “But here’s the thing, Lily. As women, you and I have the right to ask for the things we want, even when people think we shouldn’t. It’s okay for us to look at a thing and say, ‘you know, I think I’d like that thing to be this way instead.’”

Lily frowned at me. 

“The world is not always kind to women,” I told her. “And while this is not exactly a situation where I’m fighting for any specific justice or right, it’s still a good illustration for you and me. Women like us are smart, and fierce and strong—at least if we eat enough broccoli. And if we can imagine the world a certain way, then we can make it that way.” 

“And you imagined being a jet pilot,” Lily said, getting the picture. 

“I did, and so I made that happen even though lots of people didn’t think I could.” 

“And you imagine a big surprise to get engaged?” 

“I do.” 

Lily glanced back at Mateo, who was still smiling broadly as he listened to our interaction. I had the feeling he had something up his sleeve and that the constant appearance of the ring box was just build up to whatever he had planned. But it didn’t change the way I felt about it, either. I wanted a big surprise. I was only doing this once, if I had anything to say about it. 

###

That night in bed, my head rested against Mateo’s chest as I listened to his slowing heart, matching the pace of my own. 

“I liked what you said to Lily tonight,” he said. 

I lifted my head to look at him. “Yeah?” 

“I mean, I don’t know how much women’s rights really play into your refusal to accept my proposal, but the message there was good.” 

“You know I want to say yes. To marry you.” 

“So put on the ring.” 

I smiled at him and then dropped my head again. “I will. After the proposal.” 

“I have a proposal for you right now,” he purred, and I felt the evidence of his arousal growing against my thigh. 

“Again?” I laughed. “We have the meeting tomorrow early.” Work at the resort had begun anew, picking up steam to prepare for the November opening. Mateo had begun attending the morning meetings as he and Fake Tom began work on the top of mountain outpost. 

Mateo flipped me onto my back and kissed me in a way that made me pretty certain sleep was not a priority for him. I didn’t mind. 

The next morning we arrived to find the resort dark and seemingly empty. The lobby was unlocked, but none of the lights glowed overhead, and there didn’t seem to be anyone around. Normally, the place buzzed with activity, even at seven o’clock in the morning. 

“What’s going on?” I asked, turning to look at Mateo at my side. 

“I have no idea,” he said, exaggerating every word in a way that definitely aroused my suspicions. 

“Why did you say it like that?” 

He made a show of frowning and shrugging his shoulders, hands out wide to the sides. “This is a mystery, for sure.” 

It was my turn to frown. “You are a terrible actor.” 

“Would you say that finding the resort deserted like this is… surprising?” 

Aha. I laughed. “Yes, Mateo. This is surprising.” 

“Perhaps there are some we might find to help us figure out what is going on.” Mateo began wandering around the lobby, leaning over and scanning the floor before him an exaggerated way, then lifting cushions on chairs and peering beneath them. 

“Oh my god,” I laughed. “Okay, I’ll play.” I joined him in the search for clues, and found a bright pink envelope lying in the center of the front desk with my name on it. “Do you think this is a clue?” I held it up to him. 

“Oh, good sleuthing,” he said. “Open it.” 

I laughed at his serious demeanor, shaking my head as giddy excitement bubbled inside me. 

The envelope revealed a plain white card, and inside the card was a short poem. 

Find your clue in a darkened lane,

A treacherous spot where pins are slain. 

“The bowling alley!” I cried, figuring it out immediately. “Did you write this?” I looked at Mateo, who was having trouble keeping the grin from his face. 

“I had some help.” 

Together, we headed to the wing where the unfinished amusements were housed, passing the doors for the movie theater and arcade down the little hallway off the main lobby. The bowling alley was at the far end. 

I stepped through the glass doors, glad to see that some of the lights were on in here. Since there were no windows, it was pitch black when the lights were off. 

“Hi!” Lily popped up from behind the counter where shoes were kept, and I let out a scream, clutching the clue to my chest. 

“Lily,” I half shouted in shock and relief. “You nearly scared my breakfast out of me.” 

“You were surprised,” Lily pointed out, coming around the counter and taking the clue from my hand. 

I turned and glared at Mateo who had shoved his hands into his pockets and was standing near the door nonchalantly. 

“So you’re in on this too, huh?” 

“Better look for your next clue.” Lily waved her hand around the empty space.

There were three lanes for bowling, and the center one was the only one that had pins set up, so I headed for the end. There, set between the pins, was another pink envelope. 

“You want to read this one?” I asked Lily, handing it to her. 

“What a nice surprise,” she said, grinning and accepting the envelope.  

When it’s cold outside, others might ski, 

But we’ll sit by the fire, you and me. 

“The fire?” I asked, searching my mind for a fireplace somewhere on the property. There were no fires in any of the rooms, and we’d decided against restoring the huge lobby fireplace in the interest of environmental responsibility. The only fire on the property was outside. “The fire pit out back!” 

Together, the three of us headed for the lobby again, pressing through the back doors and out to where the huge gas fire sat cold at the foot of the mountain. Resting on one edge was another pink envelope. 

“Your turn,” Lily told me. 

I opened it, grinning at Mateo. 

Backcountry cabins are cozy and sweet, 

But glamping’s great too, and yurts sure are neat.

“Yurts are neat?” I laughed, turning to the poet at my side. 

He grinned at me. “I wanted to rhyme yurt, but couldn’t figure out how.” 

As we headed down the little path to the yurts out behind the resort, Lily said, “Hurt, shirt, blurt, dirt…” 

“Okay, okay,” Mateo laughed. “Next time.” 

“If you go to the yurt, your clue’s in the dirt,” Lily tried. 

“Good one,” I told her, excitement building in my chest. I came to a stop outside Aubrey and Wiley’s yurt. “In here?” 

Mateo shook his head, and his eyes danced with amusement. 

I stepped close and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love this, by the way,” I said, and then I kissed him long and slow. 

“Over here!” Lily called. The open displays of affection didn’t seem to bother her, but clearly she didn’t want to stand around and watch them either. 

There was a pink envelope stuck into the little pocket on the door of the next yurt. Aubrey had put the pockets there so we could drop communications from the resort or tuck menus or notes without disturbing guests. 

I pulled open the top of the envelope. 

It’s Monday morning and you’re going to be late

Get to the meeting and face your fate.

“Oh!” I cried, turning to Mateo. “Better head upstairs.” 

He just smiled at me, letting me lead the way back inside and up to Ghost’s suite. 

The table where I expected to find everyone seated, however, was empty and the room was quiet. Deserted. 

A pink envelope sat in the center of the dining table we used for meetings. 

“Here you go!” Lily skipped over, snatched it and handed it to me. 

You’re all I want, everything I need, 

It’s time I asked, and you agreed. 

- Mateo 

I turned back to Mateo, muttering, “a little pushy really,” but trailed off when I found him on one knee, the familiar velvet box in his hand. 

“Annalee Tyson,” he said, his voice strong and steady, warm and full of love. “When I met you, I could not possibly have predicted we’d end up where we are now.” 

Lily was hopping from foot to foot at my side, glancing between her father and I. 

“Lily, stand still.” 

She stopped and I suppressed a nervous giggle. 

“Those nights we got caught in the cabin out back changed my life. They made me face myself, face my fears. And you made me realize I could love again. You gave me a whole new chance at life.

“Since then, I can’t imagine not waking up at your side, not seeing you read to Lily at bedtime, not knowing that you’re nearby, challenging the world to tell you that you can’t do something.

“I would be honored if you would choose to stay here, to teach my daughter to be strong and fierce like you are, and if you would accept my proposal to become my wife. 

“I love you. Will you marry me, Annalee?” 

I was about to accept, though the lump of emotion in my throat was making it tough, but before I had the chance, the room erupted in noise as everyone who worked at the resort jumped out from behind couches and flooded out of the attached bedroom, shouting, “Surprise!” 

My heart nearly exploded inside me, and I found myself dropping to my knees in front of Mateo, taking his hands in mine as tears streamed down my face. “Yes,” I whispered. Then, raising my voice for our now-quiet audience, I said it again, louder. “Yes!” 

Cheers and laughter erupted around us, and I watched in wonder as Mateo slid a gorgeous square-cut diamond ring onto my finger. I stared at it, then at him, finding it difficult to believe this was my life. 

“Was that a good surprise?” Lily asked, sticking her little face between us just as I was about to kiss my future husband. 

I threw my arm around her and Mateo pulled her close on the other side so the three of us were in a hug there in the middle of the room. 

“It was the very best,” I told them both. 

And I couldn’t wait to see what other surprises life with Lily and Mateo would hold.