Part 7: The Proposal at Sterling Estate
Spring returned to Savannah with an explosion of azaleas and blooming dogwoods, painting the city in brilliant shades of pink and white.
The restoration of the Sterling Estate was underway, and Delaney was in her element. Clad in a pair of paint-splattered jeans, a denim work shirt, and a hard hat, she walked through the soaring, sunlit rooms of the historic mansion, directing construction crews and reviewing structural load reports with effortless confidence.
Beckett stood near the grand staircase, leaning against a wooden pillar and watching her with a look of absolute, unapologetic adoration.
“You know,” Beckett called out, walking over as the workers broke for lunch, “most people hire contractors to boss people around. You look like you’re leading an army into battle.”
Delaney wiped a smudge of drywall dust from her forehead, leaving a white streak across her skin. “Old habits die hard, Mr. Ward. When you spend years managing a chaotic diner during Sunday rush hour, managing a historic restoration is a walk in the park.”
Beckett chuckled, pulling a clean handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiping the dust from her cheek. His touch was lingering and tender. “Well, your army is winning. The foundation inspection passed with flying colors this morning. The city preservation board is calling it a masterpiece.”
“We built it together,” Delaney corrected him, leaning into his touch.
“Speaking of building things together,” Beckett said, his voice dropping slightly, a subtle nervous tension suddenly tightening his shoulders.
Delaney looked up, noticing the sudden shift in his demeanor. “Beckett? Is everything okay?”
Before he could answer, the heavy oak front doors of the mansion swung open. Footsteps echoed across the newly laid hardwood floors.
Delaney turned and gasped.
Walking down the grand hallway, dressed in matching pink floral dresses with white lace collars, was little Eliza, holding hands with Amara. Eliza was carrying a small, beautifully wrapped velvet box in her tiny hands, while Amara carried a bouquet of fresh white camellias, grinning from ear to ear with a look of absolute triumph.
Delaney looked back at Beckett, her breath catching in her throat.
Beckett slowly dropped to one knee on the hardwood floor. The sunlight streaming through the massive Palladian windows cast a golden halo around him.
The workers standing near the entrance quietly drifted outside, leaving the grand hall in a sacred, breathtaking silence.
“Beckett...” Delaney whispered, tears instantly springing to her eyes.
Beckett reached out, gently taking Eliza’s small hand and guiding her forward. The little girl walked up to Delaney, her big eyes shining with excitement, and handed her the velvet box.
Beckett looked up at Delaney, his dark eyes filled with a raw, profound love that made his voice tremble.
“Delaney Prince,” Beckett began, his voice echoing softly through the empty halls of the house they were building together. “When the rain started falling that afternoon at the Sweet Corner Café, I didn't know what my life was missing. I was a man living among ghosts, hiding behind my wealth and my grief, terrified of ever letting anyone close enough to touch my heart.”
He reached out and gently opened the velvet box in Eliza’s hands, revealing a stunning, custom-designed diamond ring shaped like a delicate ivy leaf—a subtle nod to both her love for historic architecture and the vines climbing their estate walls.
“You didn't just save my daughter from a thunderstorm,” Beckett continued, his voice thick with emotion. “You saved me. You brought light, laughter, and an unbreakable strength into a house that had forgotten how to live. You are my partner, my equal, my soulmate, and the best mother Eliza could ever ask for.”
He looked up, his gaze steady and fierce. “Will you marry me? Will you build a lifetime with us?”
Delaney couldn't speak. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as a radiant, radiant smile broke across her face. She dropped to her knees right in front of him, heedless of the dust and the paint on the floor.
May you like
“Yes,” Delaney sobbed softly, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a passionate, desperate kiss. “Yes, Beckett, a million times yes!”
Eliza squealed with unbridled joy, jumping up and down and clapping her hands, while Amara cheered loudly from the doorway, wiping away a proud tear of her own. Toby the stuffed rabbit was waved enthusiastically in the air as the official witness to the engagement.
