We Can Laugh Together Too (Walnut Grove Trilogy) (10 page)

Livi noticed that the paddocks were in dire need of
irrigation and they went hunting for the sprinkler controls, but the box, when
they found it, was securely padlocked. Matt tried phoning Ben but was routed to
an answering machine, so he left a message.

“So, what do you think?” he asked as they drove back to
Walnut Grove.

“It’s very pretty, and I think it’s a slightly bigger
acreage than I’ve got. It should suite Team Spirit well.” She grinned, “But it
doesn’t have the same beautiful views. When is the purchase going to be final?”

“Not for another couple of weeks. Ben needs to insist the
sellers take care of the irrigation or the grass in the paddocks is all going
to be dead.” Matt glanced at the clock in his SUV. “Shall we stop for a bite to
eat?”

Livi readily agreed, so in keeping with the erstwhile
Spanish influence of the farm, they made for a small Mexican restaurant in Los
Olivos and were quickly seated in a quiet booth, each with a margarita to sip.

Matt reached across the table to take Livi’s hand in his. “We’ve
come full circle, haven’t we? I already feel as if I’ve put down deeper roots
here than I ever did in ten years in Florida. My life’s changed so much in less
than four months.”

“And in less than a year, my life’s changed twice,” Livi answered
reflectively. “The first time in the worse way possible, and the second time .
. .” she spread her hands, “you arrived in the barn. When you asked for Mrs.
Leonard, I was a million miles away, trying to think good, positive thoughts
about having to muck out eight stalls, on my own, seven days a week. I was worn
out both physically and mentally.”

“Well, Isidoro changed that for you, and his cousin’s
overseeing the yearlings . . .”

“And Katia’s become good friends with Chrissy, and Rosa’s as
happy as a lark helping me with the house . . .” The solemnity of the moment
was all of a sudden eased by their shared summation.

Matt took advantage of her change of mood and steered their
conversation back onto the path he’d originally intended. His pressure on her
hand increased. “Sweetheart I want to talk to you about you and me. I’m sure by
now you understand how much I love you, and I know you feel the same way about
me. I think Chrissy likes me too. So why don’t we make it official and get
married?”

Livy fiddled with her margarita glass for several seconds
before replying. “Yes, I love you, and you’re right, Chrissy adores you. But .
. .” Her eyes met his, which were full of love and tenderness. “Marriage is a
huge step. You’re more than forty and it’s something you haven’t committed to
yet. You’ve probably been doing very nicely, playing the field as the eligible
bachelor. Are you certain it’s what you want?”

“I’ve never married because I’ve never met anyone I wanted
to marry. It’s as simple as that. You make me want to commit. I see you as my
best friend, my confidant, my comrade, my lover, and I truly want you to be all
of those things to me for the rest of my life.”

Again Livy hesitated, and then the glimmer of a smile tugged
at the corners of her mouth. “I long ago accepted that life without you was
something I didn’t want to contemplate. The three weeks you were away in Napa
felt as if you’d torn my heart out and taken it with you. But I need to think
of Chrissy too. When Will died both our hearts were broken, shattered into
pieces. I don’t think either of us could survive a breakup if you decide you’ve
made a mistake.”

“Sweetheart, the only mistake I could possibly make would be
to let you go. Please, say yes.”

A waiter hovered for a moment, then perceived something
monumental was taking place at his table and he silently moved away.

“You’re very convincing.” Livi gripped both his hands
tightly. “What can I say Matt? You’ve made me so happy over the past four
months. I want nothing more than the two of us to get married.”

Matt realized he’d been holding his breath. He exhaled
deeply and gazed at her across the table without speaking. His heart was too
full. “Is that a yes?” he eventually managed to ask.

“Yes, yes it is.”

“Oh, Livi . . .” His first reaction was to reach across the
table and embrace her, but he swiftly recognized such behavior in a restaurant would
embarrass her, so with great difficulty he restrained himself. “Let’s do it
soon,” he entreated.

“When Will and I got married, it was a very quiet ceremony,”
she said. “We didn’t expect our parents to spend a fortune, and neither of us
liked weddings that turned into big overblown productions. I remember him
saying, the major impediment to getting married was the wedding, and I
understood exactly what he meant. We were already totally committed to each
other; we just wanted to formalize that commitment. So, our wedding was with a
just a few friends and family, and a retired judge, a friend of Will’s father,
performing the ceremony. We did have a wonderful week’s honeymoon in Hawaii
though.

“Second time around, I really don’t want to do anything more
than that. Do you mind?”

“Sweetheart, we can do it as simple and unadorned you want.
The least fuss the better as far as I’m concerned. We’ll just invite our
families and one or two close friends and plan something really quiet at Walnut
Grove, how does that sound?”

“It sounds perfect. Of course getting married is special,
but I don’t see it as a huge event involving months of planning and constant discussions
with friends and strangers about rings, dresses, tuxedos, venues, bridesmaids, guest
lists, showers, and registries.”

Sensing that he could interrupt at last, the waiter appeared
again at their side. Neither of them had so much as opened their menus, and
after he’d departed they couldn’t remember what they’d ordered.

Livi picked up the conversation where she’d left off:
“Anyway, I see a wedding as a private thing between two people who just want to
be together; nothing more, nothing less.”

Matt held up his hands, laughing. “And I agree with you; the
quieter the better. My folks will just be over the moon I’m getting married at
last.”

♠  
♠   ♠

Later that evening, Livi broke the news to Chrissy, who was
delighted for her mother, then she phoned her parents.

Her father was completely supportive and summed up her news
in one sentence: “We’re just so excited you’ve found someone else to spend the
rest of your life with.”

She put down her phone with a contented smile.

This was the first book in my ‘Walnut Grove’ trilogy; I hope
you enjoyed the read. Please watch for the next two titles, coming soon to
Kindle.