Love Goes Old School

"To dinner, I believe, ma'am," he told her.

Ten minutes later he pulled onto a long private driveway then waited for an iron gate to roll back. He drove through it and it closed behind them. As she looked ahead, she saw what looked like the resort building in the photo. As he pulled up in the massively large space in front of it, she could see it wasn't a casino or a resort but a private home. A very large, very expensive home.

When the driver didn't move, she went to open the door when it opened seemingly by itself. She turned and swung her legs out and when she looked up, there was Grayson standing in front of her wearing a very expensive suit and silk tie. "Welcome to my humble abode," he said as he took her hand.

Ryleigh looked up to see where the building ended and it was well over forty feet high. She couldn't be sure but the house appeared to be close to 150 feet long. "This is your house?" she said with incredulity.

"Guilty as charged," he told her.

"But the van. Your shabby clothes. The scruffy beard. I don't understand."

He led her inside and took her coat and handed it to a man dressed like a stereotypical butler. "Come in and I'll explain," he said.

Fifteen minutes later it all made sense. Grayson had fallen into a state of deep depression and despair after the death of his wife. He'd all but given up until he met Ryleigh. He'd been unable to work which in his case meant owning a very large, very successful real estate company in Connecticut. Suddenly it all made sense.

"Tyler Realty. That's...you."

"It is. I left it in the hands of my sister who did a magnificent job the last two years. She grew the company by 25% and money just kept piling up, but I was too depressed to care. In fact, I'd go days without getting out of bed and the only thing I ever left the house for was a cup of coffee at Lucianos. It really is the best in town," he said. "I worked there when I was an undergrad at Yale. I've never forgotten it. And then I met you there and for a few days I was my old self again. I just couldn't imagine in my wildest dreams you'd ever go out with me and after my sister brought you the flowers and the new sweater, I fell back into another very dark time when I didn't hear from you. Of course, I didn't exactly give you a way to contact me but I wasn't thinking clearly. I forced myself out of bed the second time I saw you there and since then, I've been my old self." He paused, smiled, and said, "No jokes about the old part, okay?" She just smiled back as h took her hands and said, "That's when my life changed completely, Ryleigh. I was smitten. Then when you proved to me you didn't care about money or things, it was game over for me. I fell in love with you, and now I'm hoping this won't change things." He sat there and looked at her waiting for a response.

"Will you still write poems for me?" she asked. "Will you leave me sticky notes with little hearts? Will you sing romantic songs to me?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. All that and more," he told her.

"Then it changes nothing," she said. "I love you, Grayson. Not your things. You."

"I love you too, Ryleigh," he told her. This time, she saw a tear well up in his eye.

She was sitting on a very luxurious leather couch when he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a blue box. She began to tremble as he got down on one knee and opened it revealing an unbelievably large diamond ring. "Before I met you, I had no reason to live. I came very close to ending my own life believing I would never love again. And then I met you all because I couldn't even remember to bring my wallet with me. You showed me kindness. You rescued me. And fortunately for me, I helped you spill coffee on your sweater and that gave me a reason to try and get to know you. From the second time I met you, I loved you. Each time we did something together, that love grew. I am now hopelessly in love with you so....Ryleigh Eileen Porter...will you marry me?"

Ryleigh was blinking back tears trying not to ruin the beautiful makeover. Her hands were still shaking as he placed the five-carat ring on her finger. She choked back tears and managed to say, "Yes. Yes I will marry you, Grayson Tyler."

He helped her stand and took her into his arms and held her. "I promise I will always love you, Ryleigh," he whispered to her.

"Promise me you'll never stop being the most romantic man in the world," she said as she held him close.

"You have my word, sweetheart. I promise."

Dinner was followed by the most passionate lovemaking either of them had ever experienced with Ryleigh staying not only that night but until 'death do us part.'