On Monday, I found an envelope under my windshield. On the inside was a little note that read. “You are beautiful.” No name. No indication of who it could be from. It warmed my heart.

Tuesday after work there was a daisy under my windshield. No note. It made me smile and I wondered, who?

Wednesday there was a little bag tucked under the windshield when I left to go for lunch. Inside was a package of Lindt Truffles, my favorite chocolate, and a note that said “You’re sweet.”

Thursday after work there was nothing on my car. When I arrived home to find a gift bag hanging from my doorknob. Inside was a container of mixed nuts and a note that said, “I’m nuts about you.” Nuts? I was the one going nuts trying to wrack my brain as to who was doing this.

Friday a package arrived for me at work. No return address. I opened it up to find a ticket to a dinner theater show downtown with a note. “Meet me?” I could hardly wait until I was able to finally and race home to change for my mystery date.

I arrived and was escorted to my table for two with wine glasses and a bottle already chilling. I looked at the label. Whoever it was had good taste. The waiter came and offered to fill my glass. I shrugged and let him do so and sipped the champagne. This guy was sparing no expense.

Curiosity was killing me. None of the men I had recently dated seemed to be capable of this kind of subtlety. Most had been too self-absorbed to even wonder about what I liked or didn’t. So who? I felt anxious so I sipped more of my bubbly drink. Probably not a good idea on an empty stomach.

The waiter returned with a bouquet of pink roses. Something flickered in my mind. Only one person had ever given me pink roses. When I saw his familiar face walking towards me I felt faint. Dressed in a dark suit and tie, his auburn hair curling around his ears and his cheeky grin gave him a roguish air.

“Ian?” My lips moved but no words came out.

He approached with panther-like grace and picked up my hand to kiss it before he sat across from me.  He smiled and I felt my heart melt as he picked up his own glass of wine to drink. “I’m glad you came, Colleen.”

“When did you get back? How come you didn’t let me know you were in the States?” Ian and I had corresponded for the last year while he was studying overseas in England.

“I wanted to surprise you.” He smiled and I felt my heart drop. When had he ever looked so good?

The waiter took our order and left. We chatted about his studies and my work. When I asked if he was returning to England he avoided the question. I decided to relax and enjoy his company and the wonderful food. The play was delightful. As the evening wound down Ian escorted me out to my car and asked if he could drive. “Are you sure you can handle driving on the right side of the road?” I teased him and got in the passenger seat.

He drove to spot by the lake. The full moon above reflected in the lazy waves. We walked over to a bench and sat. I shivered and he pulled off his coat to wrap it around my shoulders. I smiled as I inhaled his scent and the warmth. I was in a delicious dream. Ian was home!

“I have a question I wanted to ask you, Colleen.”

I smiled at him and clasped his hand to let him know he could ask me anything.

“I got a job lined up in England after I graduate in a few months. I really want to be able to say yes to this opportunity but. . .

“Ian, that’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you!” I reached over and wrapped my arms around him in a hug and found my lips locking with his. Warmth spread though me.

Ian dislodged my arms and separated us, but I could tell he had been as affected by that kiss as I was.

He swallowed hard. He stood up and reached for something in his pocket and dropped to his knee in front of me. My hand went to my mouth in shock.

“Colleen. I don’t want to live without you. Wherever God has for me to go, I long for you to be by my side. I feel like I’ve loved you forever. Will you marry me?” He opened up the small jewelers box to reveal a diamond ring with an antique design. So my style.

It took a few moments for his words to register. “You want me to marry you and move to England?” This was almost too much to take in.

He tilted his head and nodded. “I’ve been praying about this for months. If you don’t want to move overseas then I’ll look for something here in the States.”

“But this is what you have worked so hard for all these years. Oh, Ian.” I leaned forward and placed a hand on each side of his face and leaned forward to kiss him again.

“Is that a yes?” he asked as we came up for air.

“Most definitely a yes.” I wrapped my arms around him for another kiss and he lost his balance and we both fell to the ground. Laying there side by side he broke the kiss and placed that ring on my finger.  There was no more mystery as to who loved me anymore, so I kissed him again.