Creamy Casserole Murder: Book 15 in The Darling Deli Series Read online

  “Yeah, we do,” the deli owner agreed. “I’m glad you trusted me. For a second there, I thought you didn’t believe me.”

  “I’ll always believe you when it counts,” he said. “I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t and something happened to you.”

  “I’m sorry for taking off like that. I felt terrible for doing it, but I heard you talking to the police, and I just couldn’t leave Reggie here alone with no help.”

  “I was worried about you… very worried,” he admitted. “But you made the right call. He’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

  They both looked over at Reggie, who was still talking animatedly to one of the police officers. He was leaning heavily on his cane, but still seemed to have plenty of energy for the retelling of his story. Eli was just finishing up talking to a detective, and they waved him over when he was done.

  “I want to thank you—again—Moira,” he said. “I can’t wait to tell Candice everything. She’s going to be so upset that I didn’t wake her up for it.”

  “I bet,” the deli owner said with a laugh. “She doesn’t like to be left out of anything, especially not rescue missions.”

  “How did your dinner go?” Eli asked suddenly, as if remembering something. He glanced at Moira, then looked to David with furrowed brows.

  “We didn’t get a chance to finish it,” the private investigator explained. “Reggie called partway through.”

  “Ah.” Eli grimaced. “Sorry, man. Well, I’m not sorry that you rushed over here and saved my grandfather, but sorry that you had to cut things short. There will be another day.”

  “Yeah.” David looked at Moira, his gaze warm. She raised an eyebrow, and he grinned.

  “I think we’re going to take a walk, Eli,” he said. “Say goodnight to Reggie for us.” And before the deli owner could object, he had grabbed her hand and was tugging her past the police officers, through the doors, and out into the chilly night.

  “What was all of that about?” Moira asked as they walked along the tree line. It was quiet outside compared to the hubbub inside, and she felt peaceful.

  “There’s something I need to do,” he said. He turned and put a hand gently on her arm to stop her. She watched him fumble in his jacket pocket, then took a shocked step backwards as he got down on one knee.

  “Moira Darling,” he began. “You drive me crazy—crazier than anyone I’ve ever known. But that’s because I love you more than anyone I’ve ever known. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone but you. Will you marry me?”

  She gasped as he opened a small black box to reveal a gorgeous, intricate diamond ring. Her hands went to her mouth and she felt tears come to her eyes.

  “Yes,” she whispered. He broke into an ear-to-ear grin and slid the ring onto her waiting finger.

  It fit perfectly. Something tickled the back of her mind, a memory from a few weeks ago…

  “Wait. After that time you and Maverick were upstairs, I found one of my favorite rings that had been lost since I got back from the cruise,” she said, the gears turning in her head. “Did you take it?”

  “Ah… yeah. I did.” He gave her a sheepish look. “I needed to make sure the ring was the right size, so I took that ring to a jeweler while you were gone. I forgot to put it back until that night. I had hoped that you hadn’t noticed.”

  “You must have been planning this for a while,” she said, amazed. She couldn’t stop looking at her engagement ring and smiling. It didn’t feel real yet… she and David were going to get married.

  “Over a month,” he admitted. “I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to propose. This,” he gestured around the dark woods and the parking lot, “isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but I couldn’t bear waiting any longer. I wanted to do it over a nice candlelit dinner.”

  “Oh, David, this is perfect,” she told him. “Just you and me under the stars. I can’t think of a better moment.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy.” He pulled her close for a tender kiss, then wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m glad you said yes. I was terrified that you wouldn’t.”

  “Why on earth wouldn’t I want to marry you?” she asked him.

  “That’s what all of your friends said,” he told her with a chuckle.

  “You asked them before you asked me?” she grumbled, recalling the strange behavior of her friends and employees over the past few weeks.

  “Well, I didn’t know if you wanted to marry again, after everything that happened with Mike, and I didn’t want to put pressure on you if it wasn’t something you were interested in. I only brought it up with Candice, Martha, and Denise, but it turns out they’re all terrible at keeping secrets. I’m pretty sure half the town knew I was going to propose to you. I’m surprised that you didn’t know.”

  “They managed to keep it a secret from me, just like that surprise party,” she assured him. “I’m floored. This is the best night of my life. David, I’m so happy I don’t even have words for it.”

  “You don’t need words.”

  He tilted her head up and kissed her again, and Moira realized that he was right. She didn’t need to say anything. Everything that she wanted to tell him, she could feel in the tender way that he held her, and in the pounding of her heart as they kissed. No words could ever describe this moment. She wished it could last forever.