Sometimes I think that when I die one day, my tombstone will say "Here Lies Darby Turner, Silent in Death as She Was in Life."

After Nathan asked me to marry him, I sat in the boat and stared at him in silence, my mouth hanging open once more. There was no way in hell Nathan Randolph had just proposed marriage to me. Right?

He grabbed my hand without waiting for an answer and slipped a massive diamond set in platinum on to my finger. The boat rocked with his sudden movement, and I stared at my hand. The ring made his words real somehow.

Nathan leaned over and kissed me passionately. So passionately, we almost turned the boat over. I had a vision of the enormous diamond dragging me to the bottom of the lake. As a result, I would drown and never be heard from again.

Startled by the violent rocking of the tiny boat, our lips parted, and we looked into each other's eyes and started laughing like crazy people.

I just twisted the ring on my finger repeatedly and stared into his eyes. I never even said yes to his proposal. This was real? It couldn't be real, right? I glanced down at my beautiful engagement ring.

This was real.

"Let's get married today. I know what I want. I think you now know what you want. Let's not wait another day to make it official. Let's become husband and wife immediately. By tomorrow night, we can be safely tucked away at Peacock Alley, and your mother and all other distractions will be far from us."

Nathan looked so confident, like he had this thing all figured out. The moody Nathan who had escorted me into the park was gone. Now he was smiling down at me as he shared his thoughts.

I couldn't think of a single argument against his plan. Well, that is not entirely true. I could think of multiple arguments, but I didn't want to give voice to any of those objections. I wanted to marry him as soon as possible before this beautiful fairy tale unfolding in front of me turned out to be nothing more than a fantastic dream.

I knew the idea of marrying Nathan within two days of meeting him was crazy.

"This has all been so fast. Don't you think we should wait at least a little while? Get to know each other a little better?" I kept one hand on my ring as if he might change his mind and strip it off my finger.

He smiled at me and stroked my hair. The boat rocked gently from side to side as he settled me against his body. God, I loved being in his arms.

"It is fast, and most people would call us idiots for rushing into marriage. I've lived a little longer than you, and I've seen a few things. I knew when I laid eyes on you that you were the one. It wasn't just physical attraction, although I definitely felt that. It was so much more. It was the look on your face as you were taking it all in. It was the way you were so eager to try new experiences.” He kissed my cheek.

“I know what you are saying, but...” My voice trailed off.

“Give me a chance. I know I can make you happy, and give you a good life." His voice was low, sweet, and seductive.

I stared up at him as I considered his words.

I could see my future. I would be Mrs. Nathan Randolph, Darby Randolph, lady of Peacock Alley. I would run the house, and host parties for our friends and family. He would go on the occasional business trip, and then rush home to be with me, his beloved bride. He would invite friends and colleagues over to the house, saying, "Come meet my beautiful new wife."

One day in the future, there would be little Nathans exploring the fields and woods around the old home, coming home muddy and tired after a long day of play. Maybe I would have a daughter to have tea parties underneath the big live oaks dripping with moss lining the driveway. I could see my future, our future, and it was perfect.

I realized I had a huge smile on my face. This was crazy. He was crazy. We were both crazy.

“Yes. Yes, I will marry you!” I beamed at him, and he laughed.

He grabbed me again for another kiss before starting to row back to shore.

I looked down at my hand while he rowed. I loved my engagement ring. The large diamond sparkled so much it was blinding if I looked too closely in the sunlight. A cluster of smaller diamonds surrounded it, and even the sides of the ring were encrusted with more jewels. There were sapphires, rubies, and emeralds to complement the breathtaking diamonds. I couldn't believe this gorgeous piece of jewelry now had a home on my finger.

After we left the park, we stopped at a boutique on Fifth Avenue and shopped for my wedding attire. Neither one of us cared about him seeing me ahead of time in the dress, and I found a beautiful white gown with gauzy tiers of material that fell down like petals on a flower. The bodice was strapless and encrusted with pearls, and I felt like a bride. I was able to find shoes in the same store, and then Nathan took me down the street to a jewelry store to get me something to wear with the gown.

"Baby, look at these diamonds. I think they are just what your wedding dress needs." He was holding up a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings, and he had a necklace draped across the counter.

"Nate, that's way too expensive." I leaned against the glass case and studied all the pieces laid out for our inspection.

He ignored my protests and purchased the jewelry. I knew I would feel like a princess wearing the jewelry, although the exorbitant cost made me nervous. He also bought me a ruby anklet, not for today's ceremony, but just because he could. That led him to buy me a pair of emerald earrings and a delicate pink pearl necklace.

Next, we looked at wedding bands. I found very simple gold rings that I loved, but I knew I wanted to personalize them in some way. I lifted the rings from the velvet display to show him.

"I would like to get the bands inscribed. Let's put our wedding date on them. Maybe our names, too?"

He agreed, smiling at my ideas. “I like it, but let’s wait until we get back to Mississippi. I’m sure it will take a few days to get the inscription done, and we need these rings today.”

The next thing I knew he was examining platinum cuffs to be monogrammed with my new initials. I had to stop him after that because he looked like he might buy out the store.

The salesperson was ecstatic. She seemed to be spending her commission in her head, and she kept pulling out new items for his perusal.

I made him wait outside the lingerie store, where I selected delicate pieces to wear underneath my wedding dress. I found the palest pink bra and panty set, with matching garters. I had never owned anything like that before. I blushed to think of Nathan removing it from me in just a few short hours, but I was very excited by the idea.

I took my selection to the sales person to ring up, and saw Nathan striding through the store towards me.

Before I could faint at the price, Nathan was back at my side and handing over his credit card to the clerk, ignoring my objections. I had very little money, just some leftover from college, but Nathan wouldn't hear of me spending a dime of it.

“You’ve paid for everything. I can at least get this by myself. I told you to wait outside for a reason.” I smiled to take the sting out of my words, but I didn’t want him to think I was marrying him for his money.

“I most certainly should pay for this. I will be the one getting a direct benefit from it, after all.” He winked at me.

I blushed.

“You just turned the exact same pink as the lingerie.” Nathan chuckled, and I blushed even more.

Another quick stop at a florist netted me a lovely wildflower bouquet and a single flower for Nathan's lapel.

"These blue flowers grow wild at Peacock Alley. I know you haven't seen the place yet, but it would mean a lot to me if you carried them when we get married."

Touched by the sweet gesture, I agreed. “You are so romantic.”

He turned to face me, startled. “Nobody has ever accused me of that before.”

Despite his surprise, he seemed to like my description of him, if his slow, deep kiss was any indication.

We were almost ready for the ceremony.

Nathan sent for one of his suits at the hotel, and we made our way to a giant cathedral in the heart of the city. Apparently, when Nathan said he wanted us to get married, he meant right away. A man met us at the entrance of the church, and we showed him our IDs for our marriage license. Nathan explained that he had found a judge to waive the twenty-four hour waiting period, and had arranged for a priest to do the ceremony immediately. We finished the paperwork in no time at all, and soon it was time to get married.

***

WHAT IS THAT OLD SAYING? ‘Marry in haste. Repent in leisure.' If my mother were here, she would be screaming that line. Not me. When I entered the private sitting area off the foyer of the church and pulled my wedding gown out of the box to hang it from a hook in the wall, my thoughts settled. Somehow, it seemed right for it to be just the two of us, standing before a priest, binding us together for life.

I changed into my wedding attire, fumbling just a bit with the unfamiliar garters, and walked all alone down the aisle. My thoughts drifted towards my mother. She should be here, walking with me, but I knew that would never happen.

I focused on Nathan. Our eyes met as I walked, and he was a little misty-eyed. I met Nathan at the altar, anxious to begin my new life as his wife.

I couldn't wait to become Mrs. Nathan Randolph.

We exchanged vows in that majestic church, looking into each other's eyes. The priest started the simple ceremony by reading scripture. Then the priest told me that Nathan had written our vows. Surprised, I squeezed his hands, touched by the thoughtful gesture.

"I, Nathan Randolph, take you, Darby Turner, to be my wife, my soul mate in life and my one true love forever and ever. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and for all time to come. I will trust you and honor you, no matter what comes our way.  I will laugh with you and cry with you in good times and in bad times. Whether the waters of life are calm or marked by storms, I will love you faithfully, with all my heart and soul. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep. You are my dearest treasure, and I trust you to cherish our love for all eternity."

Nathan took the wedding ring I had selected out of his pocket and handed it over to me. It was hard to believe we had just purchased it only about an hour before now. I slipped it on his finger with trembling hands.

When it was my turn to speak, I surprised myself even more by saying the vows after the priest with a strong, clear voice, never faltering or stumbling over the words. Although they weren't my words, I was speaking from the heart.

"I, Darby Turner, take you, Nathan Randolph, to be my husband, my soul mate in life and my one true love forever and ever. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and for all time to come. I will trust you and honor you, no matter what comes our way. I will obey your wishes, and strive to please you always. I will laugh with you and cry with you in good times and in bad times. Whether the waters of life are calm or marked by storms, I will love you faithfully, with all my heart and soul. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep. You are my dearest treasure, and I trust you to cherish our love for all eternity."

Nathan had tears in his eyes as I finished speaking. He slipped the wedding band on my finger slowly. He leaned his forehead down to touch mine, and I held his hands even tighter. I smiled up at him. If a girl could have stars in her eyes, I had entire constellations in mine.

The priest proclaimed, "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Nathan gathered me to him. He kissed me, long and sweetly. He pulled back and then kissed me again, this time with more passion. No moment in my life had ever been this perfect.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Randolph."

We broke our first kiss as a married couple, and turned back to the beaming priest. I barely noticed him.

I only had eyes for my new husband.