85

Their second day on the island has been nothing but fun. Early the next morning they were already at the ocean, playing inside the water.

"This is so cool, Babe. Jamaican fruits are so sweet. " She said while sucking on the freshly peeled orange in her hand.

"Chef Bruce always comes to Jamaica to get some fresh Caribbean fruits. Lol. Yes, they taste better than normal fruits." He responded.

Catherine got out of the water and walked towards Ace.

"Have you spoken to your Mom yet?" She asked him and Ace shook his head.

"No, why?" Catherine sat down on the shore beside him and let out a deep breath.

"I don't know. I have this feeling that you're hiding something from me, Babe. I have been feeling this way since yesterday and I always trust my instinct. You have to tell me if there's anything I need to know. Anything at all." She replied. Ace grabbed her hand and caressed the back of her palm.

"I don't want to rush things and I don't want you to have doubts. I wanted to do this in an outstanding way because you deserve that much but since you kept thinking about the worst then I'll say it." He responded and took a deep breath while staring deep into her eyes. "Will you marry me, Catherine Meyers?"

Catherine's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly on their own, an inaudible sound coming out of her lips. She was dumbfounded. She wasn't expecting this. A proposal.

Never was she expecting it.

She didn't know what to say. She was conflicted.

"Butterfly? Tell me how you feel. Let me know your answer. I don't want you to reply to me with doubts in your mind. You can ask me questions if you want. I don't mind." He assured her sweetly.

Catherine pressed her hands against each other and batted her eyes.

"I have so many questions that require answers. Marriage is a better for worse thing. Are you sure about this? I don't want you to marry me because you feel like you have to. And secondly is your mother aware of this? I don't want my mother-in-law to still have animosity towards me. I need to know all these things first." She explained. Ace couldn't help but laugh. It was the most funny proposal he has ever seen.

He was playing question and answer in the middle of a proposal. Ain't nothing more funny.

"I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. In fact, I have a ring right there inside the house, a ring specially made for you. I don't do things just to make others happy, Butterfly. I am Ace Hampton. I only do what I want. And Mother doesn't know about this but I can assure you that she would give her full support." Ace retorted. Catherine's eyes watered with unshed tears and her lips quivered. How can such a simple words make her so fucking emotional?

"Yes. I will marry you, Ace. I will..... I will marry you." She stuttered.

Ace got up from the ground and pulled Catherine up with him. He wrapped his hand around her waist and sighed. He felt at peace.

"I love you. I love you so much. The morning sun would bear me witness." He whispered to her. Such a sweet and whole full declaration.

"And I love you so much, Ace. You're my sun. My moon. My dragon. The only one that I want. You'll forever be my baby boy." She responded.

*****

Catherine stared at the huge diamond ring on her finger and she giggled softly. She has been admiring it over and over again under the moonlight for the past thirty minutes. The way the ring glows under the light amazes her.

She knew that the ring must have cost a fortune. Millions if she might add.

And it was so beautiful.

"Do you like it?" Ace asked her as he dropped a tray of win and two glasses in front of her.

Catherine glanced at him briefly and then looked back at the ring. "I love it." She muttered.

Ace uncorked the bottle of red wine and poured inside the two glasses. He handed over one to Catherine and took the other.

"Cheers to a new life as my fiance." He said and she raised her glass.

"Cheers."

They both sipped on their drink quietly without saying a word, admiring the moon and listening to the birds chirping in the night.

It was a beautiful sight to see.

Catherine placed her head on his shoulder and smiled calmly. "I feel so good." She muttered.

"I am glad."

Catherine's phone rang and she quickly removed her head from Ace's shoulder and grabbed the phone laying on the floor beside her.

Catherine glanced at the contact ID and smiled.

"Mom!" She shrieked excitedly.

"Sweetheart, how are you doing?" Her mother asked her.

"I am fine Mom," She said and glanced at Ace. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it my girl?" Her mother inquired curiously.

"Ace proposed to me. We are engaged!" She announced proudly. The other side of the call became silent and Catherine became worried as to what caused the change of atmosphere. "Mom?"

"Sweetheart, you know that Veronica Hampton will never accept you for her son, why are you doing this to yourself?" She asked.

"Mom. Be happy for me for the time being. I will deal with that later." Catherine said and rolled her eyes. She was disappointed by her mother's reaction to her good news.

"Don't get me wrong, sweetheart. I am happy for you. I know how in love you are with that young man and I prayed for your happiness constantly. I just don't want you to be disappointed if it doesn't go the way you expected." Mrs Meyers responded.

"Can I talk to her?" Ace asked and stretched out his hand to take the phone and Catherine nodded her head

"He wants to talk to you."

Catherine handed over the phone to Ace and sipped on her wine while quietly listening to Ace's conversation with her mother.

"Catherine is a grown woman, she can decide what she wants for herself. All she needs is your blessing." Ace said to Mrs Meyers.

Mrs Meyers sighed before responding "You don't understand what I'm saying do you? Your mother has this hatred towards my family. He hates my daughter. The idea of the both of you being together will never appeal to her."

Ace took Catherine's hand in his and smiled before kissing the back of it.

" My mother will support it without questions not because she wants to but because she has to, to make me happy. She'd love to see me happy, I hope Catherine can say the same thing about you as well." Mrs Meyers didn't know what to say, it was as if Ace was accusing her.

" Of course I'll support her. She has my full support." She mumbled." Can you give her the phone, please? "

Ace handed the phone over to Catherine and nodded his head at her.

" You have my full support. I am happy for you sweetheart. All I care about is your happiness and if getting married this young is what you want then so be it. I'll support you. "

" Thank you, Mom. I love you."

"Love you too, I've got to go now."

"Bye-bye."

******

Every single day they spent on the island was full of fun and love. Catherine had so much fun and got to know some things she didn't know before about Ace.

Summer was quickly coming to an end and Ace would like to get married before the summer ends, just to make sure that Catherine invites all her friends before they go back to college.

He was yet to tell his mother that he proposed to Catherine and he planned to do that as soon as he set a wedding date with Catherine.

Ace stood before the calendar inside the living room and cocked his head to the side.

"What are you doing, Babe?" She asked, she walked to his front and kissed his lips. Ace automatically wrapped one hand around her waist and brought her close to his chest.

"Summer is coming to an end soon. We only have two weeks left. I want us to have our wedding before summer ends. What do you think?" He asked her. Catherine lossen herself from his hold and stared into his eyes.

"Wedding? So soon?"

"You don't like it? You don't want to get married now?" He queried hesitantly. He was disappointed that she wasn't in a rush like he was.

Catherine placed her hand on his cheek and shook her head. "I love to. I am in love with you. I want to marry you as quickly as possible but I don't want you to feel like you have to marry me this quickly."

"Let's get married. I don't care about rushing it. I just want to marry you. Let's set up a date."

"If that's what you want then okay. I'm ready when you are." Catherine retorted sweetly.

Ace's phone rang and he brought it out of his pocket while holding Catherine close to him. He glanced at her and showed her his phone screen before answering it.

"Mother."

"Ace fucking Hampton. Tell me if what I was told is true or not. I swear to God!" Veronica Hampton bellowed. Ace rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Wherever it is that you heard it from is true. I am engaged to Catherine and I'm at Hamptons Island with her."