Chapter 9 - No Audience
Dominic did not propose on the beach.
He drove Claire away from the resort.
No security convoy.
No photographer.
No hidden violinist.
Just an old black SUV and a nervous man who had faced federal investigators with less visible anxiety.
“Where are we going?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“That sounded controlling.”
“I withdraw the statement.”
Claire smiled.
Twenty minutes later they reached a small house outside Charleston.
Elena stood on the porch.
Beside her were grocery bags.
Dominic stared.
“Ma.”
“What?”
“You did this intentionally.”
“I needed groceries.”
“You have three assistants.”
“All unavailable.”
Claire laughed.
Dominic carried every bag inside.
Of course he did.
After dinner, Elena disappeared upstairs with suspicious speed.
Dominic led Claire onto the porch.
No audience.
Only crickets.
Warm air.
Trees moving in the darkness.
“This house belonged to my grandmother,” Dominic said.
Claire waited.
“She was the first person in my family who told me that being feared wasn’t the same as being respected.”
He looked toward the yard.
“I ignored her.”
“You were young.”
“I was arrogant.”
“That too.”
He smiled.
Then became serious.
“When I met you, I thought your list was funny.”
“It was.”
“I also thought I could pass it.”
Claire raised an eyebrow.
“You literally could not pass the final requirement.”
“I considered technical arguments.”
“Of course you did.”
“But eventually I realized the list wasn’t about finding a perfect man.”
Claire’s smile faded.
“It was about finding someone who made you feel safe being yourself.”
Her eyes burned.
Dominic reached for her hands.
“I cannot promise perfection.”
“Good. Sounds exhausting.”
“I can promise that when I fail, I will listen.”
Claire swallowed.
“When I’m afraid, I will try not to turn fear into control.”
He took the box from his pocket.
“When you say no, I will hear no.”
He opened it.
A simple diamond ring.
Elegant.
Not enormous.
Claire immediately knew Elena had prevented Dominic from purchasing something the size of a small satellite.
Dominic lowered himself onto one knee.
“Claire Bennett, will you marry a man who failed the most important technical requirement but intends to spend the rest of his life passing the ones underneath it?”
Claire cried.
Then she laughed.
Then she cried harder.
Dominic waited.
He did not assume.
That made her love him more.
“Yes.”
He exhaled.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger.
Then Claire grabbed his face.
“But I’m keeping my apartment until the wedding.”
Dominic blinked.
“Why?”
She stared.
He corrected himself immediately.
“Understood.”
She kissed him.
From inside the house came a crash.
Claire pulled away.
“Was someone listening?”
Dominic opened the door.
Elena, Ethan, Jenna and Michael were standing in the kitchen.
A broken wineglass lay on the floor.
Dominic stared.
“You said no audience.”
Elena lifted both hands.
“We were not an audience.”
“What would you call this?”
“Family.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
Claire began laughing.
Jenna rushed forward to see the ring.
Ethan congratulated Dominic with the solemn expression of a man attending a board meeting.
Michael opened champagne.
Elena cried.
For once, Dominic surrendered.
Months later, wedding planning revealed the final challenge in their relationship.
Dominic wanted security.
Claire wanted normality.
Dominic suggested one hundred guests.
Elena produced a list of three hundred.
Claire threatened to elope.
Elena reduced it to two hundred and seventy.
They compromised at one hundred and forty.
The wedding would be held at the resort where they met.
The night before, Claire stood alone on the terrace.
Dominic approached.
“Cold?”
“A little.”
He offered his jacket.
She took it.
Neither spoke for a while.
Then Claire said, “Are you scared?”
“Yes.”
“Of marriage?”
“No.”
“Tomorrow?”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Then what?”
Dominic watched the ocean.
“That one day I’ll become my father without noticing.”
Claire’s heart tightened.
“You won’t.”
“You can’t know that.”
“No.”
She took his hand.
“But I can tell you if you start.”
He looked at her.
“And I can leave if you refuse to listen.”
Dominic smiled sadly.
“That is strangely comforting.”
“It should be.”
He kissed her forehead.
Then Claire noticed a man standing near the terrace entrance.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Watching them.
Dominic went rigid.
“Who is that?”
The stranger stepped forward.
“My name is Thomas Russo.”
Dominic’s face drained of color.
Claire whispered, “Who is he?”
Dominic stared at the man.
“My father’s brother.”
Claire frowned.
“I thought Carlo was—”
“Different side.”
Thomas smiled.
May you like
Then he said the sentence that threatened to destroy the wedding before it began.
“Dominic, there’s something Elena never told you about your father’s death.”
