Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
I look over at him as he snips away and my heart breaks for my beautiful man.
“I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Edward has been in therapy for years to try and heal his demons.”
“I did know that.” I go back to weeding. “How….” I try to articulate my thoughts. “How do I help him through this?”
“You love him through his flaws.” He smiles sadly over at me. “But watching you two together, I know that you already accept his scars and love him unconditionally.”
His silhouette blurs and I get a lump in my throat. He’s been through so much.
“I love his scars.” I smile. “Every last one of them.”
“Yah.” A loud voice echoes from the distance and I look up to see Edward and Charlotte are on horseback, sprinting as they race across the paddock and up into the hills.
“You need to learn how to ride.” He smiles as he watches them disappear.
“Probably not.” I go back to weeding. “If you want me to stay alive, you keep me away from horses. I’m so uncoordinated that I fall over my own feet.”
He chuckles and keeps snipping. “Give it time.”
Golden rays shine from above as we walk across the meadow. I have a bunch of handpicked daisies and huge old trees are lined up along the boundary fence. I smile up at the sun. “You know, Edward, I think this is my new favorite place on earth.”
He throws his arm around my shoulder. “You’re my favorite place on earth.”
“Actually.” I smile. “Yours sounds better, and you’re right. You’re my favorite place on earth and this place is just a by-product of that.”
He pulls me closer and kisses my temple as we walk. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”
“Hmm.” I scan the ground for more daisies.
“When we get home and we move in together I want something to change between us.”
I glance up at him and stop on the spot. “You do?”
“Yeah.” He turns me toward him and takes my hands in his. “I want you to move in as my fiancée.”
My eyes search his. “What are you saying?”
“Marry me.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ALORA
What?
My heart stops.
He drops to his knee as he holds my hands in his. “Marry me, Alora.”
“Edward,” I gasp as I drop to my knees too. “We don’t have to rush…. I mean…of course…but so soon…. I mean—”
“It’s a yes or no question.” He cuts me off.
My eyes search his. “Are you seriously asking me to be your wife?” I whisper.
“I am.” He smiles softly. “When you know, you know.” He takes my face in his hands and kisses me. “And I know.”
His silhouette blurs. “I know too.”
“So answer the question. Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” I smile through tears. “Oh my god. Yes.” His lips take mine and we kiss and it’s the perfect moment in time.
Kneeling in a field of wildflowers at his beloved home, so simple and yet so out-of-this-world romantic.
“You have two choices for your engagement ring.” He smiles over at me, his eyes full of love.
“Is this real?” I laugh out loud.
“You can have my family heirloom ring. Or you can have a new one, the choice is yours.”
“Oh….” I think for a moment. “Was the family ring your mother’s?”
“Yes.” His eyes hold mine.
I think for a moment. “I would like that one, please,” I whisper.
His nostrils flare and I know that it means a lot to him. “Good choice.” He digs a red ring box from his pocket and opens it to reveal the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. It’s an Edwardian antique style, a large European-cut center diamond with diamonds around it, all encased in filigree rose gold.
“Oh my god.” My hands fly over my mouth.
He takes my hand and slides it onto my finger and once again my vision blurs. “Oh…Edward. It’s so perfect,” I whisper as I hold my hand out to look at it. “It looks like a diamond flower.”
“It does.”
I laugh out loud. “What the hell just happened?” and he laughs too.
“We got….” He shrugs as if unable to believe it himself. “Engaged.”
“Are you sure?” I ask as I continue to stare at my hand, I can’t take my eyes off it for even a second. “This is very soon, we can wait if you want.”
“It took me thirty-six years to find you, Alora, and I’m not wasting another minute.”
My eyes search his. “We’re really going to do this?”
“Yes…. To forever.” He takes my face in his hands and kisses me. “Mrs. Prescott.”
“Ha.” I laugh against his lips. “It sounds so grown up.”
He chuckles and pulls me to my feet and we kiss again, our lips lingering over each other’s in a perfect moment of tenderness. “I love you so much,” I whisper.
“And I love you.”
“When are we telling everyone?”
“Right now.”
I turn and run across the field, unable to control my excitement. “I’ll race you back to the house.”