Page 88 of King of Hearts
“I was thinking, when I retire I want to run a training camp for kids who want to play professionally.” I answered honestly.
“Huh! That is both unexpected and amazing.” She said before adjusting herself to sit up against the sun lounger. “Tell me more things.” She squinted at me as the sunbathed the balcony and I moved to shield her face from the bright rays.
“You know, I’ve never told anyone that. It’s been my dream for a while but I was always worried people only asked about me so they could say they knew me. I was always just a means to show off to someone else.” I huffed.
“Honestly, you’re bloody lucky you met me, plus I come with all of this.” She said as she gesticulated up and down her body. I barked a laugh and she smiled, the amusement lighting up her entire face.
I moved to face her, swinging my legs to rest on the ground next to the seat.
“Can’t disagree with you. If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber.” Arna closed her eyes and cackled. I watched in awe, ready to hear that sound every second of every day.
“Shit. Honestly, you duck to the clubhouse for the first time in three days and return with the worst love declarations in history? I thought you were meant to be theHearts?”
I reached for her hand and smiled, again adjusting my head to block the sun from her eyes.
“Okay, fine. Let me try another one?”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, but this is your last chance or you retire from all love declarations. Deal?”
“Deal.” I grinned, knowing this one was going to be my best yet. “But no more games. No more dares, okay, only truths.”
“Finally,” She joked.
“My truth is, I can’t imagine or bear a life without you. You’re strong-minded, ambitious and above all else, you are fucking kind. I was a dumbarse to think you were anything else and I’m sorry it took me so long to realise. I don’t think I appreciated you enough even before, but now that you’re back here, inourspace, with your loud laugh and bright demeanour – I can see everything so much clearer.
“One of my favourite quotes is by a man named Roger Bannister. An English bloke who was the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes. Anyway, he said, ‘the man who candrive himself further once the effort becomes painful, is theman who will win’. And it really makes perfect sense, so in every situation I have always done my best to live by that motto. Whatever the circumstance, it has nothing to do with the odds stacked against you but how hard you push and the opportunities you make for yourself. And I won’t ever let another chance pass again, especially when it comes to you.”
I stood and came around to the other side of the chair holding my hand out for her. Taking her hand in mine I motioned with my head for her to follow me into the living room.
“Do you remember our first kiss?” I asked once we were inside and Arna stepped towards me, pressing her lips to mine.
“Mmhmm.” She said, her mouth firmly planted against my own. “It was right here.”
“Yes, it was. And I can’t walk into this room without thinking about you. About the way I thought I was finally going to taste you. And it was going to be soft and sweet but before I knew it, your hands were in my hair and I could barely believe I had waited so long.” I kissed her again, getting a little lost, before I remembered my end goal as I stepped back, reached into my pocket and dropped to one knee.
Arna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as I opened my palm to the ring Jay designed. The perfect ring, just as she deserved.
“Oh my god. I take it back. Your love declarations are everything.” She squeaked, her eyes shining and I did my best to stop my own tears from leaking.
“Arnabelle, my love, you’ve been the editor of my heart since the minute I met you.” She giggled and I grinned up at her. “You’ve polished every chapter we’ve shared and it took me far too long to realise how much better my story is with you in it. And now, I won’t miss an opportunity. I will never take you for granted.” I paused, squeezing her hand. “And so, I’m asking you, if you will continue toeditour lives together, one pun at a time. As my wife?”
She burst into laughter, tears of what I hoped were joy, falling freely as she gave me her answer, repairing any of the cracks which were still left in my heart, with a resounding, “YES!”
Epilogue
Arna
Six months later
The resounding chime of metal against glass silenced the laughter and conversation on what was thus far, the best day of my life, as all eyes turned to my fiancé. I looked over to where he stood in his light grey suit, the jacket never having made it on, and I sighed deeply. My cheeks were already sore and we had only been here for an hour, another indication of how content I truly was.
Andy was going to be my husband and I was the happiest bitch alive.
The suit pants did wonders for his arse and I was going to take great delight in removing the grey bow tie which sat saliently against his crisp black dress shirt later tonight. I admired him as he thanked our guests for being here to celebrate our love while moving closer to pull me into his side. He thanked his parents for sharing their house with everyone we held dear and especially commended his mother, my soon to be mother-in-law, on the beauty of where we stood.
And he wasn’t wrong.
Fairy lights hung low across the yard, casting a soft glow over our guests, the waitstaff moving around seamlessly with the delicious canapés we selected especially for tonight. When I first saw the little cases with popcorn and red liquorice, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. If I didn’t already know, that small gesture alone cemented that I was marrying my other half.
