“No. Leave it.”
“What? Why? That wasn’t how it happened back?—”
“We’re doing it differently this time, remember? Get back in character for me.”
A blush did rush to her cheeks then. “You’re so bossy.”
“Phoebe,” I warned.
“Okay, okay. Where were we? Oh, wait. I’ve got it. I’ve got it.” She paused for only a second before she said, “I’m?—”
“Sorry? Yeah. You’ve tried saying that three times now. Doesn’t seem to be working out for you. How about you just watch where you’re going. That ought to do it.”
Her frown came too easily, and I wondered if the memory of my forced disdain played a part in that. “Is there any need to be such a jerk about it? It was clearly an accident.”
“Yet you’re still in my way.”
“You can’t go around me?”
“Can. Don’t see why I should.” God, I’d been such a dick.
“Wow, you’re a real charmer.”
“I’m so relieved the woman I’m madly in love with thinks so,” I said, allowing my smile of adoration to come freely.
Phoebe’s brows rose. “That’s… not what you said a year ago, Henry.”
I took a step closer, loving the way she always seemed so delicate beneath me, even though the fire inside her could win wars now. “No. But it should have been, because I swear it,Phoebe, the moment I saw you, I knew. I knew you were going to be that woman for me.”
“What woman?”
“The one you only have to meet once to know they’re about to turn your whole life on its head, whether you’re ready for it or not. Whether the timing is right or wrong. No matter who approves or doesn’t.”
That easy smile of hers erupted. “You’re goingwayoff script here.”
“Indulge me.” Keeping my eyes on hers, I slowly lowered myself to the ground to place her rogue flip flop back onto her foot with ease.
“You definitely didn’t do that back then, either.”
“I know.” I grinned up at her and felt the magic of the moment tear through my heart, until it beat so loudly, I thought the whole island would hear it. “Want to know what else I didn’t do?”
“What’s that?”
“This.” I pushed my hand into the pocket of my swim shorts and fished around for the delicate piece I’d been holding onto for far too long before I carefully dropped down onto one knee and held the diamond ring up between us.
All the colour drained from her face, and her mouth fell into the perfect little ‘O’ shape as her eyes widened, and she stared at the ring. I let the silence linger for a beat too long, wanting her to soak it all in. For her—both of us—to remember this moment forever.
“Phoebe?” I said quietly.
She blinked once, twice, three times before she tore her eyes away from the ring and finally looked at me and my shit-eating grin.
“They say life’s a marathon, not a sprint, but I don’t buy into that anymore. I see no point in taking anything slowly with youwhen you’re all I’ll ever need. You’re my girl, smart arse. You’ll always be my girl. I’m ready to sprint through it all with you… if you’ll have me.”
Tears gathered quickly in her eyes before one rushed down her cheek, long and hard, needing no permission to fall. I blinked up at her, the bright blue sky and blazing sunshine a perfect backdrop to her unrivalled beauty.
“So, marry me.” I sighed with the biggest smile on my face. “Marry me, and let’s defy all the odds together, because I promise you, Phoebe Elisa Turner, there isn’t anyone else out there who will ever love you with their whole existence the way I’m gonna love you.”
She stared at me, still speechless, but I didn’t worry. I already knew her answer. She’d already admitting her acting skills were too poor to have faked a single moment of the love we’d shared during the best year of our lives.
