‘I don’t suppose people eat with their fingers here,’ he muttered.
‘I won’t judge if you do.’ Her foot nudged his calf under the table, giving him ideas of other things he’d like to be doing with his fingers when they got back to the hotel later. He tried to follow her lead, dropping fish and rice all over himself before he pushed the roll into his mouth.
His brows lifted. All right, it was almost worth the labour.
Rae made a guttural groan of pleasure as she ate her own, sending a spark from his shoulders down to his cock. ‘You’d never expect tropical flavours to go this well with Asian spices, but the citrus complements the heat perfectly. You know, the acid from the lemon juice actually changes the protein of salmon, so it cures the fish without having to cook it.’
It went a little over his head, but he nodded along like he understood. He’d listen to her talk about anything and everything. His chopsticks went slack in his hands as he watched her take another bite, eyes fluttering closed. ‘Haru always did make the best food. I sometimes got a wee bit jealous about just how great he is with flavours. It took me years to learn things he seemed to know naturally.’
‘Do you miss it?’ Struan blurted, licking the salt from his lips. It only occurred to him afterwards that he was probably supposed to use the intricately folded napkin, and he put it on his lap like posh people did in movies.
Rae’s chin tipped in deliberation before her attention slipped to the open kitchen behind, where chefs fried fish in front of eager patrons. He could imagine her in there, if she wanted, impressing diners, talking flavours, dancing over the tiles with ease.It added weight to the box in his pocket. His plan to give it to her tonight depended on her answer. He didn’t want to rush into this if she might disappear again.
She leaned her head against her palm, red lips curling softly as she reached for his hand. ‘I miss how it made me feel, back in the early days. I was so independent… but it cost me so much. I wouldn’t trade this new chapter for anything. The eatery might not be fancy, and it might not attract customers from all over the globe, but it will be mine. I think I’ve finally realised it’s okay to want different things at different times in your life.’
Her sparkling eyes on him made him feel weak.
He offered a wobbly smile, tugging at his collar against the oppressive heat of the grills behind. He supposed that settled it, then.
‘Why?’ Rae’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘You look worried.’
‘Iama bit worried. For my digestive system,’ he brushed off. ‘Spicy.’
She cast him that firm, inescapable look that meantstop joking and talk to me properly.
So, he did. ‘Just making sure you don’t have any regrets. I wouldn’t hold you back if you wanted to try again. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t say so.’
‘I’m not going to leave you for a life of stress-induced stomach ulcers. If I ever did want to go back to fine dining, I’d stay in Scotland. Nobody understood my accent anywhere else anyway. Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?’
He snorted, drawing circles into her clammy palm. ‘You’ve seen through my cunning plan.’
She chewed on her lip like maybe she wasn’t sure.
He leaned closer. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I want to keep you forever. I’m just saying that if you wanted to go back—’
‘I’ve been everywhere, Struan. There’s nowhere else I want to be but Belbarrow, with you. Though, if you wanted more city breaks, I wouldn’t say no to those, either.’
It set his mind at rest, and he relaxed into his chair, no longer caring if his posture and mannerisms set him apart from the other diners. Since the opportunity had arisen, he quietly asked, ‘Would you say no to marrying me?’
Surprise drew her back. ‘What?’
He didn’t dare pull out the ring, sure there was nothing less romantic than making a spectacle of the proposal. He’d do this in a way that was theirs, no serenading, no getting down on one knee, no pressure to say yes. He’d learned the hard way that he was no good at grand gestures, anyway, and Rae had all but proven she loved him as he was, not as who he wished he could be for her.
‘There’s a ring in my pocket,’ he admitted. ‘Not a very fancy one, so don’t get your hopes up. But I love you, Rae. I love how bright you shine. I love how you talk about food like it’s something magic. I love how sexy you look in that dress.’ She blushed. He smirked. ‘I want to be your husband. So, when you’re ready, I’m ready. In fact, I’ve been ready for a while now.’
‘Struan…’
He waited, eyes prickling, stomach churning. Maybe this wasn’t romantic enough. Maybe she deserved more. Maybe shedidwant him down on one knee for everyone to see. Maybe—
‘I’m ready,’ she said.
He blinked, a shiver rolling through him. ‘Aye?’
A tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded, sidling her chair closer to him. The Sakura blossoms framed her in soft pinks, and he knew, like he’d always known, that this was right.
He pulled out the jewellery box, revealing the dainty silver engagement ring that Martha had helped him pick out, patterned with Celtic flows that reminded him of Foxglove Falls, still their favourite place to escape to. A ruby gleamed like an overripe berry at the centre, winking as it caught the light.
‘It’s perfect,’ Rae breathed, offering her left hand.
