Page 17 of The Fake Fiancé

Adam is standing there, right where I was standing talking to his daughter just thirty seconds before. He’s wearing a simple sweater and jeans, his hands shoved in his pockets. There’s no entourage or security. Just him. He’s looking straight at me.

I need air. I need space. I need to not be seeing him, because every second I do, I want to throw myself into his arms and tell him how much I’ve missed him and explain myself. But I react as I always do; I flee outside, not even bothering to look for my author to explain where I’m going. I’m justgone.

I find myself in a small, secluded courtyard, the stone walls slick with the constant drizzle. I lean against the rough brick, my head in my hands, simply trying to breathe. It’s not that I think I can escape Adam if he’s determined to find me. I just hope I can gather myself first.

"Elowen," Adam says. It’s too late. He must have been right behind me.

I straighten up, forcing myself to turn and face him. "What are you doing here, Adam?"

"I'm looking for you. I've been looking for you for a long time."

"I have a job," I try and fail to sound flippant. “Sorry I wasn’t staying in one place for you.”

He huffs a small laugh. “That’s okay, sweetheart. You’re worth the wait.”

The compliment is like a physical pain in my chest. "Why are you here, Adam? What could you possibly want?"

He takes another step, until he's standing right in front of me, reaching out to touch my face as if no time has passed between us at all. I don’t know why I let him, but I do.

"You are what I want. You are the first woman," he starts, "The only woman I have ever chosen for myself. And I’m tired of being without you, Elowen.”

Hating myself for it, I lean my face hard into his hand, tears making silent tracks down my cheeks. Oh, I’ve missed him, wanted him, for so long. How can I resist him?

“I thought you’d forgotten me. That I’d driven you away,” I whisper wetly.

“I’m not so easily dissuaded, Elowen.”

“But all these things in the news, all the things you’ve sold and stepped down from?—“

“For you.” He cuts me off. “To make space in my life for what I really want. You.”

It’s unbelievable, almost impossible to fathom that he would give up so much for me. My head is spinning, my heart galloping. I’ve been running from him, and he’s been…rearranging his world for me? His whole world.

Just like I was afraid of doing, and just as I told myself over and over that I wouldnotdo, if I ever saw him again, I throw myself into his arms.

He catches me easily. "I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice muffled by his sweater. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh," he murmurs, his lips pressed against my hair. "I pushed you into a world you weren't ready for. I let my life, my history, scare you away. That was my failure, not yours."

I pull back just enough to look at him, my vision blurred with tears. "I was a coward in Chamonix,” I admit, "I just saw Camille, and I saw…everything. The decades, the history, Celeste…and I felt so temporary. I couldn’t handle it.”

"Elowen," he says, his hands cupping my face, his thumbs gently stroking my tear-streaked cheeks. "I love you. There is nothing temporary about that."

“You love me?” I gasp, and it feels like the clouds around my life have lifted. “I love you too! Adam, this whole time I thought?—“

“Shh,” he says, and after a moment's deliberation decides he can’t trust me to keep quiet, and does it himself by slanting his mouth over mine in a kiss so all-consuming that I lose track of everything else. It doesn’t matter where I am, why I’m here, or what I’m doing. All that matters is Adam. Adam loves me. Adam is kissing me. Adam, Adam, Adam.

When he finally breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead on mine while we catch our breath. “Elowen,” he rumbles. “There’s a ring when you’re ready. We can take things slow. Date. Live apart for some time—“ he pauses and frowns, “not for very long. But we can take it at your pace, sweetheart, and when you tell me you’re ready, I’ll get down on one knee and put that ring on your finger. Understand?”

“Yes.” I breathe, crying all over again, seeing the beautiful ribbon of my new life with Adam unfurling in front of me. “I understand. Now will you kiss me again before?—“

I don’t even have time to finish the sentence before Adam’s lips are on mine again.

It’s the first request of many I know he’ll be more than happy to grant.

EPILOGUE

ADAM