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He looked up and met my eyes. “Addy.”
Oh, gosh.
My heart thumped, and everything I felt for him rushed through me like a tornado. I ran down the steps and across the drive to him, launching myself at him before he’d taken even a single step.
I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my face into his neck, squeezing my eyes tightly shut. His arms circled me, holding onto me for what felt like dear life, and his nose brushed against the side of my neck.
Nothing had ever felt as good as this did.
“I never should have left,” I whispered as the rain lashed down onto us. “I’m so sorry.”
“No.” He brought his hands up and cupped my face. “No, Addy, I never should have let you go. I was a bloody fool to let you leave.”
A thick lump formed in my throat, and I desperately tried to swallow it back. “Does that mean—”
“I love you,” Alex said, rain dripping off his hair onto his cheeks. “I am so ridiculously in love with you that I don’t know what to do with myself if you aren’t here.”
I sniffed, feeling tears well in my eyes.
“I simply cannot stand being away from you anymore. That’s why I went to the hotel. I had to tell you how I felt before I lost the chance.”
“That’s why I came here,” I replied. “To tell you the same thing.”
He smiled, brushing his thumb across my cheek.
“I love you, Alexander.”
He dipped his head forwards and pressed his lips against mine. I gripped hold of his wet t-shirt, closing the distance between our bodies. The rain hammered down onto us but I didn’t care.
I could have stood out here, freezing, kissing him, all night, without a care in the world as long as we were together.
I pulled back and met his eyes. “Leaving you was the stupidest decision I could have made, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I don’t want to do that again.”
“Then don’t,” Alex whispered. “Don’t leave, Adelaide. Stay. Stay with me and Olympia and Ma and Boris and those stupid bloody cats.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. I knew he liked them really. “Really?”
“Don’t make me chase you to Somerset again,” he said, sliding his hands down my arms and pulling me against him. “Please.”
“I have a lot of stuff.”
“I have a very large house, if you haven’t noticed.”
“I left Treacle at Gabi’s.”
He sighed. “I forgot about the guinea pig.”
“How could you forget Treacle? You bought him for me!”
“That is true. We’re going to need to hire a van, aren’t we?”
I smiled at him and nodded.
“Well, if it means you’ll stay with me…” He kissed me, and I nodded again, moving my lips over his. “Forever?”
“Maybe,” I teased him.
“No maybe about it. I think that tiara will suit you.”
“Oh, well if forever comes with the tiara, you might be able to sway me.”
Alexander brushed his lips over mine. “It does. And the house. And I’ll even let you get more guinea pigs.”
“Sold.” I paused. “Wait, that wasn’t a proposal, was it?”
He eyed me. “Did you want it to be?”
“Kinda lost the moment there.”
He held up one finger and went back to the car, rummaged around, and then walked back over to me with a little box in his hand.
My eyes went wide. “Why was that in your car?”
“I don’t know,” he said, amusement tinging his tone. “It may have been slightly optimistic of my mother to insist I take it, so I guess we’ll have to see.”
“Alexander. Have you thought this through?”
“No.” He met my eyes, fighting a laugh. “But I don’t need to.”
“Where on Earth did you get that?”
“It’s the one my father gave my mother. She told me if I was going to propose to you, she wanted me to use this. Anyone else I’d have to buy my own.”
That was the most Elizabeth thing I’d ever heard.
My lips pulled up. “You’ve lost your mind.”
“Incredibly likely.” He took a step towards me and dropped onto one knee. “I know this is impulsive and insane and we’re both soaking wet and freezing cold—”
I laughed, pressing my hand to my mouth.
“But five days without you was hell enough, and I know there’s nobody else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, and I think I’ve known that for a while.”
Oh, my God.
“I know I’m asking a lot of you. I’m asking for you to take on more than just me, and your life will change far more than mine will, but I’m going to ask you anyway.”
I sniffed, and a noise that was half laugh and half sob choked out of me.
“So, Adelaide Astley, would you make this crazy man the happiest one in the world? Will you marry me?” He opened the little box, and the most gorgeous, timeless diamond ring was instantly rained on.
