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Her whole life hinged on this moment. A moment that seemed to envelop them, protecting them from the icy wind.
“Rick... I thought I could settle for second best. But I can’t. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love you. If you love me, then we can work everything else out. I know we can, if we put our minds to it.”
He never even blinked. Rick didn’t hesitate for a moment. “I love you too, Fleur. If New York is your home then it’s ours as well. Home is wherever you are.” He kissed her.
“No... Rick...” She felt Ellie move between them, and Rick glanced down at his daughter. Her hands were obviously starting to get cold, and she was trying to bury them into his sweater.
Fleur reached into the little girl’s pocket to find her gloves. “I’m not going to be in New York. Or at least only for a couple of weeks every three months.”
“What? You turned the job down?” Rick watched as she blew on Ellie’s hands to warm them and then tucked them into her gloves.
“No, there was another candidate. I got the job, but he’s just as good as me and very different in his approach. I suggested that we should job share, each do four projects a year, and everyone really liked the idea. So most of the time I can be here on Maple Island... Look, maybe we should talk about this in the car.”
Rick had no coat and he was beginning to shiver. But he wouldn’t move. “Fleur, are you absolutely sure about this? Is it what you really want?”
“I love you and Ellie, Rick, and Maple Island’s my home. This is what I really want.”
He kissed her again, in a promise that would never be broken. It was everything. She was whole.
“When are we going home?” Ellie was clearly growing tired of this.
Rick looked down at her, smiling. “Right now, sweetheart.”
Fleur hurriedly extended the handle on her case, and they walked together toward the car, his arm around her shoulders. They were all going home.
EPILOGUE
Sixteen months later
RICK WAS LOOKING forward to tonight. He’d bumped into Josh when he’d popped into town at lunchtime, and found that his father-in-law had been given custody of Ellie and his baby son until tomorrow morning. Josh had taken the opportunity to bring his grandchildren to the fishing tackle shop and buy both Ellie and Ben fishing rods. Ben was a little too young to use his yet, but Josh was confident he’d grow into it.
It could only mean one thing. He and Fleur had finally closed the deal on buying the lighthouse, and they’d agreed that any big surprises for their wedding anniversary would have to wait until next year. But they could still celebrate.
He left work early, and found Fleur waiting outside the clinic in the car. He climbed into the passenger seat, leaning across to kiss her.
“Where are we going, Mrs. Fleming?”
“Wait and see, Dr. Fleming.”
Before they got there, he knew. Smugglers Cove was the best-kept secret on the island, accessible only by a narrow cliff path. In the summer it was one of the few beaches that wasn’t full of tourists.
Fleur parked the car, handing him the cool bag and slinging a beach bag across her shoulder. They climbed down to the sheltered bay and found it deserted. Laughing, as they hurriedly changed into their swimsuits, they spread the beach towel on the ground and opened the bottle of champagne that Fleur had brought.
“Happy anniversary, darling.” Rick tipped his glass against hers and they drank. “Next year we’ll be doing something special...”
She leaned forward, kissing him. “You’re all I want, Rick. You and the kids and our home here.”
“So I’ll take this back, then?” He grinned, reaching into the pocket of his jacket, which lay in a bundle with the rest of his clothes. A new baby and a piece of real estate might be enough expense for one year, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t plan ahead.
He handed her the envelope and she opened it. Then her hand flew to her mouth.
“Rick! La Scala, Milan... The Louvre... And Venice—We can’t afford all this!”
“I haven’t paid for it yet, but I’ve booked it for next year.” He had a whole year to think of another present to surprise her with.
She flung her arms around his neck. “Thank you. Thank you so much, darling.”
“We’ll dance in each city, Fleur.”
