‘I have?’
‘Absolutely. You face everything that happens to you head-on and you only look for the best in others. I on the other hand look for the worst. Looked.’ He smiled faintly. ‘Past tense. But I love you, Poppy, with all my heart, and I know I promised to give you three wishes but that last one... If you want me to honour it of course I will, but you have to know it’s not what I want.’
Poppy’s heart climbed into her throat. She wanted so much to believe him but she knew she was difficult to love. Difficult to have around. ‘Sebastiano—’
Sebastiano stepped closer, clasping her shaking hands in his. ‘I know you’re scared, amore mia. I am too, but I’m taking a leaf out of your book and going with what feels right.’
Poppy felt light-headed. ‘You are?’
‘I am.’ He smiled softly. ‘I’ve been walking around half-alive before you came into my life and I don’t want to live like that anymore.’
He drew her forward slowly and Poppy went, still wondering if she wouldn’t wake up and find this was all a lovely dream. ‘I think I might need you to pinch me.’
‘To prove this isn’t real?’
‘To prove that it is.’ She gave him a tremulous smile. ‘I can’t believe this is happening.’
‘That’s because you’ve been let down by too many of the people closest to you,’ he said gently. ‘Including me.’ He put his arms around her waist. ‘I knew something was up when my grandfather handed me the CEO position and it didn’t make me happy. That was one of the reasons I was drinking. Apart from it being the night my parents died, I couldn’t face what it said about me. Not until you pushed me to feel again. I love you, Poppy, and if you’ll let me I’ll gladly spend the rest of my life proving it to you.’
Tears shone in Poppy’s eyes.
Sebastiano went down on bended knee, pulling a ring box out of his pocket. ‘Traditionally giving you things hasn’t gone well for me. I’m hoping this time will be the exception.’
He opened the box and an enormous diamond winked back, dazzling her. ‘Oh, my God. I will get mugged wearing that!’
‘No, you won’t, because I’ll be there to protect you.’ He took her hand in his. ‘Poppy Connolly, will you marry me and let me love you and take care of you and Simon and Maryann for the rest of my life?’
‘Blimey, Poppy, if you don’t say yes, I will.’
Bernie’s impromptu interruption from the doorway made Poppy laugh. She swiped at the tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes.
‘Sorry, love, I didn’t mean to interrupt,’ Bernie said sheepishly. ‘I was just checking on you. I’ll tell Tom you’re otherwise disposed.’
Poppy stared at Sebastiano, so happy she thought she might burst. ‘I didn’t exactly fight for what I felt the other night either. I think deep down I expected you to ditch me, and so when it seemed like you were I went into survival mode.’
‘I don’t blame you. Can you forgive me?’
‘Of course I can forgive you,’ she said softly. ‘I love you.’
Sebastiano groaned and rose to his feet, pulling her into his arms and kissing her. ‘Is that a yes to my proposal, then?’
She smiled up at him. ‘Are you going to offer me another three wishes if I say no?’
A grin spread slowly across his face. ‘No, you’re going to give me three wishes this time.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Wish number one is that you don’t ever bring me coffee again.’ He grimaced as he glanced at his chest and Poppy realised they were both now covered in coffee! ‘You were actually bringing me coffee this time,’ she pointed out, almost giddy with the happiness fit to burst from inside her chest.
‘Two: you walk around naked in our house for the rest of your life.’
‘That is so not going to happen.’ She laughed. ‘And three?’
‘Three: you promise to love me for ever, even though I’m likely to stuff up from time to time.’
‘Deal,’ she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘Oh God, Bastian. I love you so much.’
‘Grazie a Dio,’ he said softly. ‘Now, you need to text Simon and Maryann. They said if they hadn’t heard from you within the hour they were sending out a search party. Maryann also said to say thank you for her new apartment.’