Had she even read his email? he wondered for the millionth time. Maybe she didn’t check daily… Maybe she hadn’t understood the message.
Maybe she’d simply deleted it unread.
She’d be here.
And as if those words had conjured her up, there she was. Walking towards the memorial, her hands in the pockets of a rust-coloured coat. She wore black boots and a cream beret on her dark hair. Looking at her was like looking at a cream cupcake when you’ve been on a life-long diet.
When she passed the Buckingham Palace gates she caught sight of him and their gazes collided. Fused. He had to breathe in deep because suddenly he’d forgotten how. She appeared to falter, then picked up the pace again. Moving swiftly.
He moved too, dodging a group of noisy schoolkids on an excursion and for a moment he lost sight of her behind a tall robust man but then, there she was, smiling at him and he could smell her familiar fragrance before he could reach out and cup her face between his hands and lose himself in those dewy amber eyes.
He hauled her face to his before she could answer and kissed her. Tasted her unique sweet caramel flavour, heard her murmured sigh against his mouth. And all he knew was that he never wanted to let her go again. He drew back a little to see her better, stroking her cheeks before he took her hands and held them against his chest.
‘Jared.’ A shadowed expression crossed her face and her smile faded a little and he knew he’d put those shadows there.
‘How long have you been here?’ she asked, obviously expecting him to loosen her hands. ‘In London, I mean.’
He didn’t let her go. ‘Just over twenty-four hours.’
‘I got your email…’ With a rueful grimace, she shook her head. ‘Of course I did or I wouldn’t be here…’
An awkward silence suddenly enveloped them. ‘Let’s go somewhere nearby where we can talk,’ he suggested.
‘St James’s Park,’ she said, indicating the way. Already a local, he thought, and, still holding one trembling hand, he accompanied her along the footpath.
They had a somewhat stilted conversation while they walked along Pall Mall. Her job was busy, she loved London. She’d seen the Tower and Westminster Abbey and been to Brighton on her day off last week. Melissa was enjoying her new apartment but staying at the house to babysit Angus. And yes, the mutt was gaining weight. A real personality, no doubt about that.
But all he could think was how right her hand felt in his, how he’d missed her, how much he wanted her in his life.
They passed through some beautiful ornate gates and, because the ground was damp, chose a wooden bench facing the lake. Autumn was busy here, painting a glorious palette of red and brown and gold amongst the green. A weeping willow on the little island in the lake reflected in the water. Even the air smelled different.
Sophie breathed in the scents of autumn and Jared. As long as she lived, she’d never forget this moment. They sat at an angle facing one another. He’d lost a few kilos. Fatigue shadowed his green eyes but there was emotion there too. And nerves, she thought, like her. She waited for him to speak first.
‘Sophie.’ He paused, then took both her hands and looked into her eyes. ‘First off, I love you, Sophie. I’ll always love you.’
She blinked up at him. Just for a moment her heart glowed and the whole world glowed with the wonder of it. A huge ball of emotion lodged in her throat.
‘And knowing that you feel the same way, I have a question. The most important question I’ll ever ask. Sophie Buchanan…will you marry me?’ He squeezed her hands, his green-eyed gaze so tender and true she felt as if she’d been sliced through the heart, because it couldn’t happen—not with them. She’d told him why.
‘No.’
Something flitted across his gaze but he jogged their joined hands gently on his knees just once. Then he leaned in, pressed a quick but tender kiss on her lips. ‘You told me you loved me—have you changed your mind already?’
‘I… No.’
‘Well, I sure as hell can’t think of a single solitary reason why two people who love each other shouldn’t get married.’
‘You know why. Kids, Jared. You want kids. You…you told me you broke up with Bianca because she didn’t want children.’
‘Ah, Sophie, Sophie, is that what you thought?’ He shook his head, pressed a kiss to her brow. ‘I broke up with Bianca because she didn’t want Melissa as part of the marriage deal. She expected me to shunt her off to her big sister after we got married and I wouldn’t do it. That’s entirely different, honey.’
‘Oh…’ It was, it was. Sophie’s heart started to gallop.