She stopped walking and pulled her hand free of his. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” he said.
“Since when?”
“Since Wednesday. I came back here for you, Indy.”
What? Surprise, followed quickly by excitement then doubt. “Why?”
He shook his head. “You have every right to question my motives. Will you come with me to the ballroom, let me explain it to you there?”
She was tempted to say no but knew that was just her lingering anger from the way he’d left. “Yes, but first you have to tell what’s going on.”
“I...”
For the first time ever he was at a loss for words. That startled her. What was going on? What did he mean he lived here?
“Conrad—”
He put his finger over her lips to stop her speaking, a shiver of awareness went through her and she closed her eyes for a moment steeling herself to be strong.
“You were right. I was pretending to protect myself, using my anger at my grandfather to keep everyone at bay.”
She smiled at him. “I’m glad you realized that. You know you don’t have to do that. There are a lot of people who care about you.”
“I don’t really needa lot of peopleto care about me, lady. I just need you,” he said. “I know I messed up, and given your past and the trust you placed in me, I really let you down. That wasn’t my intention.”
She realized she was holding her breath and reminded herself to believe. This was Conrad and she loved him and she couldn’t help hoping that he might have realized he loved her too.
“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me,” she said.
“Thanks for that. I love you. I’m probably still going to fuck up—that’s who I am. But it won’t be because I don’t care. I’ve moved back here. I’m living here now. I’m opening a restaurant. And I want the chance to start again. Will you start again with me?”
She wasn’t entirely sure she believed her ears but for the love she saw shining in his eyes and the sincerity in his voice. If she knew one thing about Conrad Gilbert it was that he didn’t say things to be nice. He loved her.
“I love you,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll be perfect but I’m pretty sure that relationships aren’t supposed to be perfect. I think they are just supposed to be togetherness. Someone to laugh with, share fears with and hold in the middle of the night.”
Conrad gathered her into his arms lifting her off her feet, before kissing her deeply. In the distance she heard the band start playing and the sound of voices chattering away in the ballroom. Conrad set her down and led her to the balcony of the ballroom.
They entered on the dark cloudy side. “This was the day we met. Remember the storm blowing, the competition and the wager?”
“I do,” she said.
He led her around to the lightening skies which were transition to a night sky and the fiber-optic stars began to twinkle. “This is where we are now. A new day, a new beginning. Will you marry me and spend the rest of your life with me?”
She looked up at him, to the scar that ran down one side of his face, his full masculine lips and then lower where the thorny branches of his tattoo were visible, and she leaned in closer, noticing something she hadn’t before. There were tiny rosebuds on the branches.
“Did you do this for me?”
“I did Rosalinda. Figured I might as well put you in ink since you were already in my heart.”
“Oh, dear beast.”
“You haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her, pulling her into his arms, then resting his forehead against hers.
“Yes. I’ll marry you.”
He kissed her then and she heard the sound of applause from the ballroom below. When she lifted her head a few minutes later the orchestra was playing and everyone was dancing. She and her beast made their way down the stairs and into the ballroom.