Page 95 of A Sudden Romance

She gasped when he flipped open the box. Her hands flew to her chest as the solitaire diamond glinted with prisms of color.

“Iris, from the first time I met you, twelve years ago...”

“Aww,” someone said, and more oohs and aahs joined in. Camera shutters clicked as photos were taken. No doubt, videos too. Waves crashed all around them, but his voice rose over the tumult.

“The fear of not having you in my life pushes me to take chances and try the impossible....” He poured out his heart, publicly sharing all the things she was to him. His voice shook, but he kept his focus on her.

Somehow, in that moment, she sensed he’d always keep his focus on her, never letting money take that from them again, never seeing her as anything other than Iris. With his gaze enveloping her in something so soft and warm, she swallowed hard as emotion overwhelmed her.

“Please marry me, Iris, and make me the happiest man alive.”

Iris tried to speak, but tears choked her. She nodded, sniffling and tasting the salt in the air and the tears on her face.

While everyone cheered and shouted their congratulations, he slid a ring onto her finger. With the tears blinding her, everything around her blurred, even the romantic sunset. But the man standing in front of her—she could see him as clearly as he seemed to see her.

He stood and gathered her in his warm and strong embrace.

“I love you... so much.” She spoke through tears. She couldn’t ever love him any more than she did now. While ups and downs were inevitable in any relationship, she was confident in his love for her. He loved and respected her in a way she’d always dreamed of being cherished by the love of her life.

“I’ve always loved you.” He framed her face with his fingers, locking his gaze to hers as if afraid his words wouldn’t express the full feeling in his heart. “I always will.”

When she nodded to assure him she understood, he kissed her with such loving reverence she could scarcely breathe.

And just like that, he swept her up and twirled her across the sand just like he’d swept her up from her solid foundations into a whirlwind romance. Somehow, she’d exchanged castles in the sky for castles in the sand. But this man she loved was as real as the life they planned to build, and he’d been right there waiting all along. Who would’ve known?

THE END

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