Page 101 of Cloud Storm

Shit, Ariel, now you’ve outdone yourself. Of all the answers in the world, the worst had to come from your mouth.

From: Arthur

To: California Girl

Date: December 31, 2019 17:05

Subject: Happy New Year

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.

If you find a Suit, waiting anxiously at the end of the aisle, marry him. You will make him the luckiest man on the planet.

Always yours,

Lancelot x

Chapter 23

Why does the earth not swallow me up and spit me out in the Arctic?

I’ve always questioned the connection between my brain and my tongue, but this time it has made a short circuit.

“You don’t want to marry me?” he asks, while I’m still floating in my awkward stupor.

“I didn’t say that,” I reply, standing up, water dripping from my body.

“But you didn’t say you wanted to either. In fact, the only thing you did say was ‘why?’” he adds bitterly.

“I didn’t mean to be nasty. I just genuinely want to know why you want to marry me.”

“Ariel, if you seriously have any doubts, you have to get rid of them.”

“There are no doubts, Lancelot.”

“Then why aren’t you saying yes?”

“Because I don’t want this to be just an impulsive act, a decision made in the heat of the moment. I want it to mean something since it’s for the rest of our lives. I never thought I’d find someone who’d want to marry me, and I know nothing about relationships. But I do know that I want our marriage to last forever, because I’m a once in a lifetime kind of girl.”

“Ariel, I’m not acting on impulse. I already have the ring in my suitcase, and I’d planned to ask you tonight during dinner, but then I got caught up in the moment because it was so perfect and I just couldn’t wait any longer to ask you.”

“Is everything always so planned with you?” I ask, half surprised, half flattered.

“Sure, teaching you how to swim was just a distraction to keep us occupied until the main event tonight.”

Suddenly it feels as if we’re too far away from each other, and that the water has increased in temperature. And on top of that, I still owe him an answer.

I approach him, aligning my body with his, circling his neck with my arms.

“How naive of me,” I say, pouting.

I say it playfully, of course. If Lancelot Hills has shown me anything, it’s that he’s the perfect man, a gentleman from head to toe. Loyal to the bone.

“So, will you marry me?” he asks again, lifting me by the waist.

“I guess it would be a shame not to, since you already bought the ring.”

He laughs as he begins to press gentle kisses all over my face.

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