Page 27 of Forever Love at Fleur's Flower Shop

‘That’s right. There was a Christmas market, wasn’t there? We drank mulled cider as we walked around the market stalls.’

‘It’s funny you should say that.’ Matty pulled the backpack off his shoulders and placed it on the ground before leaning down and pulling a metal flask from the bag.

‘No way! You’ve not brought mulled cider with you, have you?’ Fleur shook her head in disbelief. After being inseparable since the day at the church, they’d decided to spend their first official date as a new couple in Bourton-on-the-Water, she hadn’t imagined they’d be reliving that day all those years ago, the day he’d proposed to her. Minus the proposal, of course.

‘I have indeed.’ He passed her two short metal cups from the bag before straightening his back again and pouring out the mulled cider.

‘You actually did.’ After taking a sip of her drink, she let her senses flood with the memories of that day. She swallowed and looked across at him. ‘This is delicious.’

Matty grinned and shrugged his bag back over his shoulder before holding his cup aloft. ‘Here’s to new adventures and new memories to make.’

‘To new memories.’ Clinking her cup against his, she took another sip as she looked at him over the rim of her cup.

‘What? Have I dribbled?’ Matty wiped the back of his hand across his chin.

‘No.’ Fleur laughed. ‘No, I was just thinking about how crazy this is. Us two having found each other again and finding out we both still feel the same way towards each other.’

He slowly took a sip from his cup before taking her hand in his and leading the way over the bridge towards the small courtyard of shops. ‘It is, but it feels right. To me.’

‘And me too. Definitely.’ She nodded. She couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. She never had. Looking down, she paused. ‘We’ve wasted so much time we could have had together, haven’t we?’

Turning towards her, Matty frowned. ‘The only thing that matters is that we’re both right where we’re supposed to be now. We can spend the rest of our lives regretting the choices we made in the past, or we can spend the rest of our lives enjoying our time together and making new choices. Together.’

She nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. What’s in the past is in the past and we need to leave it there, so it doesn’t spoil our future.’

‘I’ve got something else planned for us, too.’ Matty hitched back the sleeve of his coat and checked the time on his watch.

‘You have? What is it?’ Fleur took another sip of her drink, savouring the warm spicy flavours.

‘I’ve arranged for us to make our own rings.’ He searched her face. ‘Not wedding rings, or engagement rings. More like promise rings. A reminder to you how much I love you.’

‘Promise rings? Matty, you have?’

‘Yes.’ Looking down, Matty rubbed the back of his neck as his ears tinged with pink. ‘We don’t have to. If you think it’s a rubbish idea, we can make something else. A necklace maybe. Or else we can just leave it and go and grab some lunch or something?’

‘Hey,’ Placing her hand on his forearm, she waited until he was looking at her before continuing. ‘I think it’s a perfect idea. More than perfect, in fact.’

‘You do? I thought perhaps we could give them to each other on Valentine’s Day, to mark the occasion of our first Valentine’s after getting back together?’

‘I do. I really do. I’d love a promise ring, and I’d love to make one for you too.’ Fleur smiled.

Nodding slowly, Matty grinned back. ‘Let’s go to the studio and make some promise rings then.’

Chapter Nineteen

Biting down on the tip of her tongue, Fleur concentrated as she carefully tapped her design onto the ring she was making for Matty. Blinking, she watched as the heated metal moulded beneath the metal tool she was using to make the groves in the silver. After tapping the final groove, she looked across at Matty, who was sitting on the other side of the small studio, his back to her so their designs would be secret until they gave each other the rings. His shoulders were rounded, his attention fixed on the ring on his workbench.

She smiled. They’d officially been back together for six days now. Six days which had flown past as though they were mere seconds. They’d talked for hours, catching up on each other’s’ lives, trying to fill in the blanks of the years they’d lost, and she could honestly say she felt closer to him today than she had before, even back when they’d been planning their wedding day.

Something which she hadn’t thought would ever be possible.

Fleur watched as he glanced behind him, his eyes catching hers.

‘Hey, you’re not trying to cheat and catch a glimpse of my design before tomorrow, are you?’ Matty smiled, his dark eyes warming with affection.

‘Me? No, of course not.’ Fleur laughed. ‘Besides, I’ve finished yours already.’

‘Haha, I hope you’re not.’ Matty chuckled before turning back to the ring he was making.

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