Page 60 of Crossroads of Betrayal
“Which would delight Brooke to no end.” He might have just met the owner of the retreat, but her kindness and generosity had been evident the first time he’d spoken to her. Knowing her party to celebrate the retreat played any kind of part in reuniting Grace with her loved ones would delight her.
“Let’s just hope Brooke’s serving alcohol.”
He chuckled and shoved his hand further into the drawer. His finger brushed against something small and velvety. His heart stopped. He edged the object to the opening and sucked in a deep breath. “Grace?”
“Hmm?” She slurped another bite of cereal.
Grabbing the little velvet box, he spun to face her. “What’s this?”
She let the spoon fall into her bowl, jaw dropping. “My wedding rings.”
“You kept them?”
“Of course.”
If there was ever a more perfect sign from the universe that now was the time to confess all to Grace, this was it. Nervous excitement danced in his gut and moved him across the tile floor to her side. He opened the box and slid out the one carat solitaire diamond with matching band he’d chosen so long ago. “I remember when I bought this.”
She smiled and reached for his free hand.
“I was so nervous. So afraid that I’d pick out the wrong ring. That you’d be disappointed in my choice.”
Her smile faded and eyes widened. “I’d never be disappointed in anything you did.”
Tilting his head back and forth, he scrunched his nose. “Let’s not get carried away,” he teased. “But I did know you would understand I tried my best and put a lot of thought into the ring.”
“You never told me any of this.”
He shrugged, heart pounding. “I wanted a ring that wasn’t flashy. Something that even though maybe a tad bit practical and traditional, could still blind someone with its brilliance. I wanted something to represent who you are.”
“Oh my gosh, Zeke. You’re so thoughtful. That’s so sweet.”
Grinning, he pressed on. “Grace, you’ve always been the most beautiful woman in every room. You have a quiet strength that sets you apart from everyone else. A selflessness that shines from your soul. You’re kind and caring and slipping this ring on your finger was one of the happiest moments of my entire life. I couldn’t believe I’d get to call you mine for eternity.”
She frowned and tossed her long braid over her shoulder. She fiddled with the ends of her hair as if unsure how to react. “I’m sorry I took that away from you.”
“You didn’t take anything away from me. You just wrote an unexpected chapter in our book. A book that’s still being written. And I’d love nothing more than for the next chapter to start with slipping this ring back on your finger where it belongs.”
Grace gasped and pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.
“I love you. I want you to be my wife. I want to stay here with you, in this house, in this place, forever.”
She nodded along with his words. “I want nothing more. I want to make up for lost time. I want to love you until the day I die.”
He positioned the ring on her finger and joy exploded inside him before he engulfed her in a hug and held her close.
“Let’s get married right away,” she said, pressing kisses along his jawline. “I don’t want to live another day not being your wife.”
“Sounds perfect. We’ll make some calls soon, but until then, we better listen to the doctor and get you back to bed.” He scooped her into his arms and headed toward her bedroom, the sound of Grace’s laughter ringing in his ears.
A sound he was excited to hear for the rest of his life.
EPILOGUE
A slight limp slowed Grace’s progress across the parking lot and up the porch steps to the lodge. At least she didn’t need the darn crutches anymore. Not with Zeke by her side, offering any assistance she might need a little over a week after being tackled by a runaway truck then shot.
The afternoon sun beat down on her and chased away the late autumn breeze. White clouds dotted the blue sky, creating the perfect fall day, as if Brooke had a direct phoneline to the big man himself and demanded the best weather for the party she’d painstakingly put together.
Zeke rested his hand on the small of her back and ushered her through the front door. “Wow. Brooke knows how to draw a crowd. This place is packed.”
