Page 69 of The Island in Bramble Bay
It was the easiest question she’d ever had to answer. ‘Charlie, yes, I would love to marry you!’
He pushed the ring onto her finger then stood up and pulled her into a hug, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. ‘Oh my god, Maggie. I love you so much.’
It was so perfect. The late summer evening was warm and the lights twinkled more brightly in the deepening dusk.
They walked towards the woodland that led to the beach. The path through the wood was lit with lanterns and Maggie felt her stomach flip with the anticipation of something else that Charlie had up his sleeve. It was exciting and although it was sudden, it felt so right. Even holding hands with Charlie again was making her tingle as if it were the first time again.
The path opened out onto the beach which had been adorned with yet more lanterns, some strung on ropes between the trees and there was a fire pit which was already roaring and a tub full of ice and bottles of champagne.
‘Did you do all this? she asked, reaching up to kiss him softly, lingering on his lips for not quite long enough. It might never be long enough. ‘This is incredible, it’s gorgeous,’ she said, taking the hand that he held out to her.
‘You’re gorgeous, I wanted it to be perfect.’ He pulled her towards him so that she had to tip her head to still be able to look at him. ‘For you.’
‘Thank you. You’re amazing.’
‘I had a little help. But there’s something else I want to do before the party starts.’
‘What do you mean the party?’
He shrugged. ‘I had to pay everyone back somehow, they kept it a secret from you that I’d been back for a week before that Countrycase show aired and then they still managed to keep it a secret that it had ever happened. So, I’m throwing a party for everyone.’
They made their way back to the house and Charlie swept her up into his arms before they walked through the door. ‘I know we’re not married yet but I’d love it if you’d move over here permanently?’
She nuzzled into his neck. ‘I’d love that.’
He carried her over the threshold with the biggest grin on his face and straight up the stairs where they discovered each other all over again, making up for the weeks of being apart.
And in the time it took for the Bramble Bay Ferry to make the return trip to Bramble Island, everyone was there, from Clare and her team to Jan and the café staff and all the volunteers. They all cheered and clapped as Maggie and Charlie came out of the woods onto the beach.
‘It’s amazing,’ said Maggie, incredulously. ‘I can’t believe we’re going to get married!’ She looked down at the sparkling ring on her hand.
‘And this can be our engagement party.’ He took a bottle of champagne and poured a glass for each of them then sat on a blanket next to the fire, patting the space next to him.
‘Here’s to us.’
‘To us.’
‘So, what do you think about San Francisco for the wedding?’
‘Charlie! Don’t push your luck,’ said Maggie, pushing him backwards so that they were lying next to each other on the sand. ‘Right here is where we belong.’
64
ONE YEAR LATER
They lay amongst the blanket nest they had made on the deck, looking up at the stars.
‘I can’t believe we’re finally here,’ said Maggie, taking Charlie’s left hand and twisting his new ring around his finger.
They had been married that day in the little church on Bramble Island, followed by a reception on their island, Charlie’s island, for all of their friends and family. Their parents had been left the run of the house while Maggie and Charlie escaped to the solitude of Bramble Island.
‘If you hadn’t worked like a crazy person for the last six months, we wouldn’t be here. I mean, we’d be married, obviously,’ he said, ‘because nothing was going to stop that happening, but we might be spending our wedding night in the Sandbanks Hotel instead of in a beautiful Bramble Island Water Lodge.’
‘Honestly. I thought I’d be so sick of the sight of them that I’d have been willing to go anywhere else for our wedding night, but now, it’s the most perfect place.’
‘Well, I was going to suggest San Francisco,’ he said, waiting for the inevitable look from Maggie.
They had been back to America together for the launch of the new High 5 app which was all the closure that Charlie needed and they’d finally managed to put the ghosts of their first trip there to rest by having a wonderful week, alone, at the Lake Tahoe house.
