Page 304 of Mountain Grump
“You make me smile.” His tone is serious. And I feel the vibration of it under my palm. “Since meeting you… I’ve never smiled so much in all my life. You make me happy, Matilda. Being near you makes me happy.” He pauses, swallowing. And I have to do the same. “I know I broke your trust, and I’ll spend the rest of my days and the rest of my nights proving to you that it was always you. It’s only ever been you. Because if you’re not in my life… I don’t know that I’ll ever smile again.”
He slides his hand from my wrist to the back of my hand, holding my palm over his heart.
“You’re my joy.” He places his other hand on top of the first. “You’re my Starlight.”
My lips tremble. “What does that mean?”
Ethan’s lips pull into a soft smile. And this time he tells me. “You’re my North Star. My way home. My destination.” Letting his hands slip from mine, Ethan lowers. To one knee. “You’re the light that guides me. And I don’t ever want to lose you.” Hereaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. “Tell me you believe me, Starlight. Tell me you still love me.”
He opens the box, and I stare down at the glittering star.
Ethan pulls the ring free and holds up the gold band.
In the center is an opal that shines purple. And jutting out around it, covered in dozens of tiny diamonds, are the points of the star.
I blink, and tears drip off my lashes.
Ethan sets the box on the floor and holds the ring between us. “Tell me I haven’t broken everything.” His voice is quiet. A plea.
I lift my gaze from the ring and meet his. And I tell him the truth. “You haven’t broken everything.” I hold my left hand out. “I still love you.”
Ethan’s hand trembles as he slides the ring onto my finger.
I don’t look at the diamonds. Don’t look at the sparkling ring he must have designed specially for me. I just look at him.
At the man on his knee before me.
And I use my right hand to grip his chin, making sure he’s watching me.
Making sure he hears.
“I believe you, Husband.”
Chapter 176
Ethan
The last pieceof the stone falls away from my heart as it beats almost painfully in my chest.
I still love you.
I believe you.
“Say it again.” My demand is raw.
Tilda smiles through her tears.
And it’s nothing like the day we met.
Her smile is real.
Her hope. Her happiness. Her love.
It’s all fucking real.
“Husband.”
I reach out and wrap my arms around her, dragging her body into mine.
