Page 143 of Cold Feet
His eyes darkened slightly. "I think you know."
I stepped closer, sliding my hands up his chest. "Would this work?" I asked innocently, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.
"Getting warmer," he murmured.
Later, we sat on his couch eating takeout lasagne which paired remarkably well with lavender cupcakes and prosecco. With my feet in his lap, I found myself admiring the sapphire ring again. The ocean blue stone caught the light from the floor lamp nearby, sending prismatic reflections bouncing across the ceiling.
"I hate to admit it," I said, swirling my hand to make the light dance, "but I'm actually going to be sorry to give this back. I've gotten kind of attached to my fake ring."
Cam's hands stilled on my ankle. "Who says it's fake?"
I froze. "Wait. What?"
He finally looked up at me, his expression completely serious. "It was never fake, Lana. I picked it. Paid for it. The second I saw it, I knew it was yours."
I stared at him, stunned. All this time, I'd assumed it was a prop – something borrowed or rented for the charade. "But, why would you buy a real engagement ring for a fake engagement?"
He set down his fork and took my hands in his. "Because I hoped, somewhere deep down, that it wouldn't always be fake. That maybe this whole ridiculous plan would give me the chance I'd been too scared to take for ten years." His fingers brushed over the sapphire. "The guy from Tiffany said mermaid sapphires represent hope for a long and happy relationship. I sort of thought that was fitting, since that has always been my hope for us too."
I blinked rapidly against sudden tears, the full meaning of his gesture hitting me. "You romantic idiot," I managed, making him laugh.
"Your romantic idiot," he corrected, leaning in to kiss me softly.
He smiled that devastating smile. "So... about that ring..."
My heart skipped. "What about it?"
"I know we started this whole thing backward, but what do you think about making it real? Not right away," he added quickly. "We can take our time. Do it right."
I looked at him, this man I loved. Who made my heart soar and my knees weak, and fit in with my family so well it was like he'd always been there. "I think... I'd like that." I kissed him tenderly, my heart so full it felt like it might burst. "Of course, you'll have to clear it with Nana Decker, she's still angling for a June wedding. After all, Venuswillbe in Cancer. Or something."
"It's Mars. We could make that work," he grinned, leaning over to kiss me softly. "I've been pining after you for ten years, so I'm just trying not to seem too...eager."
I laughed.
"But I am.”
"And I'm still not sure how I'm going to maintain professional distance at work when all I want to do is drag you into my office and – "
"Please continue that thought in explicit detail," he interrupted with a wolfish grin.
I laughed. "You're incorrigible."
"Part of my charm," he agreed, pulling me closer.
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the lights of boats moving across the bay. Tomorrow would bring more questions, more media attention, more decisions about how to navigate our new public relationship alongside our professional responsibilities. But tonight was just for us – no cameras, no reporters, no expectations.
Just Cam and me, finally real. A love story ten years in the making. And it was only just beginning.
The cupcakes, the mermaid sapphire, the bay view, how easy it was to be with Cam – all of it felt like pieces falling into place.
He held me in his arms, and kissed me playfully until it deepened. His lips moved against mine with an unhurried gentleness that made my heart flutter in my chest. The taste of cupcakes still lingered between us, sweet like the moment we were sharing. I felt incredibly happy – complete and belonging in a way I'd never experienced before.
When Cam took my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine as naturally as if they'd always belonged there, I followed him upstairs without hesitation. The wooden stairs creaked softly beneath our feet, but I barely noticed, too captivated by the warmth of his hand and the quiet affection in his eyes when he glanced back at me.
His bedroom was bathed in moonlight, reflected off the water and streaming through the large windows, casting everything in a magical silvery glow. The bay's distant waters shimmered beyond the glass, a perfect backdrop to what felt like the beginning of forever.
Cam drew me close, his hands sliding reverently up my sides. "You're the most beautiful person I've ever known," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't believe you're finally here. With me."
