Page 79 of Royal Agenda

Maisie poked her in the ribs. “You have no idea.”

They laughed together, tears still falling down Grace’s cheeks.

“I thought maybe you were looking for Ryker.” Elizabeth glanced at her nails as if she were bored.

Grace’s stomach plummeted, and she grabbed it, pressing her palm over the swirling inside.

“I mean. You’re totally in love with him, aren’t you?” Elizabeth asked, meeting her gaze.

Grace nodded numbly. She couldn’t deny it if she wanted to.

“Good!” Grace squealed as she stepped to one side. Maisie stepped to the other, opening a path. Grace’s gaze traveled up the red carpet line, past the rest of Grandma’s friends, past Aaron and Cocoa, and Sean, Mack, and Liam to Ryker, who stood under a magnolia-covered archway wearing a tuxedo.

Grace couldn’t breathe at the sight of him. He was too perfect. Too handsome. He strode to her, his hand held out. She rushed forward and grasped it. “What are you doing here? Are we safe? Are you safe?”

He lifted one cheek in a bashful smile. “We are safe.” He cleared his throat. “I am here–and you are here,” he softly brushed her cheek, “because I am on the most important mission of my entire life.” He got down on one knee.

Grace blinked as she realized what he was about to do. She teetered, her legs about to give out.

Maisie stood behind her, one hand on her lower back to help her stay steady. “Hang in there just a little longer,” she whispered. “The best part is yet to come.”

Grace nodded, her heart suddenly beating a thousand beats a minute and flooding her body with strength.

“Grace Margaret Matthews, you are the woman of my dreams. I had to die in order to find you, but you came into my life on these white sandy beaches, and I would be a fool to let you slip away from me because I am afraid.”

“Que lindo. He’s doing an excellent job,” Rosa whispered loudly to Harry.

He nodded. “Wait until she sees the ring.”

Grace met Ryker’s eyes, and they shared silent laughter at the commentary happening around them. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a ring box. When he cracked it open, everyone took a step closer to them to look at it.

Grace, who had been crying most of the day, now fought the desire to burst out laughing.

The ring was a five-piece set made from rose gold, crystal, turquoise, and sea shells. It was the most unique wedding ring design she’d ever seen, and she loved it at first sight. The rose gold was the color of the sunset on the ocean, the crystal reminded her of the glass dome on the library, the turquoise stone was the same color as her eyes, and the sea shell? Well, she’d first kissed him with a moonshell in her hand. He couldn’t have chosen anything more beautiful or perfect for her.

“Will you marry me—”

“Yes!” She nodded.

Everyone cheered and stood back, giving them room to hug and kiss.

“Now?” Ryker said against her lips.

“Now what?”

“Will you marry me now?”

She pulled back and stared into his handsome green eyes. “Now, now?” She glanced over at the flowered arch. Sean stood under it in full dress uniform, holding a Bible open in his hands. The rest of the SEALs, including Aaron, lined up on the groom’s side. They looked so handsome in their uniforms—so serious.

“Uh . . .” Her gaze darted to her family. Her sisters were in matching dresses—different colors, but the same dress, and her mom wore a variation of it in gold.

The sun touched the water on the horizon, and the sky turned a beautiful salmon pink, bathing them all in its glorious, warm light. It was a sign. A sign that this was a moment outside of time. It would exist forever in the past that they would build upon, the present where they expressed their love, and the future that they would build together.

“Yes. I’ll marry you right now.”

At her acceptance, everyone who wasn’t in their place hurried to it. Grandma’s friends—her friends now—and her parents and Grandma filled the white folding chairs on deck. Her sisters stood by her.

It was all so busy, and then everything was still. Even the sea seemed to calm for this moment and the boat stopped rocking.

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