Page 84 of The Great British Bachelor Chase

At the estate, I hop off, and follow a winding manicured path past our trailers and equipment vans. The rose gardens are around the back of the estate, far away from the rest of the chaos, and the noise of the production quiets to a murmur as I push the gate open and look around.

The secluded grove is empty, filled with luscious blooms and dappled sunlight.

“Reeve?” I look around, confused. He said to meet here, right?

“No. Sorry. It’s just me.”

The familiar Scottish voice makes my heart leap. I stop in my tracks as Fraser steps into view: Cleanly-shaven and deliciously formal in a frock coat and trousers that look suspiciously like…

“Are you in costume?” I blink, stunned. “AsDarcy?”

Fraser gives a bashful grin. “I was told that a grand romantic gesture was required at times like these.”

“Times like what, exactly?” I ask, trying to keep myself from hurling headlong into his arms. He looks good in that costume. Too damn good. It almost makes me forget how mad I am; and how much I’ve been hurting, waiting for his call.

Costumes and roses are one thing, I remind myself, but being swept up in romance is what got us here in the first place, standing ten feet apart with a world of confusion and hurt between us.

“Times when I’ve been a complete idiot, and a coward, and caused you even a moment of pain.” Fraser steps forward, open and sincere. “I am so, so sorry, Jolene. You were right, completely, and I was too much of a stubborn bastard to listen to you.”

My defenses start to melt. As groveling goes, it’s pretty good.

“You have every right not to trust me, with my track record,” he continues. “I hurt you, badly, and I know I can’t take it back, but I’ll do anything—everything—to make it up to you.”

My heart swells. “I haven’t exactly been a peach, either,” I admit.

Fraser gives me a wry smile. “No more than I deserve.”

“I shouldn’t have blown up at you about the movie stuff,” I say, swallowing hard. “It’s just that everything got dredged up, and I realized how little I know you now, how much time has passed, since we…”

“… Since we did this the first time around.” Fraser nods. “But you do know me, Jolene. Better than anyone. You called me on all my horseshit, about what the hell I’m doing with my life, and all the choices I’ve been making. That’s why I came here, as soon as I stopped being an idiot,” he adds, flashing me that heart-stopping smile, the one that’s haunted every dream—and fantasy. “I just want to talk and figure this out.”

“I want that too,” I say, my hopes soaring. Every instinct in my body screams at me to move closer, so I do, catching one of his hands and holding it tightly. “Fraser—”

“I’ve been an idiot, and a coward,” he talks over me. “Trying to live in a safe little box, not wanting to take a leap and risk getting hurt again. But I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to take that risk—with you—”

“Yes!” I interrupt him, hurrying to get my own words out. “I’ve been thinking, too, about the future, and how we can make this work—”

“You need to know that I mean it, that I’m not going anywhere,” Fraser says, urgent. “Because I do, and I’m going to prove it to you by—”

“Taking it slow,” I finish for him, at the same time as he drops to one knee and pulls out a ring:

“—Asking you to marry me.”

We both freeze.

“What?!”I stare at him in disbelief. Fraser looks up at me, his face changing.

“Take it slow?” he echoes.

“Yes!” I blurt, my heart pounding. “Are you… Are you really proposing to me right now?”

“Nope.” Fraser snaps the ring box shut and rises to his feet again. “Absolutely not.”

“You were!” I gape.

“Forget it ever happened,” he says, with an irresistible grin. “You want slow? We’re taking it slow. Three dates until I even hold your hand. You’ll be begging me to kiss you before the month is out.”

I catch my breath, reeling. He can deny it all he wants, but the sight of him on one knee is burned into my memory now, making my heart sing.

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