24

  Zane

  “French food is amazing,” I announce, gripping onto my stomach because it’s so full now. “I can now fully understand why you live here, Mom. It’s the best.”

  “Yeah?” She leans her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder, grinning at me. “Well, I’m just glad that you’re here. It’s awesome to have you in Paris. And with such a wonderful woman.”

  Nova turns pink, just like she always does when someone pays her a compliment, but especially my mom. She holds her in a very high regard, I suppose because they share certain things that no one else can really understand. Including me.

  “I can see why you live here as well,” Nova agrees. “It’s just lovely.”

  “You should come and stay here some time for an extended period, there are some great cooking programs. You could hone your skills in the best way possible.”

  Nova nods, loving this idea. “Yes, maybe we will.”

  A while ago, the thought of spending time in a different country, leaving my business behind would have been completely unthinkable. I wouldn’t have been able to leave my business for such a long time, but I guess I have left the workaholic side of me behind. I don’t need to make more money, that isn’t vital to my existence, now I can spend time doing other things. Like being happy with Nova and bringing her to Paris if this is what she wants.

  “What do you two have planned for this afternoon?” Mom darts her eyes between us both, pausing to wink at me only when she knows that Nova isn’t looking. “Anything nice.”

  My glare is a warning, this might be a step too far, but Nova doesn’t immediately see it.

  “Zane is taking me to the Eifel Tower, which is going to be amazing. I really cannot wait.”

  “You’ve never been before?” Mom replies.

  “I haven’t ever been out of the country before. Hell, I haven’t ever been out of Las Vegas before, this is all very new to me. I didn’t have parents to take me away, and I didn’t have the money to take myself anywhere because Jeremy wouldn’t let me…”

  “Of course, those men are all the same.” Mom rolls her eyes. “Well, I hope your cooking will take you around the world now. There is just so much to see.”

  Mom words that perfectly. She senses Nova’s pride and wants to do things for herself. She even used her first few paychecks to repay me for the clothing, even the parts I told her was a gift. I didn’t want to take it, but she insisted. Now, she contributes everything that she can, so she has her own power and control. I completely understand her need to do that.

  “There is so much I want to see, so I’m very happy now.”

  “Well, if you aren’t busy tomorrow, maybe you would like to come shopping with me. I know some lovely little shopping districts that aren’t always swamped with tourists.”

  “Oh, thank you, that would be amazing.”

  I can clearly see them having a girly day together and it’s an image that I like very much. I never knew how important it was to have my mom and girlfriend get on, but this confirms it all. Seeing them together really warms my heart.

  “Right.” I glance at my watch and acknowledge the time. “We should probably get going. We have a lot to see and we don’t want to miss the Eifel Tower.”

  My fingers curl around the small box in my pocket and my plan comes to life in my mind once more. I just hope it all goes to plan. As soon as we discussed Paris, I knew that it was the perfect place to do this. It all just fits together, but now as the time grows nearer, nerves dart in and I have to admit that I’m a little bit scared. I really hope that she reacts just as I want her to.

  Don’t talk yourself out of this now, I warn myself. This has to happen.

  Nova takes my hand and I can hear her talking to me the whole way as we walk through the city of love. I must have made noises in the right place because she doesn’t seem to notice that I’m being quiet. Either that or she is so swept up in the country that she doesn’t need me.

  That’s something I’ve noticed about Nova since we’ve been together, she talks a lot more now than she used to. It’s almost like she’s shaking off the shackles of oppression that Jeremy left her with and her tongue is loosening with every passing moment. I like it, it helps me to see deeper into her soul, which is, of course, all that I really want.

  Clara tells me that she used to always be this way, the chatty one, but that Jeremy took that from her. Knowing that I’m helping her to be herself is all I have ever wanted.

  “Oh, just look at the Eifel Tower!” she gushes as it comes into sight, my senses all now heightened instead of dull. “It’s so… romantic, isn’t it? The way that it towers above the city is incredible. When it’s getting dark it looks even better. I cannot wait to get up there and see a view of this incredible place.”

  I nod, unable to properly form my words. I’m anxious now, feeling nervous that this is all going to fail. It shouldn’t, I’ve planned it perfectly and paid for it, but I’m scared.

  “Come on.” Nova pulls on my hand. “It’s time to go already.”

  My heart thunders as we make our way to the building and continue to do so the further we go up the building. I go over and over the words that I’ve planned in my mind, just hoping and praying that they stick. I need them to come out right to make this just perfect.

  “Oh my…” As we step out of the elevator, Nora gasps and claps her hands to her mouth. “What is all of this? Is it normal? It’s just so… beautiful.”

  My lips finally curl up into a smile. The flowers are everywhere, covering this floor that I’ve booked out just for us to have our very own experience here. “No, this isn’t normal.”

  “Then what is it?” She moves over to the edge to peer over at the view. I half feared that she might be afraid of heights, but after everything that Nova has been through in her life, I guess this isn’t scary at all. “Is it some kind of event or something? Because this is perfect timing.”

  I don’t need to answer because at that moment, the brass band makes an appearance and they play a romantic French song that my mom recommended. I can’t remember the name of it right now, but I know that after today I won’t ever be able to forget it.

  “Zane, what is going on? This is all just so… I don’t know, I don’t have any words.”

  Finally, I pull out the ring box that has been weighing heavily in my pocket the moment I first put it in there and I prize it open to show her the princess cut diamond that I spent weeks agonizing over. After the shitty life that she’s had and the bad times that we’ve had, I want everything about this proposal to be perfect, and thankfully so far, it’s all going to plan.

  I drop to one knee and enjoy the delighted moan to fly past her lips.

  “Nova Curtis, you are everything to me,” I begin, already getting choked up. “And I mean, everything. From the very first moment you walked into my office, I knew there was something special about you, although I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at the time.”

  She giggles, her cheeks stained a beautiful shade of pink. “Oh, wow.”

  “And then things turned very quickly. We sped down the tracks at a time that everyone else would have considered wrong but was right for us. We fell into each other’s arms, literally, because the pull between us was too strong. Neither of us could ignore it.”

  “That’s one way to put it!”

  “And ever since then, I’ve continued to fall for you. Every single day. You always surprise me, everything you give me is incredible, and I find myself deeper in love every single day. Now, I want to show the world that, I want us to be together every single day. I want to be the best husband that I can be, making you happy all the time. I want you to be my wife.”

  I give her an expectant look, noting the happy tear streaming down her cheek. “You have to actually ask me, you know. You can’t just tell me what you want!”

  I adore her sass as well. Her sass means that she’s comfortable enough to give me her opinion and after having it stuffed down for such a long time, this is what I need.

  “Okay, sorry about that.” I breathe deep a couple more times to steady myself. “So, will you make me the happiest man alive and agree to be my wife?”

  She makes me wait, I can see the glee in her face as she tortures me. I almost want to laugh but the fear continues to rage within me. I don’t think I’ll be able to relax until I hear the yes.

  “I don’t have the best experience with marriage,” she tells me regretfully, which makes me even more fearful. “But I have a feeling that with you, just like everything else, it will be an adventure. So, of course, I will marry you. I can’t imagine anything better.”

  I leap up and wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly to my chest. The anxiety transforms into a burning happiness.

  “Oh, my God, you had me worried for a moment there,” I confess.

  “Oh, come on! You always knew that I would say yes.”

  “I didn’t actually. There are many reasons you might not have wanted to be my wife.”

  “Well.” She presses her lips to mine, officially kissing me as my fiancée for the very first time. “I desperately want to marry you, so I guess you’re stuck.”

  I slide the ring onto her finger, grinning like a madman. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

  We stand at the edge and look out at the city, enjoying the lights flickering around us, the wonderful aromatic scent of the flowers, the music, and everything is perfect, just as I wanted it to be. This is a moment I want to capture in my mind forever.

  “We might have to go and tell my mom soon, she’s probably dying at home.”

  “Did she know you were going to do this?” Nova asks.

  “Of course, she did. I needed her help to make it perfect.”

  “Wow, well you certainly succeeded there. This couldn’t be better.”

  “The perfect start to our happy ever after.”

  Real life isn’t ever like a fairy tale, not really, nor is it normally like an action movie either. Usually, it’s just normal, but with Nova, never mundane. I honestly enjoy all the little things with her, even the moments when we’re on the couch watching TV, half asleep. With her, everything is an adventure, and I just can’t wait to see what each day will bring. Each one is better than the last which bodes well for the future.

  “I don’t know how you’re going to top this, romance-wise,” Nova warns me. “You’re going to have to go all out for the wedding to even compete. Which will be hard because I don’t want a big show off do, just something lovely for us.”

  “Don’t you worry about that.” I press my lips to the top of her head. “I have some plans. Just you wait and see.”

  Epilogue – Nova

  Six months later…

  “Do I look okay?” I ask Clara while anxiously brushing down my dress. “Is this beach suitable? You don’t think I’m going to look silly?”

  “This is your wedding day! Of course, you don’t look silly. You look beautiful.”

  The knee length lace detailed sweetheart neckline dress is a massive stretch away from the sleek ivory designer gown I wore for my first wedding, but that was all acting. This might be on a fantasy white Hawaiian beach, like a scene from a movie, but it’s much more real.

  “Zane really pulled it out the bag, didn’t he?”

  I smile at my best friend and nod. “Yeah, he did an incredible job. I’m so happy.”

  We both glide our eyes over to the beach, happiness shining through us. I never could have asked for a better wedding, or a better man, this is so damn perfect it hurts. Of all the shit that I’ve had to put up with, this makes it all worth it. Of course, I would much prefer my mom and dad to be here, but this is the first time I’ve ever assumed they might be proud of me.

  “Okay, so I think we should get going,” Clara says with a smile, her eyes scanning my face. “Your groom awaits. Are you ready for it?”

  “Oh yes, I’m more than ready. This is a marriage that I know will work.”

  The funny thing is I don’t ever think of Jeremy anymore. I’m much too busy living my incredible life, but this is the first moment that I do. I wonder how he’s getting on locked away in his damn cell. I wonder if he’s thinking about all the terrible things that he’s done to me and he’s regretful, or maybe he’s planning revenge. Either way, he’s a million miles away from me in so many various ways. I’m honestly not worried.

  Clara takes my arm and we walk down to the beach. There in the scattering of seats, I see Zane’s mother and her boyfriend, Dan, and Kem, who all are the most important people in our lives. And in front of everyone is Zane, standing ahead of the officiant with a giant grin on his face. He looks stunning in his suit which he insisted on wearing despite the heat.

  “You look stunning,” he mouths as I walk towards him to the steel drums playing. At the moment, I actually feel like a princess which is incredible. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Clara gets me to the front and I take Zane’s hands, the electricity zinging through me as I do. Still, even now after all this time, he makes me feel wonderful.

  “Aloha!” the officiant announces. “Thank you all for coming today. We are here to witness the glorious union of Zane Black and Nova Curtis. Today, they are about to embark on a wonderful new journey of their lives, joining their hearts and making them one.”

  I like the way it sounds, it makes my heart race faster. As I smile at Zane, I know that every day our lives will be filled with love and I absolutely cannot wait for it.

  “Not many people know, that Aloha also means love in Hawaii, and today, you are declaring your aloha and promising to be life mates forever. A declaration that you will affirm with these.” He then hands us lei’s and we throw them over each other’s necks. It’s such a funny way to show our love for one another, but I adore it. “These are a symbol of your union, the combining of your hearts and minds, you’re weaving into one another’s tapestry.”

  He looks at us both, his grin matching ours. While he might not be able to see everything that went on underneath the surface to bring us here, I’m sure he can see the love we share.

  “A good marriage is compiled of little things that make up the big things, it’s holding hands as often as you can, it’s never going to bed angry. It’s appreciating the life you have together, never jealously looking for me. So, with that in mind, it’s time for your vows.”

  Zane takes a deep breath and he goes first. “Nova, I am so happy to call you my wife, I cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together. You are my one true love and I cannot wait to spend every day together until we are old and grey. I will always love you faithfully, be there to celebrate the good times and to console you through the bad. I will look after you if you’re sick and enjoy our time together when we’re all good. I think I have already shown you that I’ll be there through anything and I will continue to do so forever. My life is yours.”

  Tears well up in my eyes, I can barely contain myself. I have so much that I need to say now but he’s stripped the wind from me. Those words might be almost the traditional vows but hearing them from his mouth is lovely.

  “I should have gone first,” I joke thickly through the emotion. “I don’t know if I can get through this now.” Zane squeezes my hands, reassuring me that I can do anything. “Okay, Zane, I hope to be the best wife that I can be for you, be there for you through everything as well. Everything that we’ve been through up until this point has been an adventure, and I can’t wait to start on the next part of it. Not just the two of us…”

  I slide my hand away from him and rub my belly, looking at him expectantly. This seemed like the best way to do this at the time, but as he gives me a blank look back I’m not so sure. He doesn’t seem to get it like I thought he would.

  “Zane, I’m pregnant,” I spell it out. “We’re going to have a baby.”

  “We are?” His eyes widen with a happy shock. “Are you serious?”

  “I am. We’re going to be parents.”

  He grabs me and kisses me, way before he’s been told that he can, and I join in gleefully. I’m so happy about the news and I knew that he’d be thrilled too, but to see him this joyful is awesome. I cannot wait for our family to grow even bigger.

  “We’re going to have a baby.” He rubs my belly softly with me. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Okay, well now it’s time for the exchanging of rings,” the officiant announces, trying to regain control of this ceremony. “Who has them?”

  Clara pulls out the boxes of rings and hands them to me and Zane. This time, the ring isn’t a surprise, we picked them out together, but I’m still just as excited as I was at the top of the Eifel Tower. Wow, that was something else!

  “The ring is an unbroken circle of love, it has no beginning and no end, just like your feelings for one another.” He waits as we slide the rings onto each other’s hands. “Use these rings as a reminder of your commitment to one another, to keep the pair of you together.”

  Then Clara hands each of us a box of sand. This is a traditional Hawaiian thing that we wanted to include in our own ceremony. The officiant guides us as we pour both of our boxes into one, mingling the sand together, mixing our love together. It’s sweet and fun, I love it. I hope they let us take the box of sand home, so I can always keep it.

  “Today, you have pledged your aloha to one another, you have exchanged rings and blended the sand. Now it is up to you to take care of each other and your marriage. You have to be the ones with your eye on the ball, making sure that one another is okay. Treat your marriage like it’s something precious between your fingers that you cannot let go of no matter what.”

  I know that I’ll take care of Zane forever and I’m very confident that he will as well. He’s always been there for me, he’s been the only person to make me feel safe.

  “I love you, Zane,” I half whisper. “You have no idea so much.”