Page 75 of Without Pride and Prejudice

“Are you saying you want to move here?”

She tilted her head from side to side playfully. “You know how much I love the UK. And, I mean, how can we be lovers if there is an ocean dividing us?”

“That is an excellent point.” I nuzzled her nose with my own.

“Fitz,” she whispered seriously. “You mean for us to be a forever kind of thing, right? I’m not asking for a proposal right now, but if I move here, I want to know that it’s not for play—as much as I love playing with you.” She squinted her eyes and scrunched her cute button nose. “That came out wrong,” she laughed. “But you know what I mean. We’ve crossed a line we can’t turn back from, and I can’t stand the thought of us not being together.”

“Nor can I,” I interjected. “This is a forever thing.” I would propose to her now, but I wanted a more romantic setting—andI’d been hoping to use my grandmother’s ring, which I would need to ask my mother for. It was not a conversation I looked forward to.

“Wow. We really defined our relationship fast.” She smiled the smile I adored so much.

“I was thinking it took far too long, but I bear the blame for that.”

“Maybe we needed to make our mistakes in love so that we could get it right together.” She always looked on the bright side, and I loved her for it.

“Perhaps.” I brushed my lips over hers. “Or I was just a knobhead.”

“I do like that word.” She giggled before asking seriously, “What if I’m a terrible duchess?”

I brushed back her silky hair. “I think that you should make the title your own. Don’t let it define you—you define it.”

She threw her arms around my neck. “That might be the sexiest thing you’ve said to me yet.”

“I have sexier things to say,” I assured her.

“I’m all ears.” Her lips met mine. Unfortunately, there was an interruption in the form of a knock on the door.

Monroe’s lips slid off mine. “These dang nurses keep doing their jobs too well,” she said lightheartedly. She straightened up before saying, “Come in.”

I stayed on the bed with her. The nurses and doctors were used to it by now, and if they needed me to move, I would.

But it wasn’t a nurse who walked in; it was Winnifred, dressed as Miss Bingley in a velvet gown. She looked alarmed to see Monroe and me in bed together with a movie playing in the background. “I’m obviously interrupting.” She froze by the door.

Monroe’s wide eyes said she was just as stunned to see Winnifred as I was. “It’s okay—we can make out anytime.”Monroe smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing. I couldn’t fault her—Winnifred had been nothing short of awful to her.

Winnifred held her head high, but she wrung her hands and refused to make eye contact. “Yes, I see you are clearly a couple.”

“Why are you here, Winnifred?” I asked coolly while pausing the movie. Her deplorable behavior after Monroe’s accident was something I could never forget.

“I came to apologize,” she mumbled, as if she couldn’t believe it herself. “I saw your interview during our leisure time last night, and it made me feel ashamed of my behavior.”

Monroe’s jaw dropped.

Even I was stunned by Winnifred’s admission. “I appreciate your candor.”

She let out a meaningful sigh. “I suppose candor is all we have left. I should have been more honest with myself. It was obvious you did not regard me as I’d wished for.”

Her admission eased my conscience. I would hate to think I’d strung her along or given her false hope. “I hope you find happiness,” I said sincerely.

She half shrugged. “I’m sure I will. I wish you the best of luck—you’re going to need it when you face your mother.” Her lips ticked up. “Ta-ta. I have to get back to the park.” She turned to leave, having said her piece.

“Wait,” Monroe called. “Who is playing Elizabeth and Darcy?”

“Your friend Macey, and the man she brought,” Winnifred replied, sounding displeased.

“Oh, that makes me so happy.” Monroe patted her heart. “Maybe my falling off the horse wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Maybe it even helped,” she said more to herself.

Winnifred rolled her eyes before walking out the door.

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