Page 95 of An Italian Wedding Adventure

Her expression turned serious.

‘I know we can’t be certain of how things would have turned out, but I gave you the wrong answer. The more I’ve thought about it since we’ve been back together…’

She still kept quiet, her hand clutching his.

‘You don’t have to answer now – and we don’t have to do anything soon – but now we’re here at the airport, I don’t want to wait until I get back to ask you.’

Watching him, her eyes soft, all she said in response was, ‘Okay.’

A smile touched his lips. ‘Okay? Allora… do people still do the knee thing?’

‘I’d rather you didn’t,’ she whispered. ‘Not in a crowded airport.’

His smile stretched. Taking her other hand as well, he said, ‘Sophie-Leigh Kirke, will you marry me?’

She tugged one of her hands back to clap over her mouth and then, to his utter surprise, she broke into giggles.

He frowned. ‘I didn’t think that would be funny.’

Throwing her arms around his neck, she grinned up at him. ‘It was wonderful. I just… after all your resistance, you actually said it. It’s kind of funny.’

‘It’s all your fault,’ he said with a pout.

‘I know,’ she agreed too magnanimously.

‘Like I said, you don’t?—’

‘Yes, Andreas,’ she cut him off. ‘Yes. I’ll even consider taking your name, even though it would make mine twenty-four letters long.’

He peered at her doubtfully. ‘Twenty-four? That’s very specific.’

The flush of colour on her cheeks was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.

A slow grin formed on his face. ‘You’ve counted that before.’ Giddiness rose inside him. ‘The idea of being Mrs Sophie-Leigh Hinterdorfer really appealed to you, did it?’

She started at the sound of his surname added to her first. It rolled a little too easily off his tongue. ‘I thought about it a little.’

‘You don’t have to take my name.’

‘I know.’

‘We’ll talk about it when I get back, hmm?’

She nodded, her hand closing in his shirt. ‘I’ll definitely be counting down. I love you. Look after yourself.’

‘Always,’ he promised, pressing his hand over hers.

With one final kiss, he bent to retrieve his carry-on rucksack and joined the other two, the restlessness in him finally subsiding. He was ready to go.

* * *

Seven weeks later, Sophie was back in Europe, back at a different airport, wondering how many flights arrived from Kathmandu per day and how many airports she was going to pick him up from in her lifetime. It was Schiphol airport in Amsterdam today.

The ring on her finger was a fixture now, although it had been strange getting used to wearing it without Andreas there to receive the copious congratulations along with her. Rory had noticed the ring, but she’d just lifted her chin and not offered an explanation. Reshma, Ginny and Tita had seen it as soon as she came into work after sending him off and instantly guessed what it meant, wrapping her in an enormous I Do group hug and taking turns to say, ‘I knew it!’

She’d put off any concrete discussions of dates or planning. Andreas might have decided to set things right by asking the question that had splintered their relationship years ago, but she wouldn’t rush him into marriage, knowing he had years of reservations that might not be overcome in a few short months. She was very content to be engaged.

The merger had progressed, seeing Sophie travelling several times to Weymouth for initial consultations with clients there. Kira had stared at the ring for a long moment, before barking a laugh and then drawing Sophie in for a hug that was more fierce than affectionate, but Sophie had treasured it anyway. Toni had burst into tears and run for her phone to text Andreas her congratulations, for whenever he next had reception.

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