Page 60 of Every Rose

He appeared taken back by the question. “Your negatives?”

“Yes. Obviously you’ve given this a lot of thought. You’ve told me all the reasons why you’re here, but what were the ones that kept you away?”

“Not kept me away, exactly. But there is the distance, of course. And your work is here, your life is here.” He put up his hands, not like a fugitive surrendering to a cop, more like a card player showing his hand. “I was worried you wouldn’t fit into my world. It’s a set of rules and obligations one is born into.”

“So, what do you want from me?”

“I realized that my mother and sisters can show you everything you need to know. And you’re clever enough to pick up the rest on your own.” He sipped at his wine—they’d had a different glass slipped in front of them to match each course. “I’m making a terrible mess of this. But, Rose, I’m asking you to marry me.”

She’d been pleasantly doing a Cinderella waltz in her head without even realizing it, now the music came to a crashing halt and she stood there somewhere between the eleventh chime of the clock and the twelfth. In those seconds before the princess turns back into the servant girl dressed in rags.

“You’re asking me to marry you?” She felt breathless, stunned.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never proposed before. I made a dreadful mess of it.”

“No. I’m just surprised.” Like she was having an out-of-body-experience surprised. Like a team of aliens had turned the corner and asked her directions to the White House surprised.

“If I had time, I’d have worked my way up to this, but I’ve got to get back to Seattle. We’re working flat out. And then I’m on a plane back to London. But I do miss you terribly. Will you think about it?”

“Of course.”

After that, they ploughed through about thirty-five more courses of delicious food that she barely tasted.

Now that his proposal had been delivered, Peter seemed to relax. He was funny, charming, sexy and rich. While she hadn’t exactly warmed to his family, and suspected they felt the same, she did care for Peter.

But enough to marry him?

When lunch was over, he glanced at his watch and made a face. “I’ve got to get back. I’ve got a car picking me up in ten minutes to take me back to the airport.”

“You seriously flew down here to take me to lunch?”

“Of course. I only wish I could stay longer. But look, come to London. Make whatever arrangements you need to at work, and come. I miss you.”

She walked out with him, and a shiny black town car sat in front of the restaurant waiting for him. “Can I drop you somewhere?”

She shook her head. “Thank you for coming. Thank you for the flowers, and for lunch.” Thank you for offering me that role of princess I’ve been auditioning for my whole life.

“It was my pleasure,” he said with absolute sincerity. “Call me anytime, day or night.”

Then he pulled her to him and kissed her. It was a daytime kiss, nothing too over the top, but her body remembered the taste of him and the feel of him. They hugged tightly and then he was climbing into the town car and waving to her through the window.

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