Page 93 of Conflagration
With a sigh, I go to make a cup of tea to watch my last sunset from this cabin. On the counter, the percolator is already plugged in, the water heated, and I smile, knowing that Branson did this. Next to it is an envelope with my name, and as I pick it up, a sense of trepidation washes over me. I’m unsure of what it could say.
I take my mug and the envelope outside, setting them both down on the small table next to the lounge chair. As the sun comes up, I get lost in my thoughts until I can no longer put it off. With trembling hands, I open the letter, bracing myself for what it says.
Ariana,
This feels a little too full circle, right? You’re probably cursing me out right now, and I don’t blame you, but hear me out. Or, well, read me out.
Last night, it was impossible to sleep. I didn’t want to close my eyes only to wake up and have this be a dream. I didn’t want to miss a single second of being with you if, in the end, I couldn’t make this up to you. After hours of lying there, racking my brain, trying to figure this out, I know what I have to do. And I need to do this on my own terms to prove I mean it.
I didn’t save you that day, baby. We saved each other. You’ve changed my life. You’ve changed me. I was terrified that what we had was too good to be true, and looking back, I think I kept looking for something to come through and wreck it all. So when it did, I allowed it to happen full force instead of taking a step back and looking at it from all sides.
Instead of trusting you and looking deep down, knowing that nothing they said could be true, I allowed my past fears and doubts to cloud my mind and my judgment.
Forgive me, Ariana. Forgive me for hurting you. Forgive me for being a stubborn asshole. You’re the best person I’ve ever known, and I will kick myself for years to come for ever allowing myself to question that.
I never believed in love. I never wanted love. Until you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything and more than I ever will.
I’m going to make this right. I was lying in the office, you know? Dad gave me the ring because he already knew what I didn’t. That you were perfect for me—the man, not the CEO. I’d give it all up for you if you’ll only give me another chance.
All my life, I thought I knew what I wanted, but if I looked deep down, I always knew something was missing. That missing piece? It’s you.
Make me whole again, Ariana. Without you, I’m only a shell of the man you make me want to be. The man I am when I’m with you.
And the ring? I don’t care if it’s a Wellington ring. It’s meant to be on your finger, Ariana. I only pray that if you put it back on. This time, I’ll never give you cause to remove it again. I love you. Permanently.
B
The words become cloudy as tears trickle down my cheeks, and I look down to see the ring inside the envelope. Palming it, I don’t put it back on. No, that’s Branson’s job.
In my haste, I almost miss the second sheet of paper inside the envelope. Wiping my eyes, I pull out the other one and see an invitation to Knox Wellington’s retirement party. My heart starts beating fast as I realize what Branson’s going to do, and now, I understand why he left without discussing it with me. Looking at the date, I see that it’s for tonight, and I run inside to pack my things, knowing I have a party to crash and a fiancé to stop.
I’M PACING back and forth in the kitchen, forcing myself not to loosen my tie before Dad’s big announcement. After spending the night with Ariana, I nearly forgot about it. If it hadn’t been for Mom’s text asking for me to come by early, I probably would’ve missed it altogether. Thankful that I had an extra invitation in the car, I wrote out a quick note, trying to explain myself as best as I could, and left the invitation, hoping she’d show up so I can prove that she’s the most important part of my life.
“Honey, why are you pacing? Surely you aren’t nervous?”
I look up to see my mother watching me with curious eyes. Clearing my throat, I shake my head. “I fucked up, Mom.”
She raises an eyebrow then crosses the room until she’s directly across from me, the center island separating us. “I’m assuming you mean with your fiancée? Don’t think I haven’t noticed her absence. You two were inseparable and I’m supposed to believe she left for over a week and a half willingly?”
My fiancée. Swallowing hard, I decide to come clean. “There’s something you need to know, Mom.”
She eyes me but nods for me to continue.
“I love Ariana with my whole heart, and I intend to make her my wife. But…at first, our engagement was fake. No, it wasn’t fake, but it was temporary. Until we decided temporary wasn’t good enough. Then I proposed for real.”
She’s silent as I lay it all out, from Ariana leaving Ben, to the reason why she pretended to be her fiancée, to my falling in love with her and then fucking everything up. I’m worried about disappointing her, but it feels therapeutic to get it all off my chest.
“Oh, Branson,” she murmurs, shaking her head. “First of all, give your parents some credit.”
My forehead wrinkles as I give her a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“Call it mother’s intuition, but I didn’t believe for a second she was your fiancée. Do you really think you could’ve kept her hidden away from all of us?”
“You knew? Then why did you play along? Why did Dad give me the family ring? Why would you let a complete stranger move into my house?”
“At the time, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. There was something between you two, even if you didn’t know it. I saw something in her I’ve only seen in two other women. Charlie and Andi. Your dad and I discussed it, and we decided to let nature take its course. By the second day, we knew we’d made the right decision.”
“So, instead of meddling, you took a step back?”
