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Later, I heard that Taz told his friends, ‘I’m going to marry that girl’.
It was fate.
Destiny.
Written in the stars.
Our love has always been like that.
So why does it feel like I’ve been trapped in the wrong story?
“Taz?” I gasp, unable to move.
Taz doesn’t seem to mind. Smile broad and handsome, he jumps off the gazebo, wraps his arms around me and lifts me off the ground.
“Island.” His voice is much deeper and warmer in my ear than it was over the phone.
I blink and blink, wondering if I’m having a heatstroke. It’s possible that, when I went to pat the horse earlier, it rose on its hind legs, stomped me on the head and gave me a concussion.
At this very moment, I might be sprawled out on the cobblestones with a giant U-shaped brand on my temple.
“Let me look at you,” Taz says, easing back. He sets me on the ground, but he doesn’t release his hold on me. Bright hazel eyes slide over my face. “You’ve gotten even more beautiful. How is that possible?”
“Taz?” I choke out again.
He laughs, big and boomy. “Yes, it’s me. You’re not dreaming.” Taz cups my face and leans close. “I’m here, Island. I’m home.”
“I didn’t expect this,” I mumble.
“That’s the point of a surprise.” He grins and then leans in to kiss me.
That snaps me back to reality.
I step away from him and confusion lines his expression.
He tilts his head to the side, the smile getting fainter. “Are you… not happy to see me?”
“No, I am. I am.” I let out a disbelieving laugh. “I just… can’t believe you’re here.”
“I couldn’t wait another day to see you.”
I wet my dry lips. “So all that…” I gesture to where the horse and buggy were. “That was you?”
“Of course it was me. Who else could it be?”
“Right, who else?” I repeat hoarsely.
My brain can’t catch up with this random turn of events. Clay didn’t send the flowers, the horse, the buggy.
Taz did.
Taz is here.
In the city.
Standing in front of me.
Everything snaps into place. No wonder Mr. P and Mr. J were frowning and eyeing the flowers suspiciously. If Clay had been behind that gesture, his men would have known about it.