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Her head turned, and she smiled, relief stamped on her face. “I know I gave you short notice. I wasn’t sure if you’d make it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to England?” He glanced at his surroundings. “Why here?”
The gold flecks in her brown eyes dimmed. “It’s still a magical place, isn’t it, even as the colors fade into winter.”
He stepped closer, holding his larger black umbrella above her smaller floral one. “I’ve missed you.”
The smile she gifted him loosened the bands around his chest. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did.”
Her hand crept up to the delicate gold hoop in her ear. “I, uh, did some things while you were gone.”
“Things?” The back of his neck tightened.
“I’ve applied to the Royal College of Art.”
His brows furrowed. “How is that possible?”
Nathalie shrugged, her eyes bright with an inner happiness he’d hadn’t seen for eight years. “I decided it was time to follow my own dreams. I turned over the company to Don and agreed to stay on as a consultant.”
“Wow. Bravo, Nathalie.” Ryder’s chest swelled with pride. “I always told you that you were an amazing artist.”
“Yes, you did. You encouraged me to follow my passion.” Her smile was a ray of sun cutting through the gloomy weather before it dimmed. “So much would be different now if I’d followed it earlier.”
He traced the line of her jaw, needing to ground himself in the reality that was Nathalie. “We are who we are today because of the decisions we made in the past. You fulfilled your father’s dream, and I became someone I could be proud of, even if it wasn’t the path that was expected of me.”
Her fingers wrapped around the damp sleeve of his trench coat. “I love the man you’ve become, Ryder.”
“I love the woman you’ve become.”
Nathalie had blossomed into a self-confident, powerful woman without losing the caring heart and fierce intelligence that had attracted him to her. Society had tried to put her into a box, and she’d defiantly refused to stay there.
Now she’d stepped outside the box again. What did that mean for them?
“Where do we go from here?” he asked.
The rain had let up. Nathalie closed her umbrella. He did the same.
She swung her arms in an arc, spinning in a half circle before facing him again. “This was our special place, and I ruined it. I can’t undo what I did, but I’m asking for a re-do.” She sucked in a deep breath and lifted her chin. “I love you, Ryder Montague. Will you marry me?”
The band of anxiety constricting Ryder’s chest fell away. Digging into his trouser pocket, he pulled out a small object cradled in his palm. “I’ve kept this for eight years. Tried to convince myself to sell it and move on.” He held up the moonstone ring set in yellow gold with diamond baguettes. “I never could.”
Nathalie gasped.
“This was the ring I’d planned to give you.” He shrugged, suddenly self-conscious. “It’s not much, but I purchased it myself. I can buy you something better now if you’d prefer.”
“It’s beautiful.” Her voice trembled. “And it’s perfect. The colors remind me of us.”
Ryder nodded, his heart swelling. She’d understood.
“I’ve never loved any woman but you. The ring is yours. My heart is yours.” He caressed her cheek, smoothed the stray wisps of hair behind her ears. “I guess I had no intention of letting you go.”
She grinned. “Does that mean you’ll marry me?”
“Yes, Nathalie, I’ll marry you.” Ryder slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.
Then he yanked her into his arms and seized her lips. She opened to him. He swept in, reclaiming the love he’d never been able to let go of. He kissed her until a discreet cough had him lifting his head.