Page 24

ONE YEAR LATER

Kane

“What are you doing?” I asked with a laugh as Austin pulled me along one-handed, my eyes tightly closed under the blindfold he’d insisted I wear. My sandalled feet crunched across the stone path that led towards the small strip of private beach beside the beautiful Corsican house we’d spent the past month in. It had been the perfect summer escape and while I was looking forward to going home, I also didn’t want to leave.

As much as I loved our houses in London and York, neither of them had a swimming pool and the glittering azure sea within a hundred meters of my bedroom.

But it seemed like Austin had one more surprise planned. And I was trying not to think too hard about what it might be in case I ruined it. Austin was a romantic at heart and I already knew that whatever he was doing, it was going to be special.

“I’m making sure you don’t fall over and break something,” Austin said, chuckling as he tugged at my hand, steering me along the path. Although I probably could have done it from memory the number of times we’d come down to the beach over the last four weeks.

“I could just take the blindfold off.”

“Yeah, but that would ruin my surprise. I haven’t spent all afternoon sneaking around for you to see it before I’m ready.”

I snorted because Austin was the least sneaky person I’d ever met, but at least he hadn’t attempted to hide that he was up to something. He’d just refused to tell me what it was and sent me away when I’d tried to casually follow him around. “Can I try and guess?”

“No, because knowing you, you’ll guess right straight away and then I’ll be sad.”

“You know, I could have just eavesdropped when you were in the kitchen talking to Genevieve.”

Genevieve was the very lovely housekeeper who came in a couple of times a week to make sure we had everything we needed and tidy round. Since she also lived locally and had all her life, she’d given us the best recommendations for restaurants, bars, and places to go across the island. Austin and I had already decided we’d be coming back because not only was Corsica beautiful, but the pace of life was perfect and the privacy the house had offered us was unmatched.

“You know Genevieve would have known you were there and shooed you away,” Austin said, slowing as we reached the corner at the end of the path which led to six concrete steps down onto the beach. “I’m her favourite.”

“I doubt that,” I said with a grin. “We’re at the steps. Can I take the blindfold off now?”

“Not yet. Trust me. I’ll tell you where to step.”

He guided me to hold on to the metal railing beside the steps with one hand and kept hold of the other, gently helping me down to the beach. As soon as we reached the bottom, I kicked off my sandals, my feet sinking into the warm sand. I could hear the waves lapping on the shore a few feet away, the sound soothing my racing heart.

Now that we were down here, I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen. And while there were a number of possibilities for what could happen next, there was one shining like a beacon in my mind and sending my blood pressure soaring. I was desperately trying not to get my hopes up because that would only lead to heartbreak, but all I could think about was what I’d say.

“Okay,” Austin said softly as his finger gently began to lift the blindfold up. “Now you can look.”

I opened my eyes and gasped in shock. I’d known it would be spectacular because this was Austin and he never did things by halves, but this was perfection.

Not far from where we stood was a fold-out wooden table resting on the sand with two chairs tucked in around it. In the middle of the table was a large bell jar with several large lit candles resting inside it, and around them was the most incredible spread of food set out on wooden boards—charcuterie, breads, pate—and a large casserole dish that I knew contained civet de sanglier, the wild boar casserole we’d fallen in love with. Genevieve must have brought it down when Austin had come to fetch me.

And in front of the table, spelled out in stones across the beach, were the words Will You Marry Me?

“I… I…” I stammered, trying to process everything as Austin lowered himself to one knee in front of me, pulling a dark leather box out of the pocket of his shorts.

“Kanan,” he said as he opened the box, revealing the most beautiful pair of gold rings that glittered in the light of the setting sun. The rings almost looked like they’d been woven. Maybe they had been—I wouldn’t put it past my love to have had them made by hand. “I know it took us ten fucking years to get our act together but I want you to know that loving you is the easiest fucking thing in the world, and I want to keep on doing it forever. Will you marry me, Kanan? And we can keep on doing things our way for the rest of our lives.”

“Yes! Yes, yes, just yes. Yes a million times.” My eyes stung as I fought back tears and I tried to wipe them away as Austin gently slid one ring onto my finger. The metal was warm as it slipped into place. It fit perfectly and Austin smiled.

“Thank fuck for that,” he said. “Want to do mine?”

“Yes.” I nodded as Austin held up the box so I could take his ring. “Did you get them together?”

“Yeah,” he said as he climbed to his feet, sand clinging to his knees. “I found a guy on Instagram who hand makes jewellery in this tiny workshop in his garden, so I made an appointment while you were in New York in May. Drove all the way down to near Oxford.”

“That’s… it’s perfect, you’re perfect.” It didn’t surprise me that Austin had gone to so much effort. He always did when I was involved.

I plucked the ring out of the box and took Austin’s hand, gently pushing it onto his finger. My face ached from smiling but I didn’t want to ever stop because it was all far too wonderful. “There,” I said, holding out my hand and placing my finger just above his so we could see both rings together.

“Next time you do that, we’ll be married,” he said, leaning forward to kiss me. “There’s no rush, though. It’s taken us eleven years to get here. What’s another year or two?”

“True. Although… maybe not that long. I feel like I’ve waited long enough.”

“Don’t worry, kitten. I’m not going anywhere.”

He put his arm around me and kissed me again, and I felt myself relax into him. Wherever I went and whatever I did, being with Austin would always feel like home. He was my shelter and my safe place, but he was also the one that challenged me, teased me, and pushed me to fulfil my dreams. And he loved me in a way that nobody else ever could.

Without him, my life would be empty.

And really fucking boring.

“Do you want to take a picture?” Austin asked quietly as I leant against him. “We can get one of the rings, maybe a selfie? In case you want to send them to people later.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket so we could take some. “I’m almost surprised you didn’t hire someone.”

Austin shrugged. “I thought about it but what if you’d said no? Also I didn’t want anyone else to intrude. I wanted it to be just us. We have enough cameras shoved in our faces as it is.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I like it as just us,” I said, grinning at him slyly as we put our hands back together so I could take a few quick pictures of the rings. “Now nobody will know if I get on my knees and blow you, right here, right now.”

“Fuck, kitten,” Austin said with a growl, pulling me into a fierce kiss. “You say the sweetest things.”

“I know.” I nipped his lip, smiling against his mouth. “But… as much as I want to blow you, I also really want to eat dinner. I’m starving!”

He laughed and the sound made my stomach twist. “Dinner first, then we can fuck.”

“It’s not like we haven’t had plenty of sex the past few weeks.”

“True, but I don’t think I can ever get enough of you,” he said as we walked hand in hand to the table. Austin pulled me in for a kiss and murmured, “You’re too fucking irresistible.”

“So are you.” I kissed him softly before we parted and Austin pulled out my chair so I could sit down. The food smelled incredible and the view was picture perfect. The sun was setting below the horizon, sending a fiery glow across the water, making it look almost like molten gold. The waves lapped along the shore, the tide far enough out that I knew it wouldn’t bother us for a while. Further out there were a few boats heading in for the evening and seabirds drifted lazily along on the air.

It felt like there was nobody except us for miles, and after the hustle and bustle of our lives, the tranquillity was a welcome escape.

The first season of Llewelyn had been a runaway success and we’d already been signed on for at least another two seasons, with filming set to begin at the end of the year. And off the back of it I’d also secured a part in another rom com, which I was going to go straight into pre-production for as soon as we got back from Corsica. Miles had also reached out before I’d left about some big-budget queer Christmas movie for the following year, and I’d already told him I’d be interested if we could make it work with Llewelyn .

I adored Christmas and a queer Christmas romance sounded right up my street.

Austin’s work continued to keep him busy but the flexibility meant he could sometimes come to the US with me and film collaborations while I worked. I’d spent more time with his friends, who apparently adored me, and I’d introduced him to mine. We had mutual friends too, because Henry had fallen for Theo’s friend Alex, who ran the most gorgeous coffee shop in Heather Bay, where we filmed Llewelyn .

Before we’d left for Corsica, they’d been in the process of renovating a house they’d bought together.

They’d moved fast, but Henry had said he’d known from the first moment Alex had rejected him that Alex was the one for him. Something about him being one of the only people who’d ever told Henry “no” and stuck with it.

At least for a few weeks.

Austin and I had thrown around moving out of London too because as much as I loved the house in Chelsea, I wanted to move out of the city and find somewhere quieter.

“So,” Austin said as he sat down beside me and picked up a bottle of cold champagne that he’d had neatly tucked away. “Do we start planning the wedding now or are we celebrating first?”

I laughed as he poured me a glass. “Maybe we should celebrate first. But… when we do get married, I want Luke to make the cake. And I want a small wedding too.”

“Sounds good. Close friends and family only. Any time of year you prefer?”

“Depends when we’re free. And everyone else too.”

“Shit, yeah. We’d have to give everyone time.”

“Or… we could aim for a time we know most people have off,” I said, smiling as I turned an idea over in my head.

Austin grinned. “Like December? Around Christmas.”

I shrugged, loving how easily he’d read my mind. “Most people don’t film around Christmas.”

“Very true,” he said. “Christmas wedding it is then. See, look at us. Organised as fuck. We’re going to slay this wedding shit. It’s gonna be fucking amazing.”

“Of course it will be. It’s our wedding.”

He held out his glass and clinked it against mine. “Now who’s the cocky one?”

I winked and took a sip of my champagne. “I learnt from the best.”

“Yeah, you fucking did.” He leant across and kissed me, champagne on his lips.

It tasted like love.

And it made me think of forever.

The End