by Shayne Ford
“I have no idea,” I say, my eyes trained on the terrace wrapped around the top of the tower.
“You already know the answer.”
“Yes. I do?” I ask distracted. “What if he’s not here?”
“You know that he’s here.”
“I don’t see him.”
“You can’t see him from here,” she says.
In all fairness, she’s right.
All the silhouettes look dark against the sunset.
“He’s there. He must be there,” I murmur to myself.
“Perhaps that’s what it is,” she says looking at me. “You’re nervous because everybody is when it comes to this kind of things.”
I shift my eyes to her.
“Really?”
“Yup. I don’t think there’s one person who doesn’t feel that way.”
A nervous chuckle leaves my lips.
“I hope he doesn’t.”
“You worry for nothing. I’m sure he’s already out there waiting for you.”
“You think?”
I start to sound like a parrot, and I am not surprised. My lips tremble continuously speaking without much thought.
A small boat approaches the shore.
“Here it is,” she says, pointing to the ferry. “Go, now. I’ll be waiting for you. Here... Take my scarf.”
She tucks a red scarf in my pocket.
“Why?”
“Wave at me or something, just so I know that everything is okay,” she says, emotion flickering in her eyes as well.
I nod, biting my lip to stop myself from trembling before I pull away from her and jump on the ferry.
I feel as if the world starts crumbling and rebirthing at the same time as I feel the swaying of the boat beneath my feet while waiting for the other people to get in.
I don’t have much time to think about it as my eyes keep flying to the tower.
The evening slowly slides over the water, dressing it with dark shadows in contrast with the lit building, the city skyline in the distance, the handrail of the terrace and the people clustered at the top to watch the sunset.
I’ve never seen a more beautiful sunset. Deep hues of red, orange and yellow blend in a magnificent backdrop of light.
Birds fly above the water and then up against the sky, their delicate dark outlines visible for a moment against the fiery sky.
Within minutes, we reach the islet.
For a few moments, I get busy, climbing out and walking on the ground. I look up, hoping to get a glimpse of his silhouette.
I still can’t see him.
My heart somersaults in my chest.
I pay the entrance fee and walk the stairs to the upper level. My heart crawls up my chest as I walk onto the terrace at the top of the tower.
A beautiful, wrought iron balustrade wraps around it, people watching the sea and the shores that split the city.
The view takes my breath away for a moment although it’s not the first time I soak it in.
Slowly, I walk around, studying every silhouette, my eyes on every man I see standing there by himself.
As I almost close the circle I start to grapple with doubt.
Perhaps it’s too early.
Maybe something delayed him or made him change his mind.
I check my phone. There are no messages.
A few more steps take me to the vantage point from where it all looks as if a magic veil of colors flows over the city.
The colors deepen, red and copper and golden, as the ground and the water become darker and darker.
I glue my back to the wall of the tower and slowly move my gaze from one silhouette to the other until my heart stops.
I move my eyes back.
Leaning against the balustrade, elbows resting on the handrail, a man looks at the sky, his back turned to me.
He wears a trench like me, but darker over his suit, the collar lifted, a few strands of chocolate brown hair brushing his cheek.
He looks down for a moment and to the side, without noticing me, his familiar profile making my heart skip beats.
My knees turn to butter, and yet I take a few steps toward him.
His eyes move back to the water, and for a moment I stand there and stare at him, remotely registering the dark birds flying across the blazing sky and the open space surrounding us, the water spreading down below as we sit between two continents.
Emotions pour through me as I observe the man who holds my future in his hands.
Smiling, I fish out the phone from my pocket and take a picture of him and the sunset before I walk to him all the way.
I stop and touch his shoulder, watching him turn slowly to me.
His eyes fill with a smile.
“Hey...” he says, drinking me in.
“Hey,” I mutter, unable to keep my face straight.
“You’ve made,” he says, his voice soft and woven with love.
“So did you,” I say, smiling, drinking him in with misty eyes.
His grin widens as he erases the space between us, and brings his hand to my face before he pulls me into his embrace.
My arms curl around him as he holds me against his chest and strokes my hair.
“How do you like it?” he asks as I turn my eyes to the water.
I look at him.
The light pouring from the sky rolls over his face, lighting up his eyes.
“I can’t imagine a better place,” I say, my gaze locked with his.
Smiling, he lowers his mouth and gives me a soft kiss, his arms still around me.
“About the answer...” I start, my eyes not leaving his.
“Yes?”
“There’s one condition,” I say, fascinated by his smile.
“I’m listening.”
“If I say yes, I never want to be away from you.”
His eyes light up, his smile exploding on his face.
“You’ll never be away from me.”
“And there’s another condition,” I say.
“Okay.”
“One day, I want the three of us to come here, and remember this evening,” I say, my smile sliding off my lips.
His grin falters as well, his eyes glinting with emotion.
Without saying a word, he takes my face in his hands and locks my lips, his kiss making this moment perfect.
For a few long moments, all I feel is the love that he pours into me, and the warmth of his heart that is now all mine, everything else, the people’s voices and the birds flapping their wings above the water getting lost into the magnificent sunset.
THE END
Florida
January 1sth, 2019
Also by Shayne Ford
LOVE IS WAR SERIES
A Dark Mystery Romance
FALLEN (Love is War Series #1)
BROKEN (Love is War Series #2)
TAKEN (Love is War Series #3)
OWNED (Love is War Series #4)
NIGHT OF THE KINGS SERIES
A Billionaire Romance
JAMES (Night of the Kings Series #1)
DARK JAMES (Night of the Kings Series #2)
TAMING JAMES (Night of the Kings Series #3)
ALEXANDER (Night of the Kings Series #4)
HARD LEX (Night of the Kings Series #5)
LOVING LEX (Night of the Kings Series #6)
EDWARD (Night of the Kings #7)
WILD ED (Night of the Kings #8)
TAMING ED (Night of the Kings #9)
FIGHTING ED (Night of the Kings#10)
LOVING ED (Night of the Kings #11)
DARK HEART SERIES
A Dark Romance
JADEN (Dark Heart Series #1)
WILD JADEN (Dark Heart Series #2)
JADEN’S HEART (Dark Heart Series #3)
SHADES OF LOVE
A Billionaire Dark Romance
DARK MCKENNA (Shades of Love #1)
REAL MCKENNA (Shades of Love #2)
MCKENNA (Shades of Love #3)
G
OLDEN HEIR SERIES
A Billionaire Romance
SHADE (Golden Heir Series #1)
LOVING SHADE (Golden Heir Series #2)
FOREVER SHADE (Golden Heir Series #3)
WILD HEART SERIES, A Menage (MMF) Romance
JAGGER (Wild Heart Series #1)
LOVING JAGGER (Wild Heart Series #2)
LOVING BRAXTON (Wild Heart Series #3)
WILD NIGHTS (Wild Heart Series #4)
FINDING HOME (Wild Heart Series #5)
STEEL SERIES (A Rock Star Romance)
A Rock Star Romance
Layla’s Story
River Steel (Steel Series #1)
Loving River (Steel Series #2)
River’s Story (Companion Books to Layla’s Books)
River (Steel Series #3)
River’s Heart (Steel Series #4)
About the Author
Shayne Ford writes epic novels. Her stories feature hot-blooded men and adventurous, soulful women. She likes to write Series that are epic, layered, character-driven, have a dash of mystery and a lot of depth. She writes what she likes to read, and people who share her taste, devour her books. Her stories are not the typical romance, nor are they formulaic or fit a mold.
She likes her lead men hot, smart, and honest.
She's a fan of muscle cars, dogs, chocolate, flowers and quiet, starry nights filled with love.
Contact: [email protected]
Website: www.shayneford.com
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www.shayneford.com
[email protected]
