by Aven Ellis
A flash of recognition dawns in his eyes. “No, that’s what I was trying to tell you. It was an article about you, and it pissed me right off. I promise you, I can deal with people on social media or in the press thinking poorly of me. I know who I am. Will I be upset or angry like I was at the palace? Sometimes. I’m human. I can’t help but want the people closest to you to want me to be a part of your life. But I will always take it as long as I know you love me.”
“I do love you. I’m impossibly mad about you, Roman. You rode into my heart at Kensington Palace last July, and you have been there ever since.”
“I will always want to be with you, Lizzie. I love you. What we have, I want forever.”
“I love you, Roman,” I say, my heart pounding, “and I want forever with you, too.”
“You know what this means. You’ll be wearing that tiara at last while I wait for you at the end of the aisle in the future,” he whispers.
Zing! My heart is giddy at the thought of Roman proposing to me, marrying me.
“That idea,” I say, “makes me the happiest woman in the world.”
A smile lights up his face. “Is it improper to kiss you at church?”
I answer by drawing his mouth towards mine, stealing the best kiss I’ve ever known from the man I’m going to marry someday.
The kiss is gentle and sweet and most of all, full of love.
I end the kiss. “Come on, let’s go break some more rules by going to church.”
Roman throws his head back and laughs. “Yes, going to church. Only in your family can that be considered scandalous.”
“Oh, I’ll hear about it later, but the public that backs the younger generation will love it.”
Suddenly, Xander flashes in my head.
“Wait. How did Xander know you would be here?”
Roman’s mouth begins to curve up in that smile, and my heart is truly at home again.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Roman! Hurry, church starts in a few minutes, and I need to know.”
“I called Grandfather from my hotel room. I asked him to have Jillian get Xander’s number from Helene. I knew I could trust him to keep a secret. I love Clementine, but she would have told you. I had to keep it a secret because if I had gone to you straight away, you never would have allowed me to stand behind that rope. And that was important for me to do, so I could show you I understand the rules and will live by them if that means I get to love you.”
My heart swells with love and admiration for Roman’s conviction in what he needed to do. It was symbolic and right, even if it took longer to do so.
“I love you,” I say again.
Roman lifts my hand in his. Much like that first date, he brings my gloved hand to his lips and presses a kiss across my knuckles.
“And I love you. Most ardently.”
He bends down and hands me my bouquet of poinsettias. I make a note that while most royal brides carry forget-me-nots, I will break another rule and carry poinsettias.
Roman offers me his arm. “Ready to go cause some trouble in the name of modern love?”
I grin as happiness soars in my heart. “Most ardently.”
And with those words, I walk with the man I love, ready to celebrate the first of all future Christmases as we should.
Together.
For the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
February
Balmoral Castle, Scotland
“This was the most perfect day,” I say, cuddling up against Roman in front of a roaring fire.
Nightfall has come in the Scottish Highlands, on the first full day of our weekend getaway. On Friday night, we caught a flight from London to Aberdeen, drove the fifty-three miles to Balmoral, to spend the weekend at one of the cottages on the majestic property. The castle, set against the backdrop of some of the most gorgeous views of nature I have seen anywhere in the world, was purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852.
And it seemed like the most natural choice for my first weekend away with Roman.
We spent all day in the gardens, which we loved despite the cold weather. The grounds don’t open to the public until April, so it was like having a spectacular private castle all to ourselves.
We took our time, hand in hand, exploring, with me telling Roman the history of the castle and the gardens. The grounds also include greenhouses and a beautiful conservatory filled with potted flowers, which he especially loved.
Now, we’ve settled into the cottage for the night. Roman made a rustic beef stew for dinner, and we are cuddled up under a blanket in front of the fire, sipping wine.
“Do you realise,” he says slowly, brushing his lips against my temple, “that we have been together two months now?”
“I do,” I say with a smile, turning my face towards his. “And I’ve never been so happy as I have been with you.”
Roman drops a sweet kiss on my lips, and then we’re both quiet as we watch the flames dance in the fireplace.
The past two months have done nothing but solidify our relationship. After Roman attended church with me on Christmas Day, Antonia went ballistic at Sandringham. But this time, I was not the only one to stand up for myself, Christian and Xander were right by my side, too. Xander said we were a team, and in that moment, I realised it was no sign of weakness to have the support of my cousins. It was a sign of strength to accept their support. Antonia continued her leaks to the press for the entire month of January, but I held my head high and did my work. And proudly held the hand of the man I love whenever we were out and about. This trial strengthened us. It made both of us realise how we could have lost our relationship out of fear and leaping to conclusions instead of talking things through.
To be honest, it was probably the best thing to happen to us. We know how to face adversity together while understanding how we tackle things as individuals.
Roman did tell me what India said to him when I asked a second time; he confessed that she referred to him as rubbish that would tarnish the reputation of my family. Did he want to be in history books as the first gardener to marry up into the monarchy? Did he even have any idea of what to talk about to the other people at the table besides dirt? She told him he stood out in the worst way and would do nothing but derail the work I was doing on behalf of the crown. Then she refused to speak to him for the rest of the dinner.
When I found out about this, I was livid. I was ready to confront India that very moment, but Roman said she wasn’t worth it. We were together, that was never going to change, and her thoughts were irrelevant. I did tell Roman I would confront her after Christmas, and I did. The first day I was back in London, I paid her a visit. And told her that if she ever spoke a negative word about Roman again, I would make my thoughts known to all members of my family about her petty, vindictive, elitist ways, which might be becoming to Antonia but not to Arthur, who happens to like Roman.
The fury which laced my voice scared her, and when I got to the part about Arthur, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. India was just what I thought she was: Someone who spread gossip and hate, but as soon as someone stood up to her, she freaked out and backed off.
I think of what else has happened since Christmas Day. Mum and Dad are still living separate lives under the roof of St. James’s Palace, and my pleas for therapy have fallen on deaf ears. I don’t see how they can go on indefinitely like this, but as Roman said, that will be their problem to sort out.
Clementine and Christian have completed another engagement, this time in Northern Ireland. Another smashing success for the family business, and the change in Christian is remarkable. He’s actively engaged in the walkabouts, shaking hands and dropping down to eye level to greet children. Clementine has brought out the best in him, and that makes me happy.
Xander left the army and has begun to undertake more royal duties. He is now living full-time in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, and it’s a welcome sight to have him pop over to han
g out with me and Roman.
Luckily, he hasn’t been out clubbing or hitting on girls, but I detect there’s something missing in his life now that the army is gone. However, I have full faith Xander will figure it out and eventually blossom in his role as the Prince of Wales. In fact, I have a meeting with him, Christian, and Clementine to determine the group goals for our foundation next week, and I can’t wait for him to take a more hands-on role in it.
“Lizzie?” Roman asks.
I turn and gaze up at him, watching the flames from the fireplace illuminate his gorgeous face. “Yes?”
“Do you think we could go back to the conservatory tomorrow? I’d love to take another look at it. I don’t think I studied it properly the first time.”
I smile and slide my hand up his face, loving how his gardener’s heart needs more time there. “I think that can be arranged. For a fee.”
His mouth curves up. I swear I’m going to kiss the smile out of him.
“I think I have the currency for that,” he says, dropping his mouth on mine.
And as we melt into each other, I have no doubt the admission will be paid in full right here in front of this fireplace.
I hold Roman’s hand as we walk through the morning mist. The conservatory is ahead of us, the beautiful white and glass building filled with all kinds of flowers. As we step inside, vibrant geraniums in all shades of colour surround us.
Roman takes a few steps ahead, his hands shoved inside the pockets of his coat, then he stops and gazes out of the glass windows onto the grounds.
“I’m embarrassed to admit, I’d never been inside this building despite all of the summers I spent here,” I say, taking in all of the blooms around me. “It took you to show me how special this place is.”
Roman turns around. “Do you remember when I told you I loved you for the first time?”
I smile at him. “Of course I do.”
“I remember that I had to tell you how I felt. And I didn’t care that to most people, it wouldn’t seem long enough to know if it was love or infatuation. But I knew. Now there is something else I know.”
Roman steps towards me, taking one of my hands in his. “I told you on Christmas Day that I’d be waiting for you at the end of an aisle one day.”
My heart begins thundering in my ears.
“I’m not one to wait on my emotions. If I feel it, I feel it. More than that, with you, I know it. I love you, Lizzie. I only thought I knew what love was before, but I was wrong. The love I have for you is the greatest thing I have ever known. I’ve opened my heart to you, and I have been rewarded for it every minute I’ve spent with you. I want those minutes to be infinite. I want to marry you and call you my wife. I want to be with you on this journey, and I don’t care if that means attending a fancy event or watching you colour with your pencils at night when you think I’m reading. I want us, forever.”
Now I’m shaking as Roman retrieves a velvet box from his pocket and drops down on one knee in front of me, surrounded by all these beautiful flowers in bloom on this misty February morning.
“I spoke to your father last week. I told him I intended to marry you, but if he wanted me to wait, I would do so before I asked. Your father said the look in your eyes and the way you are with me was all he needed to know about how you felt.”
I swallow past the lump that has swelled in my throat. He went to my father. I can’t even imagine how intimidating that was, yet he did it because he loved me.
“This ring,” Roman says, his voice thick, “belonged to my Grandmother.”
He reveals a ruby and diamond ring to me, and I’m shaking all over.
It’s his grandmother’s ring.
“Grandfather picked a ruby because it matched her fiery spirit,” Roman says softly. “And he said you have that same fire that she did. That you should have this ring now. I can think of no greater honour than for you to wear it. I began to fall in love with you in a greenhouse, Lizzie. Now I am here in front of you in a conservatory because it reminds me of the day that changed everything in my life. For the better.”
Tears fill my eyes as I stare at the ring. Never have I seen anything more beautiful than Roman kneeling before me, offering me a forever I never knew I wanted until I fell in love with him. With a ring that was chosen because of the woman who used to wear it, and the woman he wants to wear it now.
“Roman,” I gasp, my voice shaking. “Oh, my God.”
“Elizabeth Alexandra Grace, will you marry me?”
I nod frantically, as I don’t trust my voice at first. Then the words come pouring out of me. “I love you so much. And I want nothing more than to marry you, Roman Joseph Lawler.”
Roman slips the ring on my shaking hand, and I stare at the red ruby in awe. He rises and frames my face in his hands, kissing me with all the love he has in his heart.
I kiss him back, grateful for the moment he rode into my life on a motorcycle and changed everything. This man has given me the courage to be myself.
And to love.
He breaks the kiss and drops his forehead to mine. “I know we can’t announce this just yet; I don’t want to take anything away from Christian and Clementine’s wedding.”
I take a step back from him and link his hands with mine. “Normal protocol is that you announce an engagement about six months before you have a royal wedding. But I’m not one for convention, are you?”
Roman’s mouth curves up in that teasing way that I love so much. “What are you thinking?”
“We’ll announce the engagement in a few weeks, and then we can have the wedding in the autumn. It won’t take anything away from Clementine and Christian’s wedding build up, trust me. And they will be thrilled for us. Everyone will be. And I’m the luckiest woman in the world because I’m living a fairy tale.”
Roman’s eyes shine brightly at me. “The one about the princess and the gardener?”
“The best one ever written,” I declare happily.
As his mouth captures mine, my happiness knows no bounds. I love Roman, he loves me, and we are going to get married and share our lives together.
A happy ending indeed, I think.
THE END
The next book in the series will be Xander’s story, called Royal Icing. To receive updates on this release, follow me on BookBub, Goodreads or sign up for my newsletter.
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