Falling for Her

by A. C. Meyer

  “Is this a proposal? Because I didn’t hear you asking . . .” He laughs and holds my hand, his thumb caressing my fingers.

  “Will you marry me, Mari?”

  “Yes!” I answer, thrilled, and he gets up, holding me, both of us with tears of joy in our eyes. Suddenly, we hear clapping, and when we look around, we see the London Eye visitors clapping at us, smiling and telling each other how beautiful love is. We nod in thanks, completely embarrassed, but happy, and walk to the street.

  We walk holding hands, and then he says, “How did you manage to alter everything I did to leave you the house on such short notice?”

  “I have a great lawyer!” I answer, laughing, and he laughs too.

  I could never keep the house, despite it being given in such an altruistic manner. Offering me the house, which was his greatest source of happiness, only showed me how much he loved me. Before coming to London, I made Rodrigo write a new document to be registered, and start the final papers according to my terms. The house was ours now, but the power to sell it was his. This way, he’d understand I accepted his gift, but it remained his inheritance.

  “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  “I am!” We both laugh.

  “I’ll never let you leave again.”

  “You better not. I don’t ever want to travel alone again!”

  “Oh, you won’t. From now on, you’ll travel with me. I’ll stick to you like gum.”

  “Our friends will say we’re that insufferable type of couple.”

  “I don’t care. If they say anything, I’ll stick to you even more. And do all sorts of romantic and cheesy stuff!”

  “Hey! I like romantic stuff!”

  “I know. You loved my proposal.”

  “I can’t wait for Lais’s reaction when I tell her you proposed right in front of the London Eye! And on your knees!” I sigh and he laughs, pulling me into his arms and kissing me.

  “I love you, Mari,” he says, his lips on mine.

  “I love you, Cadu.”

  Epilogue - Mari

  Six years later . . .

  I look around at the flowery garden and I can’t help but smile. The house in Itaipava is beautiful, surrounded by colorful flowers that make our home even happier.

  Today is finally the day Lais and Rodrigo are getting married. After all this time together and having a two-year-old girl, who is running around the garden chasing Léo, our nearly three-year-old son, they decided to make things official. Their relationship is very solid, and despite Rodrigo having proposed countless times, Lais has only recently decided to accept. She never really worried about getting married, but now I think that she was influenced by the news that she was about to tell him on their wedding night; that soon enough they’d have a new family member.

  Thinking of Lais’s pregnancy makes me take a hand to my round belly and smile. In just four months, Luciana will be born and I can’t wait to see my daughter’s face. When Cadu found out he’d be a dad again, he was so happy you’d think he had just won the lottery. Taking into account that the pregnancy was in its first months, we decided to go back to London, like we did every year to celebrate our anniversary.

  After his romantic proposal by the London Eye, we spent almost a month in London, walking around the city and enjoying each other, until, one morning, I woke up next to him, and when I turned to see him, he was looking at me differently. When I asked him what happened, he said that I would become his wife that same day. And so I did. We got married at the Brazilian consulate in London, in a ceremony he had been planning as a surprise, and a few weeks later, we got married in a church with our family and friends.

  Ever since then, our relationship has been built on true love, respect, and mutual affection. I started working with him again at the magazine, but now I have an executive position in the administrative area. We spent the first few years of our marriage dedicated to each other and to our relationship. When I found out a few years later that I was pregnant with Léo, our happiness seemed complete.

  “You look beautiful standing there by the flowers with this dreamy face.” I feel a pair of hands circling my body and I can’t help but smile.

  “I was watching the kids,” I say, smiling, and Cadu lets out a laugh.

  “I think you’ve been thinking about me.”

  “I think you think too highly of yourself.” We both laugh and I turn to him, fitting in his arms as if they were made for me.

  “Come, baby, our music is on,” he says, taking me back to the party. The band we hired was starting to play the first notes of the song we danced to at our wedding, one that had become our special song. Cadu takes me to the improvised dance floor and, holding each other, we start dancing, singing along to the truthful verses.

  I know I’ll love you

  All of my life, I’ll love you

  In every farewell, I’ll love you

  Desperately, I know I’ll love you.

  I close my eyes when I feel Mari’s head against my chest, enjoying these precious moments. I can’t help but feel joyful having her there, in my arms.

  Our journey hasn’t always been easy. We took a long time to see we were meant to be together, went through tough times with the deception Zeca had set up, who, after losing his power, suffered a heart attack and some other health problems which made him completely dependent on his wife, but which made him realize his own mistakes and regret everything he had done to harm us; and that we nearly lost each other forever. We faced everything, but today, we were completely happy. Yeah, we have fights every now and then like any couple, but if anyone asked me or her, we’d say we are undoubtedly happy. Truly happy.

  I was anxious and excited about being a dad again, and seeing that house filled with kids, as it was meant to be. In moments like this, I could almost feel my grandparents here, and knew they’d be happy to see our family growing like this. There, in that colorful garden, were the people who really mattered to us. Lais’s and Rodrigo’s parents, mutual close friends, my parents-in-law, my parents, the kids, and my wife. My family. These moments are perfect and I am grateful for this life, and to Mari for giving me another chance to be happy with her. The woman I will love forever.

  To be possible for you to read this book, the support, commitment and work of some people was necessary. Without them, I could never be able to realize this dream and I am very grateful to them.

  Luizyana Poletto, the sister life gives me. Thank you very much for everything you’ve done (and do) for me. If I didn’t have your support throughout the journey to transform “Cadu and Mari” into “Falling for her”, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. Thank you for the cheerleading, the incredible graphic design, the wonderful cover and most of all, for believe that we could do it. You are the best partner in life. I love you, my friend.

  To Larissa Siriani, thank you for listening what I needed and doing your best to translate Falling for her into English with such care. You are awesome!

  Jeanne de Vita, my wonderful genius! Besides making magic with words - what makes you an incredible editor - you’re one of the most generous person I’ve ever met. Thank you is not enough for everything you’ve done for me and my story.

  Thank you dear Marla Esposito for your patience, commitment and suggestions. Seeing the differences of culture between our countries through your eyes was very lovely.

  To Audrey Carlan, thank you for your support, friendship and courage to show me what no one else has seen (you know what it is). You are a very generous person and deserve everything good that’s hapenning in your life. And much more!

  To Cleida Roy, my dear, you encouragement was essential to make this book in English real. Thank you for accepting to be my beta reader and giving an opportunity to my story.

  To Flavia Viotti and Meire Dias, my agents at the Bookcase Agency. Thank you for being by my side to see th
is dream come true.

  To Ena from Enticing Journey Book Promotions. Honey, thanks for your patience and suggestions. You’re awesome.

  Special thanks to Tammy Becraft and Stephannie Joanna Tolitsky for your feedback. You were wonderful.

  To my mom, my friend and the one who is always by my side.

  Rayanna Pereira, thank you for be helpful and kindness. Your help was valuable in many ways.

  To Brittainy C. Cherry, Carrie Elks, Samantha Chase and Katie Ashley for all your support.

  To Felipe Meyer, for your love, encouragement and cheer. I love you in all languages.

  And last but not least: for you reader who gave Falling for her a chance. I hope you had fun with Cadu and Mari’s story. That it let you with a smile on your face in the end of the reading. But most of it, I wish that just like Mari, you’ll never forget to be proud the person you are.

  I love hearing my readers, so be sure to get in touch with me through social medias or email.

  With love,

  A. C. Meyer.

  Translator: Larissa Siriani

  Editor: Jeanne de Vita

  Proofeditor: Marla Esposito

  Cover and graphic Design: Luizyana Poletto

  Picture: PeopleImages / Istockphoto

  Copyright © 2018 by A. C. Meyer

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  A.C. Meyer is a real book lover. Not satisfied with just read it, her restless mind decided to write her own happy endings.

  Mixing fun and romance, she reaches the romantic comedies´s tone that amazes her readers from beginning to end.

  In 2016, Enchanted by you, After Dark series’s book four, was nominated best romance by iBooks.

  Contact her through their social networks:

  Facebook

  Instagram

  Twitter

  Site