While Olivia gave Dannel a quick embrace as well, Osian greeted his mum and stepdad. He was pleased his sister had invited only a small group of their friends and family. Anything larger would’ve overwhelmed Dannel.
They should both be able to enjoy their engagement party.
“Darling.” Ian swanned over with his dressing gown wrapped tightly around him. It flowed like a wispy, silky cloak. “What a joyous event to come at the end of such tragedy.”
“How’s your toe?” Osian noticed a couple members of the ensemble keeping a close eye on him. “Healed up completely?”
“I’m fine, daring. Better than I ever was.” Ian waved his wineglass around grandly. “Have you heard from young Archie?”
“Not a word since he reached his new campsite.” Osian had a feeling their gentle giant planned to grieve and heal in silence for a while. “He’ll be fine.”
Sadness was not a place Ian enjoyed to stay. He broke out into a song of congratulations, drawing in the members of his company littered around the room. It was sweet.
And a bit raucously loud.
The party went on for another hour. The theatre company drifted away to prepare for the preview of opening night. Osian eventually managed to sneak Dannel away from their well-wishers; he led him through the theatre up to one of the private boxes.
Despite having seen so many of the rehearsals, they both enjoyed the play immensely. Ian managed to combine the glamour with a comedic and gossipy telling of the inside workings of the West End. And if there had been a few changes, Osian figured they were definitely for the better.
The interlude came all too quickly. Osian and Dannel stayed in their box. Ian popped by for a visit, bringing champagne and disappearing in a cloud of fabric and laughter.
There had been one bit of the evening Osian had planned for a few weeks. He hoped Dannel didn’t hate him for the surprise. It had taken calling in a favour from one of their friends but was definitely worth the effort.
Osian dropped to one knee at the crescendo of the closing act. He held up one of the two rings custom designed for them by a friend who sold jewellery on Etsy; the rings had rosewood bands with titanium cores. “Will you marry me?”
For a brief moment, Dannel stared down at him in confusion. Osian ignored the fluttering of panic in his chest. He wondered if simply showing the rings to him at home would’ve been a better plan.
Well, too late to worry about it now. Why do I bother with wildly romantic gestures? It never goes to plan when we try.
“I already asked, and you said yes,” Dannel pointed out.
“I’m aware. It’s only fair I get to propose as well.”
“Don’t think proposals work like that.”
“My knees hurt. Will you say yes?” Osian tried not to burst out laughing in the middle of the dramatic moment of Ian’s play. Trust Dannel to be pedantic in the middle of a romantic gesture. “I got rings and everything.”
“You can’t take back your yes.” Dannel grabbed one of the rings. He slid it onto his finger. “Fits.”
“I’m not taking back my yes.” Osian eased himself up into the seat. “I love you.”
“Good. You shouldn’t marry someone you don’t love.” Dannel leaned over for a kiss. “Even if I did propose first.”
“Yes, yes you did,” Osian readily conceded.
“Good. The rings are brilliant.” Dannel nodded firmly. “I love you, Ossie. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
***
See what happens next for Osian and Dannel in book three, Crown Court Killer.
Craving more mysteries? Dahlia has a few for you to be checking out. Meet Motts and the quirky cast of characters in her world. Poisoned Primrose is a quintessential cosy British mystery and an all-round fun story to throw yourself into.
You won’t want to miss out on reading the Grasmere Cottage Mystery trilogy. With love, wit, and a murder to solve, life for Valor and Bishan is about to get bloomin' complicated in this sweet gay romance.
Acknowledgments
Ghost Light Killer was written at the end of 2020. An odd and difficult year for just about everyone, I imagine. I have an amazing group of friends who help me during dark moments, lifting my spirits to help me find some joy in writing. I’m so grateful for every single one of them.
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A massive thank you to my brilliant betas who take my first draft and help me turn it into something legible. To Becky and Olivia, who always have faith in me. To all the fantastic people at Hot Tree. And also to my beloved hubby, who keeps me from losing my mind while I'm stressing over word counts.
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And, lastly, thank you, readers, for following me on my writing journey. I hope you enjoyed Ghost Light Killer. Osian and Dannel are so much fun to write. It was a joy to play in their world for a few months once again.
About the Author
Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
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Dahlia would love to hear from you directly, too. Please feel free to email her at [email protected] or check out her website dahliadonovan.com for updates.
Also by Dahlia Donovan
The Grasmere Cottage Mystery Trilogy
Dead in the Garden - Dead in the Pond - Dead in the Shop
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Motts Cold Case Mystery Series
Poisoned Primrose - Pierced Peony - Pickled Petunia
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London Podcast Mystery Series
Cosplay Killer - Ghost Light Killer - Crown Court Killer
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Stand-alone Romances
After the Scrum - At War With A Broken Heart - Forged in Flood - Found You - One Last Heist - Pure Dumb Luck - Here Comes The Son - All Lathered Up - Not Even A Mouse - The Misguided Confession
* * *
The Sin Bin (Complete Series)
The Wanderer - The Caretaker - The Royal Marine - The Botanist - The Unexpected Santa - The Lion Tamer - Haka Ever After
About the Publisher
Hot Tree Publishing opened its doors in 2015 with an aspiration to bring quality fiction to the world of readers. With the initial focus on romance and a wide spread of romance subgenres, Hot Tree Publishing has since opened their first imprint, Tangled Tree Publishing, specializing in crime, mystery, suspense, and thriller.
Firmly seated in the industry as a leading editing provider to independent authors and small publishing houses, Hot Tree Publishing is the sister company to Hot Tree Editing, founded in 2012. Having established in-house editing and promotions, plus having a well-respected market presence, Hot Tree Publishing endeavors to be a leader in bringing quality stories to the world of readers.
Interested in discovering more amazing reads brought to you by Hot Tree Publishing? Head over to the website for information:
www.hottreepublishing.com
More From Hot Tree Publishing
Want more great romances? Check out Hot Tree Publishing's collection of mixed-genre romantic reads.
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Dahlia Donovan
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il
Theresa Oliver
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Ghost Light Killer Page 18
