The Unknown Woman
Page 18
“I have another present for you,” he said after a long moment.
“Really? I can’t imagine what else you could get that would please me more than this,” she said, fingering the hotel charm on her bracelet. “Plus the other charms you’ve already given me.”
“Can’t you, Kerry?” He gazed into her eyes for an eternity, then lifted his hand and opened his palm. “Can’t you imagine this?”
She stared at the ring—a diamond mounted in an intricate gold setting. “Matt, is that…”
“An engagement ring? Yes. I hope you’ll accept it. Will you?”
To her amazement, he dropped to one knee in front of her.
“Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on earth?” he asked.
Tears filled her eyes. When she lifted her left hand, he had no difficulty slipping the ring on. Once it was in place, he kissed her finger as if making a pledge to all the ring stood for.
“I can’t believe this,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck. “I didn’t dare think that more would come from our time together than friendship and fond memories of our stay in New Orleans.”
He got up, then settled on the sofa, lifting Kerry onto his lap, exactly where she longed to be. She nuzzled her face into his neck and sprinkled a thousand kisses everywhere she could reach.
“It was a wrench when you left,” he told her. “I wasn’t ready to give you up. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for that. I love you. You know that, don’t you?”
Cupping his beloved face in her hands, she stared into his eyes and saw only truth and sincerity. She nodded solemnly. “I love you, too, but I was afraid to admit it. It would hurt too much if you didn’t love me back.”
“I do, so that’s settled,” he said in great satisfaction.
The wall clock chimed midnight. “The witching hour,” she murmured. “Matt?”
“Yes, darling?”
“If we marry, where shall we live?”
“When we marry,” he corrected firmly, “I thought we could spend most of the year here. I’ll keep my condo and we can go to New York for the fall. We’ll have a wonderful time. We’ll catch the new plays, then drive up to New England for the autumn color. In the spring, we’ll go to Washington for the cherry blossoms. There’s a whole world for us to explore.”
“What about your writing?”
“I’ve finished the latest article and have started my new book. I’ll work on it most of this year. When you can take off, we’ll go to France and visit some of my favorite wineries there. Otherwise, I’ll only need to travel briefly for research. I’ll be home so much, you’ll be glad to get me out of the house once in a while.”
She sat up and gave him an indignant glare. “I’ll never grow tired of having you with me.”
“I hope not. I plan to be around for a long time. Like seventy years or so.”
That made her laugh. “When did you realize, that is…when did…”
“I know that I was madly in love with you?” he finished for her.
“Yes.”
“Honey, you had me from the moment you came to my door to help me out.”
In the flickering light from the fireplace, she noticed, just before they kissed, the sparkle from her new ring and the warmth that encircled her wrist as the charm bracelet absorbed the glow of the flames. Magic whirled through the room, around them and dipped right down into her heart.
“Patti told me to follow the shining path that would lead from Twelfth Night to the summer solstice,” she murmured to Matt. “Part of me wants to be married as soon as possible, but another part wants to wait until June and the beginning of summer.”
“We can wait,” he said, love and understanding in his eyes.
“Oh, Matt,” she whispered and hugged him as tightly as she could.
Much later, from her bedroom window, they looked out at the shimmering silver path of moonlight on fresh snow that led toward the horizon and beyond, to forever. Kerry’s heart filled to overflowing.
Thank you, Patti, Queen Patrice, my-friend-for-a-day, for showing us the way.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5369-2
THE UNKNOWN WOMAN
Copyright © 2006 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Olivia M. Hall is acknowledged as the author of the work.
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