by Allie Little
“Well, don’t just stand there,” he commands softly, gesturing for me to come closer. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”
The guests quieten. I thread my way through streams of people, our dearest friends and family. Gemma and Stan, Jack and Sam. Even Brady. Riley’s mother Annie is here, even his father Richard, who stands further back, appropriately shamefaced.
“But it’s not my birthday, it’s yours,” I say when I reach him, gawking at how debonair he looks in that Armani suit and relieved I’d thought to pop on an elegant dress and a pair of heels before going to the jeweller.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispers, taking my hands. He kisses me gently on the lips.
“The surprise was supposed to be for you,” I say, incredulous at what was unfolding here. “All of this …”
“…is for you, babe.” He smiles his contagious smile, holding his amber gaze with mine. “Gemma was in on it. And Stan.”
They both giggle from the sidelines, shrugging nonchalantly when I give them an appreciative smile.
Riley drops suddenly to one knee, a look of edgy nervousness passing over his face.
A sharp uptake of air fills my lungs, completely aware now of his intentions, and the smile covering my face simply can’t be contained. This man, the one who’d stood by me no matter what, was here before me in a very dashing suit, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a flawless ring.
“Grace Carter, will you marry me?” He holds out a beautiful sapphire ring, the deep blue encircled in diamonds, awaiting my answer. “Hurry up and say yes! Put me out of my misery, I’m dying here.”
“Yes, yes! A million times yes!” I laugh, reaching for his face, cupping it firmly between the palms of my hands, kissing him like there’s no-one else in the room.
He wrestles me onto his knee, wrapping me in his arms. “You’ve just made me the happiest man alive. You have no idea.” He releases me to slide the ring onto my finger, sunlight catching the cerulean blue of the stone.
I can’t stop gawking at its beauty. And his. Tears of joy fall across my cheeks, knowing that this time will be forever.
My forever.
Because for those who love, time is eternity.
Epilogue
Riley
“Happy Birthday, baby,” Grace murmurs, turning in my arms. She wraps her arms around me in the shards of sunlight dappled across the bed. “How did we end up here?”
“You don’t remember?”
“Of course I do. I didn’t have that many champagnes. I just meant … how did we end up so happy?”
I kiss the woman I intend on spending the rest of my life with, feeling like the luckiest bastard on the planet. Before I can deepen the kiss and without removing her lips from mine, she reaches clumsily into the bedside table and pulls out a small golden box, tied with a silver bow. “This is for you.”
“Really? You got me a gift?”
“It’s your birthday.” She kisses me again before demanding I open it.
“Okay, okay. Give me a chance.” I tear off the bow and lift the lid. I see the Celtic bird sitting atop the soft black velvet and my heart stops. This was it. The symbol of our love. Freedom and choice; the free will to love. Respect and honesty and red-hot attraction all rolled into one. No caged creatures or clipped wings here. “I love it, babe. It’s perfect, thank you.”
She fastens it around my neck, then traces a finger over the black-winged eagle inked across my bicep. “You see? I’m not that broken bird anymore. I’m not afraid to love, because with you, love is easy.” She lifts her gaze and her eyes brim with tears.
“You’re crying.”
“Yes, but I’m happy crying because I’ve never been happier than right now with you.”
I lift her hand to kiss the sapphire engagement ring sparkling on her finger. The cerulean blue twinkles like the bay, mirroring the sky.
She gazes up at the morning sky, mesmerised. “Do you ever wish you could fly?”
I feather her shoulder with kisses, running my arms around her body. “If you want to fly, babe, I’ll fly with you. But don’t you think we’ve got the flying thing covered?”
She holds my arms tighter around her, giggling. “Maybe one day we could take flying lessons. Be pilots?”
“Pilots of luurve?”
“Ugh. You’re so schmaltzy.”
“You love it.” I run my hands over her soft, naked skin. I would never tire of holding her, of waking up with her each morning.
“I love you,” she says simply.
“I love you too.”
A serious look pierces right through my soul.
No words required.
And when her lips touch mine it seems Granny Bess knew exactly what she was talking about.
Because love will find a way.
Acknowledgements
Thank you so much for reading Losing Grace.
When life gets in the way, in a big way, doubt creeps in and questions begin to surface about whether you’ll make it in the end. Getting this story into the world has been a big achievement. It took a while to write, with enormous breaks of four months at a time, when not a single word was written.
I wanted this story to reflect the desire for happiness. Happiness as an empowering force, but also as an overpowering force superseding other values such as loyalty and commitment to a marriage. In relationships, we change as we grow. Sometimes we grow together and follow the same path. Sometimes we don’t. Doesn’t make it wrong. If you stay true to who you are, it simply makes you honest.
We all have a backstory shaping us. Life events trigger change, and for some people, those life events feel insurmountable. Unresolvable. Forever-changing.
Losing Grace is about finding courage and grace during those difficult times. When society says, “You must,” but you say, “I can’t.” Losing Grace is about integrity and finding happiness within. It’s about freedom and independence, the healing power and beauty of nature, love, friendship and the concept of family.
The ones we love and who love us back are family in my opinion, blood ties or not.
I have two beautiful girls who I love to the edge of the universe and all the way back again. I tell them this every night when I tuck them in to sleep. And then there’s Jamie. I have so much love for this beautiful soul. He gave me his heart, taught me how to fly, while also keeping me grounded. Without these guys, life could lose purpose.
I’d like to thank Saskia and Bronwyn for reading endless versions and for their critical minds. And my betas Emily and Tatum, for giving their pre-published opinions. You guys are selflessly awesome.
To my beautiful friends, Karen, Les, Emily and Eva, knowing you guys are in my life gives a sense of security. For your differing perspectives on life, borne from the way each of you think and breathe, I thank you. You give me so much in the way of friendship and insight.
Huge amounts of gratitude and respect goes to the amazing Rebecca Berto of Berto Designs. I love the cover for this book. I might be biased, but I think it’s one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. Rebecca gets it right. First time, every time, and I can’t thank her enough for that.
And finally, to my Dad. Because even though you’re not with us anymore, I hear your words, feel your presence and your unconditional support every single day.
Maybe that’s crazy, and maybe it’s not.
I’d like to think not.
***
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About the Author
Allie Little is a Sydney-based writer who believes in the boundless possibilities of imagination and in telling stories that resonate with the heart. Allie is the author of Cloud Quest, a fantasy quest adventure story for middle-grade readers; coastal romance Falling Away; and now Losing Grace.
Born and raised in Sydney, Allie graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts. After working in the publishing i
ndustry for several years, Allie returned to university to graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours). Juggling motherhood, the demands of hospital social work and mostly nocturnal writing habits, Allie has a penchant for drinking way too many Prana Chai lattes and has an unfortunate chocolate addiction. Dark, of course.
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