Leo laughed. “No, it’s not.”
I held my hand up to the light and took in the glistening diamond.
“It was my grandmother’s,” Leo said.
“It’s beautiful.” Having gone from thinking I was about to lose the man in front of me, to knowing I’d be spending the rest of my life with him, I suddenly felt overwhelmed, and a sob escaped my lips.
“Hey.” Leo pulled me close. “Don’t tell me you’re regretting this already.”
I laughed through my tears. “Not at all. You’ve just been so distant lately. Asking me to marry you was the last thing I expected.”
“I’vebeen distant.” Leo looked at me, aghast. “What about you?”
“I thought you’d had such a good time in Cumbria with your brother that you were about to dump me.”
“And I thought you’d enjoyed having your own space so much, you wanted to make it a permanent thing.” Leo let out a chuckle. “Honestly, I nearly backed out. I really was scared you’d say no.”
“So why did you go through with it?”
Leo looked at me, his expression tender yet serious. “Because I knew I’d forever regret it if I didn’t.”
“I’m sorry. I should never have doubted you. Doubted us.”
“I’m sorry too. For making you feel that way.”
Chapter 3
April
“What’sthat?” The shock on my sister’s face was a picture. “Wow!” she said. Grabbing my hand, she looked from my engagement ring to Leo then to me. “Since when?”
We’d just landed at Sal’s for the Cavendish family get-together. Taking it in turns, it was my sister’s month to play host. I’d meant to take the ring off and keep it hidden until everyone had arrived so Leo and I could make a proper announcement and, having forgotten to do that, I blushed at the sudden attention.
Sal wore a big smile as she threw out her arms. “Congratulations,” she said, giving first me, and then Leo, a hug.
Leo put his arm around my waist. “Thank you. Your blessing means a lot.”
“Well, I can’t deny…” Sal said.
Here we go,I thought. The woman couldn’t help herself.
“…that I think you’re both mad.”
Sal’s remark came as no surprise. My sister had never believed in marriage. As far as she was concerned, devoted couples didn’t need a piece of paper to prove their commitment in a relationship and while Leo chuckled, I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t get me wrong.” Sal began busying herself making a pot of tea. “I really am pleased for you both.”
“But?” I said.
She paused to look at me like I was from another planet. “Duh. Our Mother!”
Having expected Sal to launch into some speech about marriage being nothing more than a patriarchal institution, I laughed, unable to understand her reasoning.
“You find it funny now,” Sal said, as she filled the kettle with water and set it to boil. “But believe me, Mum’s been waiting for one of us to tie the knot ever since that Louise Patterson extravaganza.”
Louise, an influencer-come-local-celebrity, had had what could only be described as the wedding of the year. Held in an exclusive hotel, Mum had relished every press detail. Apparently, Louise’s dress was hand embroidered with pearls and had a ten-foot train. There were wall-to-wall flowers and a six-tiered cake so huge it didn’t just have to have its own table, the table had to be reinforced. The champagne bill alone must have cost thousands and I’d have put money on her poor parents still paying for the event. They must have been gutted when the marriage didn’t last.
“Our wedding will be nothing like that,” I said. Happy in my quiet life, I couldn’t imagine anything worse than saying my vows in front of hundreds of people. “We want a small, more intimate, affair.”
