“Our cheering section is back,” Barrel said with a chuckle.
“Cheering section?” Archie asked as he returned to standing. His lower back protested for a moment, and he rubbed it absently.
Barrel nodded his chin towards the side of the pitch. “Those lads came to our last two practices and the game on Saturday. Don’t know who they are, but they’re loyal to us,” he said with a lopsided grin.
Archie’s breath caught, his heart swelling enough to push the air from his chest once more. He recognized the lanky forms racing down the sideline, their tousled hair lifting in the breeze. A moment later, a woman came into view, walking over the berm with her hands clasped at her waist. Her gaze followed the boys for a moment before turning to the pitch, searching until—
She froze in place when their eyes met, and his lungs burned—lord, he’d forgotten tobreathe—his head spun, the world around him ceased to exist. Because Marigold was there, not on a boat to America, but here inYorkshire.
“Are you going to talk to her?”
He jolted at Jasper’s voice, and turned to see his teammates lined up behind him, watching the scene unfold with unmistakable anticipation. “Did you set this up?”
Jasper scoffed but looked mighty pleased with himself. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now go. She’s waiting for you.”
His body moved without his mind’s consent, every muscle, nerve, and cell attuned to the woman standing on an embankment beside the pitch. The woman heloved, would never stop loving. When he reached her side, he was breathless, his ears ringing and heart beating a frenetic tattoo. Her brows were furrowed, soft lips parted, and he heard her shaky exhalation.
“Marigold,” he breathed. “You’re here.”
Myriad expressions played over her features, a quick smile flashing before she bit her lower lip and released it. “I hoped you would look at this contract for me, see if everything is in order.” She pulled a folded sheath of papers from her pocket and handed it to him.
Whatever he’d expected from her—and he wasn’t certain what to expect at all—legal advice wasn’t it. He unfolded the papers with weary hands, fighting the disappointment threatening to put tears in his eyes. He scanned the document—a standard lease agreement for aproperty in Pimlico within walking distance of Westminster Abbey, nothing extraordinary until—
His attention caught on the tenant’s name. “This is yours?”
Her nod was quick, her eyes sparkling, but the furrow between her brows deepened.
The papers shook in his hand. “You’re moving to London.”
She glanced towards Reggie and Matthew, who watched them with rapt attention. “The b-boys are going to school at Westminster, only during the d-day,” she said, the corner of her mouth pulling up. “I want t-to be close to them, so… London it is.” She rolled her lips between her teeth before exhaling in a rush. “I’m sorry, Archie.”
Her voice shook, and he felt an answering pull in his chest, so powerful he had to restrain himself from wrapping his arms around her.
“When you kept me from t-testifying,” she went on, “I was sure you d-didn’t t-trust me. That you thought I would hurt you and your case.”
“It wasyourcase,” he insisted, but she shook her head.
“When I learned how important a win was for you, for your family… I was embarrassed.” Her cheeks were flushed now, her eyes downcast. “I spent so long b-being ashamed of myself, so I assumed you were ashamed of me as well.”
He leaned down until he met her gaze. “I’m so sorry for what I did. I should have let you speak—”
“You d-did what you had to. You won the case,” she interrupted. “And I knew you would never t-tell me I could cause you harm, so I t-took the choice away from you.”
“Marigold…” For once he was without words, his split-open chest throbbing,bleeding.
“I was sure you’d grow t-to resent me, and I couldn’t watch that happen.” She swallowed, her eyes wet. “I ended it b-before you could. I’m so sorry for hurting you.”
His hands twitched to pull her close, tuck her head beneath his chin and swallow her in his embrace. “I forgive you,” he said. “I already forgave you.”
Her eyelids fell shut, and a shudder of relief racked her slim frame. When she met his gaze again, he saw the determined glow he’d snuffed out at the trial weeks ago. “I ran because I was scared, b-but I won’t be this time. I want to stay here in England. With you. Whether you want me or not, I’m not leaving.”
He almost laughed, the joy bubbling from his insides overwhelming, thrilling, leaving him breathless and weightless. “How could I not want you?”
A tear broke free and raced down her cheek, and he caught it with his thumb, cupped her jaw so he could look at her, remember the splash of freckles over her cheekbones, the facets of gold and moss green embedded in her irises. “Jasper said you didn’t close your practice,” she whispered.
Archie raised a brow. “Was Jasper in on this?”
She nodded. “What about your mother, yoursisters—”
