“Ah, two of the most heartbreaking, joyous,trèschaotiqueyears of my life.” Albert blew a kiss at his wife who pretended to accept it and place it to her chest.
“Chloe, you must follow your heart,” Vivienne said. “Poor darling, Jean-Marc’s surprise has broken your heart again.”
“To be honest, Vivienne,” Chloe said, “I’ve never felt more loved. But yes, Sam’s message hurt more than I expected. I guess I didn’t know how much I loved him until right now.”
Suddenly, the sunlight shifted through the windows and a ray of golden light washed over Chloe and she settled into an unusual peace. The answer would come. She must believe.
Albert folded his paper and set it aside. “Shall we still meet with the architect? If so, I must change. We’ll leave in an hour.”
“I’ll be ready to go when you say.” So this was it. Meet the architect and Chloe was in, all in.
Albert had just set his coffee cup in the dishwasher when the doorbell chimes played through the house. After a moment, the maid appeared.
“For you, mademoiselle.” She nodded at Chloe. “Visiteur.”
“A visitor? For me?” Chloe pushed away from the table with a glance at her in-laws. “Albert, is the architect coming here?”
“No, we are to meet at his office.”
Chloe went through the arched kitchen doorway toward the grand room and stopped cold when she saw the handsome, broad, American footballer Sam Hardy. He looked sheepish, unsure, and like he’d sat up all night on a long flight from Nashville.
“Surprise,” he said quietly, his humble posture the antithesis of his player persona.
“Wha—what are you doing here?” Chloe reached for the nearest chair to support her trembling legs.
“I came to see you. Got the last seat on a flight from Nashville to New York, New York to Paris. No first class. Middle seat all the way. Last row, over the engine.”
Chloe touched her fingers to her lips as a quivering laugh escaped. “Six-foot-four, bad knee Sam Hardy crunched up in the middle seat of an overnight flight. You had to be miserable.”
“I was and it had nothing to do with the seat.” He stepped toward her. “I ached in here.” He touched his chest. “I had to see you. There I was, working the W4C rush—that’s our new cookie sensation, by the way—”
“Robin texted. Way to go, Laura Kate.”
“And all I knew was that you weren’t there. Then Ruby had to pummel me with her advice when we were all exhausted, sitting around after we closed, and I knew…I love you, Chloe. I can’t be a Raider quarterback without you. That stupid Super Bowl ring will collect dust. But you and I will never collect dust. I’ll make sure of it.”
“You texted I should take the café, follow my dream.”
“We both know I’m an idiot when it comes to texting. I’m sorry. I was assuming, just like I did with my parents, which has a new and happy ending, and—”
“You’re talking to your dad?”
“And my mom. We’re not one big happy family again, but I know the truth. I’d been wrong for fifteen years and, Chloe, I don’t want to be wrong for another fifteen years. The only ring I want is your ring. Our ring.” Right in the LaRues’ living room, Sam dropped to one knee and pulled a ring from his jeans pocket. “There’s still no twinkle lights and no string quartet. And I’m probably a jerk doing this in Jean-Marc’s parents’ house—”
Chloe choked back a sob.
“But I’m on one knee and I have a ring. Marry me, please, right here, right now. Be my wife.”
Chloe bubbled then with a laugh before the tears took over. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you.” She flew into his arms, knocking him down before he could stand. They tumbled over the thick carpet patterned with a French pastoral scene. “I love you, Sam. I love you.”
“I didn’t have time to get a ring, but this is for now—” Sam slipped his college national championship ring onto her finger. “Ruby was right, it was dusty and tarnished. I never wear it. Chloe, please hear me. I’m committed to you. Not my career, not my dreams. It’s you and me from now on.”
His kiss was rich and full, passionate and unashamed to be holding her on the floor of her former husband’s parents’ home. He was in, all in—she felt it in his beating heart under the palm of her hand.
Fezzik gave a low growl and Chloe looked up from Sam’s embrace. “Hush, Fezzik. He’s a good one.”
They stood and the giant dog gave a sniff before returning to his bed. As she led Sam to meet Albert and Vivienne, Sam’s hand rested on the small of her back. But when Chloe turned to him, he was reaching to shake Albert’s hand.
She smiled. The hand she’d felt belonged to God, her approving Father.
