“Okay,” said Manon, disappearing as she closed the door.
Brayden ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll get you a ring,” he murmured. “Is there anything else you need?”
She leaned back against the wall. “If we get married, whathappens when you come back home?”
“We’ll do long-distance,” he said as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. And maybe it was. “I meant everything I said last night. I want everything with you.”
His words from before echoed in her mind.“You’re mine.”They warmed her belly.
“We can talk through the mirror like we always did. And you can come back, and I’ll visit too,” she added. Having him in Soleil… It would be so wonderful.
“Exactly. If we’re married, I can come visit you again, and you can come to Clair de Lune the next time Parliament isn’t in session. Getting married actually makes more sense than you being forced to stay here and give up everything. We’ll have way more time with each other than we’ve ever had. And Iwant to be with you in any way I can.”
His energetic optimism was infectious. She wanted to believe it would all work out.
But long-distance with no end in sight… She suspected this could all end in heartbreak, but Scarlett was tired of fighting him. She didn’t want to fight him. She bit her lip as she lost herself in his endless brown eyes. He was so beautiful, and he was hers.
She pushed off the wall and held out her arms, needing to hold him.
“So is that a yes?” he asked, wrapping her in a hug.
Her mouth curved into a smile. “Yes.”
“Whee!”Nori continued to float right next to Jax.
Brayden picked Scarlett up and clutched her tightly to his chest for a long moment before setting her back down on the ground.
They opened the door to Lachlan’s office and met the expectant stares of their family. Lachlan chortled at whatever he saw on their faces. Beni stared at her, and she gave him a small smile to let him know everything was fine—sort of.
“She said yes,” said Beni with confidence.
“She did,” confirmed Brayden.
Beni leaped forward and high-fived him. “We’re going to be brothers!”
Brayden’s answering smile was genuine as he pulled Beni in for a hug. “Yeah, man. That’s class.”
Manon rushed forward and hugged them both. Then she whispered in Scarlett’s ear. “You’re doing the right thing, dearest.”
“Excellent,” said Lachlan with a clap of his hands. “Let’s gather up what we need for the ceremony and be off to Parliament.”
Scarlett looked down at her simple black dress. “I wish I had a white dress.”
“You do,” said Manon. “We’ll go get your mother’s.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Outside the castle in the courtyard driveway, James waited for them next to an SUV, still dressed in his work suit.
“James, what are you doing here?” Scarlett asked. “I thought you were in meetings all day.”
“Did she say yes?” he asked Brayden as he approached.
Brayden kissed Scarlett’s cheek. “She did.”
“Phew. Glad to hear I didn’t take the afternoon off for a wedding that isn’t going ahead.” His grin was mischievous. “Brayden called me right after you left the guildhall and asked if I could skip the rest of the workday for hiswedding. Of course I said yes.”
