I hold the talisman in my hand. Whatever comes between us can be solved. I realized before our fight, before she tried to leave me, there was one barrier between us that remained.
I removed it.
“Fabien, what did you do?” she asks tremulously.
I sit up. “You wanted your sister here. You wanted to make sure she was safe.” I draw in a deep breath. “I don’t want you an ocean apart from me. The next time we go to the States, you’ll be with me.”
By the shocked look she’s giving me, she definitely didn’t expectthat.
“What… do you mean?”
“You weren’t the only one with a surprise.”
She blinks and doesn’t respond. Her face has gone ashen.
“Savannah is on her way here. To Corsica, that is. I told her who I was. I didn’t tell her more than that because I don’t know what you’ve told her and how much you want to. She was so excited to see you.” I glance at the time. “And she should be here within the hour.”
I don’t know what I expect from her, but it isn’t what she does. Nicolette drops her head on my chest and bursts into tears.
I hold her to me. I kiss the top of her head.
My phone buzzes. Still holding her against me, I turn and reach for it.
“Hello?” I listen to the call and smile at Nicolette. “Thank you.”
I hang it up. “Savannah’s arrived. You want to go see her?”
“Hmm, let me think about it,” she says, tapping her chin. “Are you crazy?” Leaning in, she kisses me. I cup the back of her head and hold her while I kiss her back. I love her so damn much.
With a deep sigh, she looks me in the eyes. “Oui, Monsieur.”
“Yes, you want to see Savannah?”
“That wasn’t the only question you asked me.”
She uses my native tongue to answer the question I’ve wanted to ask her all along.
I have my answer.
“You’ll marry me?”
Lifting her tearstained face, she laughs. “Would you have it any other way?”
I don’t hesitate. “No.”
“Marriage should be a mutual decision,” she says teasingly.
I tug a lock of her hair. “I did ask…”
Dropping her head to my chest, she embraces me. I hold her and close my eyes.
“You were willing to give up the talisman for me,” she whispers.
“Of course I was. There’s nothing in the world more valuable to me than you.”
Smirking, she gives me that teasing look that melts me, every damn time.
“I may use that to my advantage,” she warns.
