A broad grin appears on his face, and then he takes my healthy hand and pulls me with him. "Come on, I need to show you something."
Whatever it is, it seems to make him nervous. His palm becomes clammy on the way, and he keeps glancing between me and the estate.
I'm not sure if I like that, but my curiosity outweighs the nagging guilt, and that's a good thing. I stumble along beside him, allowing him to lead me into the house. When we reach the door to my room, he stops. Then he looks deeply into my eyes, cradles my face in his hands, and kisses me passionately.
"You're scaring me a little," I say cautiously as he pulls away from me. That, too, is the truth. And it feels good to speak it out loud, even though I'm starting to feel uneasy now. "What's going on?"
A whole range of emotions is reflected in his expression. Love. Joy. Nervousness. There's even a hint of concern. He exhales heavily and places his hand on the doorknob. "Are you ready?"
I don't know.
He opens the door and gently nudges me to enter the room before him.
"Wow." That's all I can say in front of the sight that greets me. "This is…" Words fail me. I don't know how to describe it.
Beautiful. Unique. A dream.
The entire room is adorned with roses. Even on the white sheet, Florian has arranged a heart of petals. The fragrance is exquisite. I step inside and let the moment wash over me.
Suddenly, I hear Florian clearing his throat behind me.
I turn around and just manage to see him dropping to his knees.
Oh. My. God.
"Hanna," he says with a husky voice and a hesitant smile. "The past few weeks have been hell. They've shown me how meaningless my life is without you."
I can hardly sort out my thoughts. Is this really happening, what I've been dreaming of for years? Just now, when meeting Vico has stirred my feelings for Florian?
He looks up at me with longing. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love you with all my heart."
I put my hands over my mouth in disbelief. He has never said anything so beautiful to me before. But the turmoil his words evoke is not where it should be. My heart should be pounding hard, screaming yes with joy. Instead, a storm brews in my stomach. Guilt over my closeness with Vico collides with my affection for Florian, who has always been there for me. On top of that, there's the familiar comfort of our long-standing partnership and the fluttering sensation in my stomach when I'm near Vico. All of it blends into a tempest that I can barely withstand.
Breathing heavily, I watch as Florian reaches into his pocket. He takes out a small box and turns it to face me.
It's going to happen now. He's going to ask me. And I don't know what this certainty is doing to me.
"Hanna," he begins, but he immediately has to clear his throat. "We're stronger together." He nods at me, as if seeking my confirmation.
I inevitably nod back. That seems to be enough for him to fumble awkwardly with the box until he finds the opening mechanism.
The world suddenly moves in slow motion. Infinitely slowly, the lid of the box lifts. A slim silver ring, nestled in blue velvet, appears before my eyes.
"Will you be my wife, Hanna?" Florian's words stretch out unnaturally. His tone is filled with emotions. "I can't imagine anything more beautiful than sharing my life with you."
He can't imagine anything more beautiful than marrying me. Wow. This is…
Slowly, the information sinks into my consciousness and collides with a truth that shouldn't even exist. The truth that I'm not sure if I feel the same way.
I swallow hard, feeling immensely ashamed of this thought.
In front of me is a man to whom I've done so much in the past few weeks. He loves me, and he's asking to take care of me. In good times and bad. We've had a comfortable life so far. And we will continue to have a comfortable life in the future. Especially because here in Italy, I've found a part of myself that will make it possible.
What more can I ask for?
"What do you say?" Florian asks now, his gaze filled with longing.
He needs an answer. It should damn well be easy for me to give him one.
Timidly, I lower my head, only to lift it again a moment later.
The sun rises in Florian's face. Filled with tenderness, he reaches for my hand and slips the ring onto my finger.
