| |
I stood at the sliders watching the fresh snowfall. In the distance, the Nubble Light, outlined with Christmas lights, stood out amidst the white flakes. Dawn broke over the horizon, warming the cloud cover with a rainbow of colors. It had been almost a year since I got my life back, and Valerie and I eventually found our way home to that place where she didn’t flinch when I went to touch her.
That battle was long and hard on both of us. There were many nights I sat on the family room couch with a bottle of scotch that did nothing to quench my bitterness. The moments where we both wondered if we would ever get through the damage Lucifer rained on us were the hardest. During those times, even the love we had for each other didn’t seem like it would be enough, but it was the thing we both clung to. And it was what got us through.
That and the time we spent with Steve and Jennifer. Their history of overcoming a similar battle helped guide us. Jennifer patiently coached Valerie, her wisdom and shoulder helped with the healing process and Steve; he took me out of the house, a lot. Giving the girls the space to work through it.
When they made the decision to move to New York City, it hit both Valerie and me harder than I expected. I missed them and understood their decision to give us space, but it was weird without them here, and moving into the master bedroom just felt wrong. It’d always been my parents room, whether that was Mom and Dad or Steve and Jen, it belonged to the head of the household.
We fell into that category now, and I glanced at the small box in my hand. My stomach fluttered. I didn’t understand the sudden case of nerves that made my skin tingle and I turned, making sure I had set things up just right.
The shower went off upstairs and I grabbed the rest of the rose petals, extending the path that led from the stairwell out into the back yard. I waited, shifting nervously as each second ticked by.
My mind shuffled again while I waited for her.
Damian and Tom searched for portals while I worked on my relationship and they found a few possible locations. Ones that we would have to check out once I got my shit together. Neither Valerie nor I were ready to face that yet. Instead, she focused on finishing her residency and she decided to take a job in York instead of Boston. She’d learned to love this small ocean-side community just as much as I do, and I’ve learned to relax and breathe when she is out of my sight. Besides, the cafeteria at the York Hospital has some awesome food.
My paranoia manifests whenever I perform, and I’ve gotten damn fussy with my schedule and the venues where I’ll sing. I want places where Valerie is less than a few strides away; I can’t seem to shake that insecurity.
It’s the one time that I know I’m vulnerable. The limelight overwhelms and distracts me at the same time. I soak it in and everything disappears but the music and the crowd. It’s a lot like Valerie’s kiss in that manner, and as much as I try to keep part of my focus on her, it doesn’t work, so I don’t perform that often.
She approached the sliders, pulling me out of my thoughts and I met her questioning stare. I shivered with my hands in my pocket and sent a smile in her direction. The door opened and she crossed, stopping right in front of me. Her purple scrubs and white hospital shoes poked out under the long wool coat. I knew she had to get to work, but tonight was going to be a late night for her and I couldn’t wait any longer.
“You know what today is?” I asked handing her a single rose and she bit her lip, shaking her head.
I rolled my eyes and cocked my head. She shrugged in response. This wasn’t going the way I had planned it in my head but I plunged forward. “We met exactly four years ago today.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color. “Really?”
“Yes. Really,” I said and smiled, taking a knee in front of her and pulling out the box from my pocket, I opened it, revealing the stunning diamond my father had given my mother in this same exact spot.
“Mar...ry me,” I said, annoyed that the stutter crept into this perfect moment. Then again, it still showed up any time my nerves did. Instead of harping on my imperfections, I took the diamond from the satin pillow interior and waited for her to react.
My proposal wasn’t a question, either. It was a statement that hung on the snowy air between us.
Valerie stared at me, her eyes widening just before her right hand fluttered over her mouth. My answer came when her left hand extended in silent acceptance, and I smiled, sliding the ring on. The fact it fit just solidified the rightness of this moment and I stood.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said, pleased that I had rendered her speechless.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. Oh my God, yes!”
She nearly knocked me over with the excited hug and our lips locked in a kiss that blew me away.
The End
* * *
Continue THE RYAN CHRONICLES Series with ANGEL WRATH.
Thank you for reading ANGEL HEART. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.