‘Oh God, I thought you’d never come.’ Rachel’s breathy exclamation made Jacob reach out for her hands. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and inhaled her scent, nervous salty sweat mingled with her usual wattle and honey smell.
‘My father has no concept of time, he gets stuck in his glasshouse thinking about plants, and he’s impossible to extract.’ Jacob shrugged, hoping Rachel would understand he hadn’t meant to be late.
‘I get it. It’s cool that your dad is a little bit obsessed with his hobby … job?’
Jacob smiled, ‘A little bit? He’s a lot obsessed with his job, but you know it—’
‘—makes him happy.’ Rachel’s hesitant smile as she finished his sentence together with him, made him realise she was trying her best not to freak out about him being late, and he adored her effort. He traced his fingers over her palms, searching her brown eyes as they darted around as though she was trying to see all of him at the same time without being able to focus on one spot. She cleared her throat and reached up to rest her palm on his jaw.
‘I want to clear something up. Yes, I was nervous as heck when you weren’t here on time, but you know what, I always knew, deep down, that you’d turn up. Or text me. I trust you.’
‘My brave, wonderful Rachel.’ He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her, and she threw herself, literally, into his arms. The force of her leap pushed him back a step for balance, the twinge in his knee worth it to have Rachel clinging to him. She kissed him hard, as if he was her anchor, or maybe he only hoped for that. She was, after all, his perfect match—the one who understood the ups and downs of being an athlete, the one who’d driven him crazy in the last week as she’d recovered, the one who wasn’t afraid to do the thing she was most afraid of. She was the one who paid attention to his own recovery and understood his frustration when his knee twinged. The one for him. She tore her mouth from his, and grinned at him, sending a wave of euphoria buzzing through his body. He’d never get tired of her vibrant joie de vivre.
‘Come on. I think it’s time I welcomed my guests.’ She drew in a trembling breath, one he felt all the way through him, and he knew she’d never be rid of the anxiety around parties.
‘I’ll always be here for you.’
‘I know,’ her smile lit up her face, ‘and I know I’ll always freak out at the thought of asking people to turn up for me. I’m glad you are here beside me. I know that I don’t need you here. I want you here.’ She elbowed him in the ribs, then rubbed the area as if to ease the sore spot.
‘You are so adorable.’
Her face blushed bright, highlighting her freckles and those darker streaks in her eyes, ‘And you are the unexpected love of my life.’ She bounced up and kissed him, hard on the lips. Grabbing his hand, she dragged him along the veranda towards the main crowd. She climbed up on a chair and bellowed.
‘Everyone. Yes, you, and you. And Uncle Barry, you can get back to your story soon. Welcome today to Merindah Park for a special celebration. Thank you all for coming to celebrate today with our family.’
‘What’s the celebration?’ Someone called, and the person next to them hushed them. Rachel squeezed his hand.
‘Today is a special day for the Bassett family as we have a new member.’
A buzz went around the crowd, and Rachel rolled her eyes.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m not pregnant.’ Laughter tolled out. Rachel bowed with a grand flourish.
‘The Bassett family has been at Merindah Park since the Gold Rush era, and during that time, we’ve seen plenty of wonderful love stories. Today marks the beginning of another.’ Rachel waved in his direction.
‘I’d like you all to join me in welcoming Jacob Mullagh to the Bassett family. Jacob, I fucking love you. I wasn’t looking for love, yet it found me, chased me, and made me pay attention. You’ve put up with me while I was injured—’
The crowd cheered, yelling out snippets like ‘He must be a keeper’ and ‘Gotta love a patient bloke’.
‘Jacob, you are my person. Thank you.’ Rachel’s comment made complete sense to him. They’d already discussed that she hadn’t chosen sides—being bisexual didn’t work like that, and now she stated it as fact in front of a crowd. She’d chosen her person. Him. He was so damned proud of her brave announcement with the Tranquil Waters community, the same community who’d shunned her, watching on. His heart swelled as she claimed him in front of the party she’d organised to prove that she trusted him with her deepest fear. She jumped from her chair and knelt before him.
‘Jacob, would you marry me?’
‘Yes. I’d be a bloody idiot if I said no.’ The crowd’s yells of approval and cheers faded away as Rachel slowly stood before him, her eyes shiny with unshed tears, and the whole world shrunk to the two of them as he kissed her.