Revel (Second Chance Romance #1)(50)

“I love you,” he said. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked. She was laying on his chest now, listening to his heartbeat slow from rapid to normal.

“For giving me another chance,” he said. “For being here through what happened to my dad. For everything. For existing in the first place.”

She grinned, “That’s a lot.”

“I could never say all the things I’m thankful for when it comes to you,” he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth. “You’re my moon. Remember?”

“I do,” she said.

“Would you like to be something else too?” he asked.

“Maybe,” she replied. “What’s that?”

“My wife,” he grinned. “I used to always tell myself when I asked you, it would be here.”

Her heart jumped in her chest. She hadn’t expected it, but now that he’d said it, it was all she wanted in the world.

“Yes,” she said, tears falling down her face. “I want that more than anything.”

“I know I didn’t get down on one knee,” he said. “And I don’t have a ring. But we’re billionaires. I’ll fly you to Lorraine Schwartz herself and you pick out the biggest diamond in the world, and it’s yours. Literally, Charlotte. The biggest one any woman has ever received from her future husband.”

“We’re billionaires?” Charlotte laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“What’s mine is yours,” he grinned. “Isn’t that how it works?”

“I have no idea,” she laughed. “But I like the sound of it. And I’m not talking about the money. I just want your soul, Declan DeGraff. That’s all.”

“Well, that’s been yours since the beginning of time,” he said, kissing her softly on the lips. “And it’s yours til the end of it.”





Epilogue


A few months later… Christmas



“I can’t wait until they’re here!”

Charlotte had flown Vanessa and her father down for their engagement party in Charleston. She hadn’t planned on having one-she preferred to elope somewhere tropical if she was being honest-but Allyn Legare had insisted.

“It’ll be the event of the holiday season!” Allyn had crooned into the phone. “I mean a DeGraff wedding? Are you kidding? You’ll be all over the society section. It’s like… Kate Middleton marrying the damn Prince. Except Declan is much better looking. But it’s the whole Cinderella, commoner thing…”

“Jesus, Allyn,” Charlotte said. “Did you seriously use the word ‘commoner’ to describe me?”

“I mean it in a good way!” Allyn replied. “It’s a fairy tale! You’re proof that love can prevail over all things.”

“Even Charleston social status,” Charlotte said sarcastically. “Oh, Allyn. You’re too much.”

“You know you love me and that I love you,” Allyn said. “It’s why you made me a bridesmaid.”

Charlotte laughed, “Who knew that Allyn Legare would ever be one of my bridesmaids? Life is so weird.”

“It is,” Allyn agreed. “And I’m so grateful for that.”

********

Charlotte was nervous about her family coming to Charleston. Not so much about Vanessa, who she knew could handle it, but her father. He had sworn to her that he would never step foot into the state of South Carolina ever again. Especially not Charleston.

But a couple of months ago, Charlotte and Declan had flown up to Nashville so Declan could officially ask her father’s permission to marry his daughter. Declan had insisted on it, even though Charlotte thought it was a silly tradition.

“I have a feeling your father is the type that would appreciate it,” Declan had said. “And I was raised to do it. Women look forward to the ring. But men look forward to things too, you know. And he’s the only living grandparent of our future children. I want to show how much respect I have for him.”

So Declan had asked her father on a fishing trip they’d taken together on the Cumberland River. Her father had been a little surprised, he didn’t know much about Declan, but he’d been quick to say yes. On one condition.

“Make her laugh a lot,” he’d say. “Even when life is hard. It’s what I miss the most about my wife. She had a really good laugh.”

Declan nodded, “The first thing I loved about your daughter was her laugh. It’s my favorite sound in the world.”

Mr. Sanders had looked at Declan then, his eyes welling up for a moment, “Yep. It’s a good one. Sounds so much like her mother’s sometimes that my heart almost stops. It’s like having a piece of her back again.”

So when Charlotte invited Vanessa to the engagement party on her last day in Nashville, and as an afterthought mentioned the festivities to her father, she was pleasantly shocked when he immediately announced his plans to attend.

“Dad, we’d love to have you there. I’m sorry I didn’t come right out and invite you, I just know how you feel about Charleston and I didn’t want to put you in the awkward position of declining.” Charlotte explained.

“It’s time,” he’d said.