Take Three (The Jilted Bride #2)(72)

He ran his fingers through my hair and caressed my face, never taking his eyes off mine.

Keep scowling at him…Pretend that kiss never happened…

“I take it your mother didn’t tell you what I did with Sweet Seasons?”

“I didn’t need her to tell me that you put it out of business, Ethan. That was already pretty clear before I left Fayetteville.”

I knew that wasn’t what he was talking about. I knew that he’d paid all the former employees of Sweet Seasons ten years worth of salary with a hundred thousand dollar bonus, and that he’d given my mother twenty million dollars in exchange for using her recipes and the Sweet Seasons name on a special blend of Autumn Wonder coffee. But I didn’t think that erased what he did. I was still upset with my mom for accepting his money.

“So you do know?” he smiled.

How does he do that?

“Yes…”

“Well, good…Should I assume you signed that million-dollar endorsement deal with Starbucks out of spite?”

Absolutely.

“No, I did it because they happen to be my favorite coffee shop.”

“Yes, of course they are,” he rolled his eyes. “How long are you staying in Memphis?”

“Just tonight.”

“Hmmm. Mind if I join you in your suite? I didn’t make any hotel reservations for myself.”

“If I said yes, would you be upset?”

“Very,” his eyes hardened.

“No…I don’t mind. You can sleep on the couch.”

He laughed. “Why thank you…Now, close your eyes,” he whispered.

“Why?”

“Why? Why? Why can’t you just do things when I tell you to do them? Do you have to question everything? All the time? I swear you are so…” he sighed. “I love you Selena.”

My heart stopped. “I—”

“Please close your eyes,” he kissed my forehead and waited.

“Selena Ross,” his voice was wavering, “for the record, you really are the most frustrating woman I have ever met. You always have to have the last word, you are completely incapable of compromise, and you probably thought you were the only one with hurt feelings when you left Fayetteville.”

That last one isn’t true…

“The truth is, I was hurt too, but mainly because I hurt you and I don’t ever want to do that again. If you take me back, I promise I won’t ever do it again. You mean a lot to me and I don’t think I can go another day without waking up next to you…Two months ago you asked me if I’d ever fallen in love before and I said no because I didn’t even know what love was…But after being without you for so long, I want you to know that that answer doesn’t apply any more. I’m in love with you Selena, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, your stubbornness, and your ridiculous Starbucks contract.”

I gasped as he bent down and kissed me, as he whispered that I should keep my eyes closed.

I felt something cool against my chest, then a kiss on my left hand.

“You can open your eyes now.”

I looked down at my chest and saw a Harry Winston diamond ring—at least six carats, sparkling against the night.

“This isn’t a promise ring,” he looked into my eyes. “I think you’ve received enough of those during your lifetime...Will you marry me?”

“What! You put my mom’s bakery out of business Ethan!” I sat up and slipped the ring onto my finger. “That wasn’t that long ago! Do you not remember that?”

Perfect fit…

“Yes, but it wasn’t personal and if I could change it I would. I also think I’ve made the best amends possible and I hope you’ll forgive me one day. I completely restructured how we do our expansion sites so something like this won’t ever happen again.”

“And you didn’t admit that you were the CEO of Autumn Wonder while we were dating. And you had all that time to tell me!” I held my hand in front of my face and saw how stunning the ring was: “Mrs. Lockwood” was etched in cursive onto one side of the band, and “I love you” was etched on the other.

“Correct.”

“And we haven’t known each other for that long. You really expect me to marry you? You think I would want to spend the rest of my life with you?”

“Yes,” he smiled.

“Well I don’t,” I folded my arms. “And I’m going to keep this ring just like I kept that charm bracelet because it’s absolutely beautiful and I know you wouldn’t care if I did. I’m sure a billionaire like you can afford a lot more of these so—”

“So will you marry me, Selena?” he pulled me close enough to kiss me.

“No…” I shook my head. “I can’t….Unless you ask me one more time—in the movies the guy always asks three times,” I felt a tear fall down my face.

He smiled and got down on one knee, “Selena Ross—I mean, Beauregard…Most stubborn and frustrating woman I have ever met, I am in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”

“I’m in love with you too Ethan…Yes!” I leaned in to kiss him but he moved away.