Crazy about Cameron: The Winslow Brothers #3(65)
Her head fell forward against his chest with a quiet sob, and Cameron pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, resting his lips on her sun-warmed, satiny-soft hair.
“But until then, I was sort of hoping you’d take me on as a roommate and a business partner.”
Her shoulders trembled, and Cameron wondered if this was all too much. Honestly, he hadn’t intended to tell her about his plans to propose. Fuck, had it been too much? Was she freaking out? You can freak out, but don’t check out. Please don’t check out, Meggie.
“Baby?” he said softly, stroking her back. “I move at the speed of light. If you need some time to think it over, that’s totally understandable. We can . . .”
She leaned back, and he realized that what he had assumed were tears was actually a mixture of tears and laughter. Her eyes were shiny but joyful as she looked up at him and nodded.
“Yes.”
“To which part?”
“To all of it. To a place we love, and to a business we can share, and to a future we’re going to build together. Yes to all of it, Cam.”
And Cameron Winslow, who never, ever did things in half measures, cupped Margaret Story’s face in his hands and kissed her to seal the deal.
EPILOGUE
Six weeks later
Once Margaret had a regular contractor come and reconstruct her pantry, it didn’t take more than three weeks to sell her apartment, and she happily moved some of her belongings to Cameron’s place, which they’d decided to keep for evenings they wanted to spend in the city, and she put the rest in storage. They lived in the cottage for now because the house Cameron was having built at The Five Sisters was still under construction. But he was determined to have it finished in time for their Christmas wedding, and knowing Cameron, it would be ready with time to spare.
Speaking of Margaret’s Cameron, he proposed last weekend, on the first official day of fall, which was also the day the tasting room was officially completed. As he led her from the cottage to the new building blindfolded, she inhaled deeply, the strong, fresh smell of new lumber flooding her senses. When Cameron removed the blindfold, she found that the entire room was roped in white lights, and he was down on one knee before her.
She gasped, knowing, of course, that this day was coming, but not expecting it quite so soon.
Cameron reached for her hand while holding an open ring box in his other palm. The ring, made of yellow gold, with leaves and vines woven into the metalwork, held a large diamond in its center, with two emeralds flanking it like leaves. Tears filled Margaret’s eyes because it was so perfectly and thoughtfully chosen. Looking up from the beautiful ring, she allowed her eyes to be seized and held by his.
“Margaret Story. My Meggie.” He gulped softly, an uncharacteristic nervousness making him pause, and she loved him all the more for it. “You’re the woman of my dreams. Always have been. Always will be. All I want, for the rest of my life, is to be with you. If you’ll marry me, I promise we’ll make beautiful wines and beautiful babies and a beautiful life together, and I will protect you and love you until my dying breath. Be my wife?”
She was barely able to choke out “Yes!” she was so overcome with love for him.
Cameron beamed at her, then stood up and slipped the gorgeous ring over her finger. And they christened the new tasting room then and there, tasting each other under the white twinkle lights, and then wrapped themselves up in each other’s arms as they planned a future together.
Meanwhile, Priscilla, who was only supposed to fill in at Story Imports until Margaret “came to her senses,” had been hired as their father’s full-time secretary, and it didn’t surprise Margaret a bit when she arrived at Jessica Winslow and Alex English’s wedding today holding on to Shane Olson’s arm. Although Margaret was dying to know what was going on with them, she was determined to let Priscilla tell her when she was ready, and so she grinned at her little sister and welcomed Shane without teasing questions or a knowing smile.
Margaret didn’t know what would become of her relationship with her father, who had canceled his attendance at Jessica and Alex’s wedding once the new venue had been made known. Perhaps they wouldn’t reconcile. Perhaps they would. She would always hope for peace with her father, but Cameron’s love was ballast against the nonexistence of her father’s. All she could do was pledge that she would be a different kind of parent to her children. One day.
Margaret scanned the long table where she sat nestled beside Cameron. The Englishes and Winslows had taken over the table completely, and Barrett English was making a rather long speech about how Jessica could best “manage” his younger brother. Cameron laughed beside Margaret, squeezing her closer and clapping heartily when the speech was over. The guests picked up their forks and banged them lightly against their wineglasses, and Margaret looked down the candlelit table to see Alex clutch Jessica’s face with infinite tenderness and kiss his new bride.
Margaret recognized the look on Jessica’s face when she finally drew away. Unreserved and unconditional love was something Margaret herself knew well.
Brooks and Preston, who were seated across from each other, got up next and asked everyone to raise their glasses.
“We were not initially in favor of Alex courting our sister,” said Brooks, looking pointedly at Cameron.
“Hell, no!” said Cameron, eliciting a hearty laugh from the English brothers.