International Player(73)

“I just want you with me all the time.”

Truly rolled to her side, slid one leg over mine and skirted her fingers up my torso. “I’m here. With you. And I’m happy.”

We were forever bound. Connected. And together we were ready to take on the world.





Epilogue





Noah


I should have been more nervous but being near Truly always calmed me.

The children were gathered in the activity room, some wheeled in from the ward in chairs, and even a few in beds. Truly had handed over the foundation’s check. The center had announced that its twenty-five-million-pound target had been reached and the speeches and thank yous were over. The entire room was full of smiles and excitement—a perfect setting. “We just have a final few words from an old friend of the center.” The medical director nodded at me.

I stepped forward and took the microphone with me, trying not to catch Truly’s eye and failing.

Her face was a mixture of shock and confusion. I hoped that didn’t last.

“Thank you, Dr. Edwards. I won’t keep any of you long, I just have a few words.” For the fiftieth time that day, I reached into my trouser pocket to ensure the velvet box was still there.

“I have been where you are now. When I was fifteen, I was in a car accident and was told I’d never walk again. I can’t say I’m pleased it happened, and I’ll carry the scars—inside and out—for as long as I live. But there was an upside. I learned I had the sheer force of will that’s required to face down the odds and beat them. That I could be told it’s impossible to do something, then do it anyway. That accident and my time spent here taught me what’s important in life and what isn’t. I learned to squeeze out every drop of life so I could taste exactly how sweet it is.

“Many of you know Truly Harbury and recognize how special she is. How kind and caring, how dedicated and driven.” A blush flushed across her cheeks and she still looked utterly confused. I grinned and turned back to the audience. “And just as I knew that I would defy the odds and walk again, I understand how precious Truly is. How important she is. How living my life without her wouldn’t be living life to the full.”

I pulled out the velvet box from my pocket and turned to her. “Truly, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, watching as you create happiness as you have done today and with every moment you spend working at the foundation. Hopefully, you’ll create some of your own happiness as I work at being a man who deserves you. I love you, Truly Harbury. Will you marry me?”

The pressure of a thousand stares made Truly feel further away and the only one in the room at the same time. Time seemed to slow down. Her expression slid from confused to understanding, and then she took a couple of steps toward me.

Did she want to be my wife as much as I wanted to be her husband?

“Noah,” she whispered, ignoring the ring I held out as she smoothed her hand over my cheek.

Mutterings in the crowd might have caught my attention if I hadn’t been so mesmerized by the beautiful woman in front of me I’d just asked to be my wife.

“I want to be your husband,” I said, desperate for an answer.

She nodded, and a grin tingled at the corners of my mouth.

“Is that a yes?” I asked.

She nodded again. “Yes! That’s a yes,” she said, and the room erupted.

I circled my arms around her waist and lifted her up. “Really?” I asked. “You’re not just saying that so I’m not humiliated in front of a crowd?”

Her giggle reverberated against me. “No, but you almost deserve it. Introverts don’t do public proposals. Did no one tell you?”

“We have the rest of our lives to eat Chinese food on the sofa and argue over which Star Wars movie is the best. You saying you’ll be my wife deserves a more public celebration.”

Small hands began tugging at my trousers, and I set Truly down. Children surrounded us to look at the ring and ask us about wedding plans. All I wanted was to have Truly to myself. I’d spent too long without her.

After hundreds of handshakes, high fives, hugs, and kisses, we finally managed to extract ourselves and head back to the car.

“We don’t have to get married, you know,” she said as I linked my fingers through hers.

“What are you talking about?” I pulled her hand up to my lips and kissed her knuckles next to the diamond.

“I don’t know. I just—you don’t seem like the guy who does things like get married.”

“I’m the guy who marries you. Not just anyone.”

She bit back a smile.

“I want to be your protector, your provider, your champion, your confidant. I want to be everything that I can for you. And that includes being your husband.” The image of Truly in a white dress with flowers in her hair, looking up at me as if I were her world, was burned in my brain.

That was what I wanted.

Her.

Forever.





Truly


“You’ve really done an amazing job these last few months,” I told Frankie, who had been heading up the foundation’s finance department since Abigail had gone on leave. “So good that I want to make your position permanent.” I wanted to fly across my desk and give her a big hug. She’d earned this opportunity, and I was so pleased to be able to give it to her.