Resisting Mr. Kane (London Mister #2)(95)

“Are you okay, Tristan? Your forehead seems sweaty.”

No, I am not fucking okay. I’m far from okay. My nerves are shot to pieces and my heartbeat feels like it’s in my head. I’m surprised Elly can’t hear it through the headset. I won’t tell that to Elly, no one wants to hear that their pilot is fraught with nerves. A Scotch would be good right about now but that’s not the best solution operating a helicopter over central London.

Funny enough, I wasn’t nervous the first time round doing this, which speaks volumes.

I take a deep breath and try to get a grip. I must breathe loudly into the mic because she looks over at me again, this time more warily.

Now, I’m making her nervous.

I have thirty minutes left on the route approved by air traffic control clearance. If Jack, Danny and Charlie aren’t ready, I’ll blow a fuse.

“I think we’ll pass the golf course,” she says innocently. “Danny and Jack might see us!”

I know we will and yes, they will.

We soar 800 metres over the city taking in the capital’s iconic landmarks. The Shard. The Gherkin. The Walkie Talkie. They’re just bricks and glass today, I can’t focus on them.

I glance over at Elly who is scanning the scenery, obvious to what’s going on in my head.

She’s perfect.

My heart tugs like it does every time I look at her. It’s only been months, not years, but when you know, you know.

A few months back, we moved in together into a quaint little mews house in Notting Hill. Turns out I don’t need a four-storey townhouse with a cinema room and two bars when I have my Elly with me every night.

Megan’s paintings hang in the hallway and are the first thing you see when you enter the house. It was a sweetener for taking her flatmate away from her. She only overcharged me three times the going rate this time, so I got off lightly. Jack let her keep the painting in the lobby of his Waterloo apartment block and he only had to pay double. I think she’s got a bit of a crush.

Daniel stays with us three days a week now. We eventually reached a fragile peace treaty with Gemina a few months back and it was Elly I have to thank for that. She went for the strategy of killing her with kindness. Whilst they will never be best buddies, Elly’s consistent checking in on her and inviting her to occasional lunches wore her down. In fact, for the first time in years I invited Gemina over for lunch at mine and all cutlery remained unbroken.

Daniel now has two dads and I’ve nearly come to terms with that. What matters most is his happiness, not mine, Gemina's or Matias's.

“We’re coming up to the golf course now,” I say with a lump in my throat. I fumble with the side compartment to find the box. This is it.

“Are they having some type of event at the clubhouse?” She squints down. “I can’t see, I need my glasses.”

For fuck’s sake. I can’t fly any lower.

“Oh!” she cries. “There’s a massive sign on the ground! Like the banners you see flying behind planes.”

Yes, except we are doing it the other way round.

“What does it say?” I ask, using one hand on the controls to hover above the golf course and the other balancing the black box on my thigh.

“Uh…” Her nose wrinkles as she tries to make it out. “Someone is proposing…it says, Will you marry—” She stops short. “Elly,” she whispers into her headset. “Will you marry me, Elly.”

That’s my queue.

“Elly, this is my way of sweeping you off your feet.” I try not to stutter my way through the words. “I love you. More than anyone I’ve ever loved before. I want to start a family with you.” I pause and lift the ring box in my sweaty hand, snapping it open. “Elly Andric, will you marry me?”

Her hands fly to her mouth then she lets out a loud screech that assaults my ears through the headset.

That’s it, that’s all she offers.

Is she going to answer the goddamn question?

Her mouth seems frozen in shock. Shit, is she going to say no?

I might crash the helicopter if she does, I don’t think my poor heart can take it. Perhaps I didn’t think this romantic proposal through.

“Elly?” I hold out the ring, waiting.

It’s nowhere as ostentatious as the one I bought for Gemina. Elly and I don’t need to speak in money to each other. With Elly’s mother from Pašman, the island known as the green gem of Croatia, and my parents from the Emerald Isle, it felt right to get a green gemstone.

I need both hands to start turning soon so she needs to make up her mind. “Are you gonna just keep me hanging?”

Her eyes lock on mine as she chokes back tears. “Yes.”

A single word has never sounded so good.

“Yes, I will marry you. Oh, come on, how can I say no to the irresistible Tristan Kane?”

Roughly one year later

Elly

“Elly, are you alright?” Megan asks, concerned.

I feel Mum's touch on my arm. "Relax, darling. Deep breaths. You’ll get through this.”

You would think they were coaching me to go into labour or surgery. Actually this is one of the happiest days of my life, I’ve been told. Or it will be in hindsight. Right now, I feel faint.

We are standing on the steps of St. Dominic’s Church, a beautiful Gothic-style church in Dubrovnik, Croatia.