Until April (Until Her/Him #10)(69)

Feeling eyes on me I look up and find Maxim in the doorway watching me then notice a piece of fabric in his hand.

“Everything okay?”

“I have something to show you outside,” he says and I glance to the window and see that it’s dark, not really surprising since we are heading into fall.

“I’m almost done with this, can you give me five minutes?” I ask him and he shakes his head then steps around the desk to where I am.

“I can finish that up tomorrow.”

“Or I can finish it tonight, I just have a few girls left.” I start to spin the chair around to face him when he comes to stand behind me but he stops me before I can.

“No more talk about work.” The piece of fabric in his hands comes down in front of my face.

“What are you doing?”

“You’ll see.” He places it over my eyes then I feel him tie it into a knot at the back of my head. “Up you go.” He helps me stand then starts to lead me out of the office.

“Don’t let me fall,” I hold onto him tightly as he leads me blindfolded through the house.

“I would never let you fall,” he assures me right before he scoops me up into his arms bridal-style, causing me to shriek. “I got you.”

“Okay.” I hold onto his neck, then feel him come to a stop right before he maneuvers me to open the sliding door leading outside. And I know it’s the door leading outside, since I have spent almost every day by the pool or in it since my stitches were removed a week ago.

“What are we doing?”

“You’ll see.” He rights me, placing my feet on the ground, then he turns me away from him so that my back is against his chest. When I feel his fingers at the knot tied at the back of my head, my heart pounds with anticipation. “Surprise,” he whispers against my ear, and I blink my eyes open, seeing twinkle lights wrapped around the base of each tree, along the fence, and arched across the glowing pool. It looks like a fairy garden under the dark star-filled night sky. A lot like his yard in Vegas only better because it’s here where I get to enjoy it every evening.

“This is… wow.” I turn to face him, and my heart drops into my stomach. Between his thumb and index finger is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my life—a large oval-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller stones.

“I thought about waiting to ask you to marry me.” He takes my left hand and brings it up between us. “But after everything that has happened, I don’t want to put it off.” He slides the ring down over my knuckle. “I also don’t want to wait a year to make you my wife.”

“Are you proposing, or are you telling me we’re getting married?” I ask, looking up into his eyes.

“Do I need to tell you we’re getting married, or will you just say you’ll marry me?”

“You know… you have a really bad tendency of ruining important moments with your highhandedness,” I inform him, even though I really don’t care. I love that he’s always so sure about everything that he never makes me question how he feels or what he wants. I love him more than I thought I could love someone.

“Are you going to marry me?”

“Can you ask me properly?” I snap, then I gasp as his mouth crashes down on mine for a kiss that is so deep it takes my breath away.

And as I kiss him back, all I can think is how fitting this is.

Our relationship started with him pushing his way into my life, so it’s only right that our future would start the same way.





Epilogue


Maxim

Six months later



WITH DETERMINATION IN my step, I head down the long, tiled hallway and past the two receptionists who watch me as I go. When I reach the end of the hall, I push through a set of double doors, and all heads turn my way.

“Maxim,” July rushes toward me with her hands out, and I shake my head and take hold of her wrist before she can try to hold me back.

“I need to see her.”

“You can’t go in there,” she whispers, then I see April’s other sisters get close with matching worried looks on all their faces.

“It’s bad luck,” my sister tells me, stepping up to my side and resting her hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t care.” I hold her gaze for a moment, then watch her sigh.

“Come on, July. We’re not going to be able to stop him.”

“But—” July starts, and Melanie shakes her head, pulling her away as she sputters in disbelief.

Without a backward glance, I head through another set of closed doors, and as soon as I step into the room, my mom and November, who are both standing near April, turn my way.

“We’ll wait outside,” Mom tells her, and April nods, then gives her mom a hug, and a moment later, I hear the door close behind me.

My heart lodges in my throat as I stare at her across the distance between us.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” she whispers, the worry in her tone setting my teeth on edge. The idea that she doesn’t want to marry me, doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life with me, is enough to send me over the edge. My whole life, I’ve been waiting for this moment without even knowing it, and finally it’s here right within my grasp.

“You we’re supposed to meet me down on the beach twenty minutes ago.” I take a step toward her, and she takes a step back. “I’m not letting you out of this.” I take another step, lessening the distance between us. “You said you would marry me, and I’m holding you to that promise.”