Valorous(44)

I can hear Leah’s screaming reply to that, which makes me laugh.

They talk for another couple of minutes before they say their good-byes.

“What’s up?” I ask the second she ends the call.

“According to our friend Sue, who works in the main office, the board is seriously considering overturning Mrs. Heffernan’s decision to fire me. Aileen and the other parents apparently presented one hell of an argument.”

“That’s great, Nat.” It is great, and I’m happy for her, but the thought of her returning to New York is thoroughly depressing.

“Yeah.”

“They should reinstate you. It’s the right thing to do.”

“I know.” She runs her fingers through her long hair as she stares out the window at the scenery on the way into Malibu.

I want to know what she’ll do if she gets her job back, but I don’t ask. I’m afraid of her reply.

“How about a walk on the beach?” I ask when we’re back at the house. We’ve been sticking close to the house since we’ve been here, but I recall how much Natalie loved the beach the first time she experienced it. And since Addie handed me the package I’ve been waiting for, I can move forward with my plans. My stomach is full of butterflies, but they’re the happy excited kind.

“Can we do that? You don’t have your Russian mafia hat with you.”

“That would draw too much attention here. I do have a Dodgers ball cap and dark sunglasses. And we’ve got them.” I gesture to the security guys who pulled into the driveway behind us.

“Sure, if you think it’s okay.”

After we change into shorts and T-shirts, we head out with Fluff, who’s thrilled to have us back at home. Well, she’s thrilled to have Natalie. She’s tolerating me. The beach is largely deserted this late in the day, so we have the place to ourselves, other than the security team that trails at a decent distance. I’ve asked them to give us some privacy for what I have planned for this walk of ours.

We hold hands as we stroll along the edge of the cold water that sloshes over our feet.

“Does the water ever get warm?” she asks.

“In the summer, it gets tolerably cold.”

“It’s so pretty here. If I lived here, all I’d do is stare at the ocean all day.”

“Do you want to live here?”

“I don’t know,” she says with a nervous laugh. “I have no idea where I belong anymore.”

She’s handed me the perfect opening for the conversation I wish to have with her. “I do.”

“You do what?” She’s staring out at the ocean, so she doesn’t see me staring down at her, captivated by the way the breeze flutters through her hair. I will never get tired of looking at her, of talking to her, of holding her hand, of making love to her or anything else I get to do with her. “I know where you belong.”

“And where’s that?”

“With me.” I stop walking and turn to face her, dropping to one knee before her.

She gasps, and Fluff barks. “Flynn! What’re you doing?”

I push my sunglasses to the top of my head. “Natalie, I love you more than I ever imagined it was possible to love anyone. When I heard the other day what the press was doing to you, I felt like my own heart had been ripped from my chest. I couldn’t think or breathe or do anything until I got to you.”

Natalie wipes tears from her face. “I don’t expect you to do this because of what happened with the press.”

“You think I’m doing this because of that? My darling love, this is because of what happened in a park when you and that vicious wildebeest of yours mowed me over and changed my life forever with one look into the most amazingly beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m doing this because every second I spend away from you feels like the most painful form of torture I’ve ever endured. And I’m doing it because I quite simply can’t live without you. So do you think maybe you could help me out here and have some mercy on me? Will you marry me, Natalie?”

“Your parents… Are you sure they want all the crap that comes with me?”

“You heard them today. They’re thrilled to welcome you into our family. And besides, they’ll be busy celebrating the fact that a woman they too fell in love with at first sight has finally brought me up to scratch.”

“Yes, Flynn,” she says, laughing as she wipes away her tears. “I’ll marry you.”