Page 136 of Worth Every Risk

My heart races. He sounds serious. “Yes?”

“Do you want this?” He gestures back to the party inside.

“A party?”

“To get engaged. Married. All of it.”

My heart momentarily pauses, then resumes its beat. I know this isn’t something Matt wants. Not again. A little muffled throb of pain makes itself known in my chest because, as soon as I knew I was in love with Matt, thisissomething I wanted. But he already had it all, and I chose him over that experience. His family. His life. His kids. I love Lucie and Charlie, but I’ve avoided thinking about what being with a man who had his own family might mean for me. For my future.

“I just want to be with you,” I say.

His brow creases, which puzzles me. I thought he’d be relieved, but he doesn’t look it.

“Is something wrong?” I ask.

“No.” He takes both my hands in his. “I want to be with you too, but I don’t want you to have to compromise on anything you might want. Marriage. Kids. Any of it. I’d do it all again if I could do it with you.”

Oh, my heart.“I hadn’t thought—”

“I had. You’re young. You must have thought about having your own family. Kids. Marriage. A wedding.”

Nerves bubble up in my stomach. I can’t speak. Don’t know what to say.

He’s staring at me, the divot between his brows deepening. “Aries?”

“Yes. I wanted those things,” I admit, heart hammering. “But I want you more. I’d give it all up, just to be with you. I love you. I love your kids. Your house feels like home to me now.”

His features soften. “It's as much your home as it is mine. You chose every bit of furniture and every piece of fabric in it.”

I can’t help smiling. He let me changeeverything. The house is barely recognizable.

And then, right there on the balcony, he drops to one knee.

My hand flies to my mouth. “What are you doing? Matt? Don’t… wait… what are you doing? Get up. Getup.”

He pulls a velvet ring box from the pocket of his trousers and presents it to me. He flips it open, and inside there’s a yellow diamond surrounded by smaller white ones. It’s stunning. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what I would have chosen if I had ever dared to think about a moment like this.

I think I stop breathing for a moment.

“Aries McClennon, will you marry me?”

My knees weaken, and I sink to the ground opposite him, throwing my arms round his neck. “Holy shit, you’re an idiot. You’re an idiot. You’re an idiot,” I chant.

“Well, this isn’t how I imagined it would go,” he says, chuckling against my cheek. He eases me off him so he can look at my face, which is already streaming with tears.

“I don’t want to misinterpret this abuse,” he says. “Is this a yes?”

“Yes. Yes.Yes.”

He takes the ring from the box and slides it onto my finger. It sticks on my knuckle. “Fuck, this was going to be so perfect,” he mumbles with a disbelieving snort.

“It is. It is,” I reassure him as he eases the ring the rest of the way.

He stands, helps me up, and gives me my champagne. He raises a toast with his glass, tilting it towards mine.

“To true love,” he says, and my mouth can’t stretch wide enough to contain my smile. It feels like my entire body is grinning. We take a sip, and then he kisses me, his mouth warm and soft, and tasting like champagne.

“Oh, fuck,” comes a voice, and we look up to see Seb standing in the doorway, his expression twisted with mock-distress. “Not you too.”

We all laugh, and I know for sure this is exactly where we’re meant to be.

THE END