Ivy stared at him, speechless, for long, heart-stopping seconds. Was she hearing him correctly or was her mind and the foolish hopes it contained conjuring up the words she longed to hear from him? ‘I don’t know what to say...’
He came to her and grasped her by the shoulders, his eyes pleading. ‘Say yes, mon ange. Say you’ll marry me. Say you’ll have babies with me and build a life together.’
Ivy’s eyes filled with happy tears, joy bursting out of every cell in her body. She threw her arms around him and hugged him close. ‘Oh, Louis, you can’t imagine how wonderful it is to hear you say those words. I love you so much. I’ve been so unhappy, so desperately miserable since I left you. I’d given up hope that we could be together.’
He tilted up her face to gaze into her eyes, his face wreathed in a smile. ‘I love you to the depth of my being. I can’t bear the thought of another day without you by my side. Marry me, ma chérie? I need to hear you say yes otherwise I won’t believe you’re really mine at last.’
Ivy pressed a kiss to his lips. ‘Yes, I will marry you. I can think of nothing I’d love more than to be your wife. You’ve made me so happy I can barely stand it.’
He cradled her cheeks in his hand, his eyes so full of love it made her heart contract. ‘I love everything about you. Your goodness and kindness, your ability to always see the good in people instead of focussing on the bad. You have opened my heart like I thought it never could be opened. I feel I can cope with anything with you by my side.’
Ivy stroked his lean jaw. ‘I love everything about you too. You’re kind and generous and hard-working to a fault. You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a partner. I know we’ll be happy together. I will do everything in my power to make you the happiest man on earth.’
‘You made me that by saying yes just now.’ He reached into his jacket pocket and took out the flat rectangular jewellery box she’d left behind in Paris. ‘I want you to have these. They’ll match the pink diamond I’ve purchased to go with them. I thought Millie might like to design our engagement ring.’
Ivy took the velvet box off him and peeped inside to see the pendant, earrings and beside them a loose pink diamond. ‘Oh, Louis, that’s so thoughtful of you. She’ll be tickled pink. Ha ha.’ She closed the box and put it to one side so she could return to his warm and loving embrace. Back where she belonged. ‘But what changed your mind about being with me?’
‘My dad had a heart scare a few days ago. I spent a fair bit of time sitting with my mother while he was being attended to in hospital. I came to understand the dynamic between them a little better. They don’t always show it but they truly care about each other. And something you said a while back really started to resonate with me. You said at least my father hadn’t run off with someone else but had stayed loyal to my mother. I’d always seen that he’d stayed out of fear of her trying to take her life again, but he stayed with her because he loved her and didn’t want to lose her. He’d only suggested a separation all those years ago because she was so unhappy after a miscarriage. He thought she might be better off with someone else. I’ve been looking at all the things that were wrong in their relationship instead of all the things that are right.’
‘Oh, I’m so glad you understand them both a little better. Do you think I can meet them some time? I’d really love to.’
He grinned. ‘Of course. I can’t wait to show off my beautiful fiancée.’ He pressed another kiss to her lips. ‘I don’t want a long engagement. I want to be married to you as soon as possible. And let’s not leave it too long before we start on making a baby.’
Ivy smiled up at him. ‘You really mean it? You want to have babies with me?’
He kissed her again. ‘Yes. A baby or two, and we’ll get a dog too. And I’m going to make your boss an offer on his business. I think you’d be great at running your own antiques business. Or would that be too much?’
Ivy wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, leant her head on his chest and sighed with pure joy. ‘That would be perfect.’
EPILOGUE
LOUIS DIDN’T NEED to drink champagne at Ivy’s birthday party the following night to feel tipsy. He was drunk on the sight of her dressed in a scarlet velvet dress that clung lovingly to every sweet curve of her body. She was wearing the earrings and pendant he’d given her, and her friend Millie was already working on a design for the engagement ring.
Ivy had done a brilliant job of acting surprised when she’d come into the venue where the party was being held, but ended up being completely surprised by the presence of her brother and father. Louis had taken upon himself to meet with Keith Kennedy that morning and insist he not spoil Ivy’s birthday, because Millie had let slip to him in a follow-up email that Ronan and his partner Ricky were flying all the way from Australia to attend. Fortunately, Keith had had the grace and maturity to accept he was wrong and came to the party with an apology in hand. Of course, there was more work to do on Keith’s relationship with his son, but these things took time.
Louis had his own family relationships to continue to work on. He could never thank Ivy enough for helping him to see how he’d been far too critical of his parents, viewing their relationship too negatively without seeing the positives. And there were so many positives now his focus had changed. His father had never had an affair...he had never walked out on his wife or son. His father had put all his own dreams and aspirations to one side so he could carry on his own father’s business. That was a sacrifice that took enormous courage and commitment. His mother had suffered great sadness and Louis hadn’t fully understood how it had impacted her mental health. But he was hoping the birth of grandchildren one day in the future would help his mother continue on her journey to a happier, more positive state of mind.
Ivy moved away from greeting one of the guests and came back to Louis. ‘Darling, this is the best party I’ve ever had. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than at this very moment. I love you.’
He slipped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her lips. ‘Je t’aime, mon ange. I am happy too. More than I can say. More than I thought possible.’
And he would spend the rest of his life being thankful for his sweet, adorable Ivy.
Coming next month
CHRISTMAS IN THE KING’S BED
Caitlin Crews
“Your Majesty. Really.” Calista moistened her lip and he found himself drawn to that, too. What was the matter with him? “You can’t possibly think that we would suit for anything more than a temporary arrangement to appease my father’s worst impulses.”
“I need to marry, Lady Calista. I need to produce heirs, and quickly, to prove to my people the kingdom is at last in safe hands. There will be no divorce.” Orion smiled more than he should have, perhaps, when she looked stricken. “We are stuck. In each other’s pockets, it seems.”