Total pages in book: 221
Estimated words: 213317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1067(@200wpm)___ 853(@250wpm)___ 711(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 213317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1067(@200wpm)___ 853(@250wpm)___ 711(@300wpm)
The surprise he promised me this morning is the last thing on my mind right now. The tears and the sobs are easing up a little, but I’m still broken inside, reeling at the reality that my career at Wedding Bliss is truly over.
“I’d move tonight back if I could,” Ant says, and I try to digest his words. “But I can’t. Hopefully this will help, though. I really, truly hope so.”
“What?” I ask as he climbs to his feet and pulls me with him.
My breath is still hitching from the sobs as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and guides me through to the kitchen, and I just can’t… I can’t believe it.
The place is full of beautiful gold balloons, and rose petals all over the table, and candles are glowing everywhere, and just…
No.
It can’t be.
“I’m sorry it has to be this way, but I hope it’s still magical,” he says as he steps in front of me, and my nerves are so wired I feel dizzy as he drops down on one knee.
“What–” I begin to ask as he clears his throat.
“I’ve had this planned for a while, princess, because you’re my everything, and here I am, asking you with all my heart and all my soul.” His expression is beautiful. His eyes are the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen as he stares up at me and opens the ring box he pulls from his pocket, and of course. I notice then. He’s wearing a tuxedo. Can this really be happening? Can it?
Yes.
It’s happening.
“Cassandra,” he says. “Will you marry me?”
The world stops moving. Just like that. My breaths stop, and everything stills, and through the misery and the shock of what’s just happened at Wedding Bliss, I feel the craziest rush of emotion burst through the sadness.
Anthony Bradstone – the love of my life – is down on one knee. He’s proposing to me – wanting me to be his wife.
Every second feels like a lifetime as I find myself nodding, and even through the tears the grin comes. Of course it does.
Joy. Dreams. The future I have craved since I was a tiny girl. It’s all right here. Right now.
“Yes,” I tell him “YES!”
My God, how regal he looks. His smile is so strong and so real as he gets up to his feet and slides the ring onto my finger. I stare at the sparkle of the gorgeous jewel, and it’s every bit as stunning as I could have ever dreamt – a huge solitary diamond on a stunning golden band.
I’m still staring at it in shock when he kisses me. It takes every bit of effort to turn my attention to him and not the ring when I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around him in appreciation of the amazing man he is.
The amazing husband he’s going to be.
The incredible father for our children.
“Time to let people know,” he says with a smirk, and I have no idea what he’s talking about until he leads me through to the living room and switches on the TV. There is video call screen already set up to connect, and he clicks the button to dial.
It’s my mum’s number he’s calling, and she answers in a heartbeat. I gasp in shock as I see the crowd gathered there in Mum and Dad’s living room. My parents are there, with Sarah, Dave and Harry, all of them letting out a cheer as Ant presents me in front of them with a she said yes!
They knew.
“I asked your father first,” Ant laughs and I feel more tears coming – tears of wild joy this time. “I know it’s tradition and I wanted to give that tradition some respect, so I requested your father’s permission to propose to his incredible daughter.”
“Wow,” I say, then wave at my family onscreen, still so in shock I can barely speak.
“Luckily, your dad said yes,” Ant laughs, and Dad laughs along with him.
“How could I not? You’re so bloody brilliant for her that I’d have been telling her to propose to you before long.”
My family look so happy for me. Mum and Sarah are crying, and Dave and Harry are clapping. I feel like a true princess as I show them the ring as best as I can via camera, hoping they’ll see it soon enough in person. But it seems I needn’t have worried about that, either.
“Your parents are kindly hosting us in Bucklebury tomorrow,” Ant says, and my family nod along with another cheer. “We’re going out to celebrate, all of us together. Happy engagement to us.”
Just. FUCK.
More tears come. I cover my face as the wave hits me and they let out another cheer.
It seems to go on for ever as I compose myself, and the glow takes over everything. I’m grinning as wide as I can grin as Ant takes my hand and kisses it, right by my engagement ring.