AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll meet you up there.”
Heath winked at me. “Hopefully, you’ll be busy.”
Then he nodded toward the open door where Fiona was just lifting her skirt and stepping onto the porch. I moved toward her without thinking, offering my hand. “You look stunning.”
Her hair was swept to one side where it fell over her shoulder in one long ringlet. The emerald dress wrapped around her curves, then flared at her feet. It shimmered underneath the holiday lights and the moon.
Then she lifted her gaze to me as she placed her hand in mine. “Aiden.”
“Fiona, I wanted to say how sorry I am—” I began as Marley pulled her into a hug, then said to me, “Aiden, please get ready to make the announcements. I’ll show Fiona to her seat.”
I nodded and let go of Fiona’s hand. I’d gone off script. My heart was thumping hard, and my hands shook as I shoved them into my pockets. I kept my head down, running through the words I would say to her. I paused at the back of the room, taking in the number of people who’d come out tonight. It was a full house. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this.
I patted the box in my pocket for the hundredth time, ensuring myself that it was there and to keep my mind on the end game. I wanted Fiona in my life. The thought of her wearing my ring at the end of the night lit up everything inside of me.
I moved to the backstage area to wait for my cue to thank everyone for coming. When Heath dimmed the lights, Charlotte handed me the microphone. “Just talk from your heart.”
I wanted to ask her what she knew about love, but there wasn’t time. I took a deep breath, then crossed the stage. I didn’t look up until I was in the center. Then I turned to face the audience. They slowly stopped talking and turned their attention to me.
“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. When my sister, Marley, inherited the inn, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with it. Initially, she wanted to renovate it and sell it. But then she fell in love with this place, the history, our family’s legacy, and the contractor.”
The crowd laughed, and I relaxed more.
I searched out Fiona who was seated in the front row center.
“I thought I was happy running the inn. Then my high school sweetheart came home for the holidays and rented a room here.”
The crowd quieted, as if sensing there would be a big revelation coming soon.
“When I showed her the movie theater, the bowling alley, the game room, and the bar, she convinced me that we had to renovate. That the inn must be restored to how it would have been when my grandmother ran it. Fiona Calloway worked with me to make this a reality.” I gestured around at the grand theater, and a few people whistled.
“I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with her again, and that’s not even what happened.” I glanced down at Fiona, her eyes shining. “I realized I never stopped loving you, Fiona. It just increased in intensity. What we have now is so much deeper than when we were kids. And I know I made you promises I didn’t keep. But I hope you’ll give me another chance to love you. Because this feeling isn’t going away, and I want to spend my life with you. Whether that’s here at the inn or wherever your job takes you.”
We’d talked about the logistics, where Fiona would be seated, whether I should go to her, or whether I should invite her to the stage.
In the moment, it felt right to hop off the stage and make my way to her. The front row was empty except for Fiona. I dropped to one knee. “Fiona Calloway, will you forgive me for the stupid things I said the other day. I didn’t mean them. I pushed you away because I love you, and I wanted to protect you. I always have.”
Fiona’s eyes shone with tears, and she nodded. “I forgive you.”
“I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I never want to be without you. I’ll follow you wherever you are. You just have to tell me that you feel the same way.”
I waited for her response.
Fiona cupped my jaw. “I love you too. I always have.”
I forgot about the proposal and the ring and pulled her down so I could kiss her. The room erupted in clapping and cheers.
But I wasn’t done yet.
I pulled back slightly so I could extract the box from my pocket. I opened it. “Fiona, will you marry me? Will you love me for the rest of your days, filling my life with happiness and joy.”
She nodded. “Yes, I will.”
This time I stood and tugged her into my body, knowing that I couldn’t pull her into my lap with the tight dress she was wearing. She kissed me, and I felt the tears sliding down her cheeks.
I heard the crowd, but it felt like we were alone in the room. She held her hand out, and I slid the ring onto it. It sparkled in the lights of the theater, and the credits for the movie began to play. It was a song and when a few in the crowd cheered for us to dance, I pulled her into my arms.
When the movie started, I led her upstairs to our balcony and handed her a glass of champagne. “I’m willing to move wherever you are. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
