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“I know you are baby,” he says gently, cupping my face to wipe them away from the edges of my eyes. “I’m terrified that I’m going to lose you because he’s still out there…but he’s not. He can’t be Ame.”
“Then why haven’t they found his body yet? They’ve been searching the river for weeks and they’ve come up empty.”
“And what, baby? Because there’s no body you’re going to make us both miserable? What if they never find it Ame? Are we going to play this ‘we’re not really together’ game for the rest of our lives on the less than one percent chance he’s still out there?”
“No, I just…”
“You’re scared, I know, but us announcing our engagement isn’t going to make the other shoe fall. You have to stop thinking like that baby. Please, for us, for Maggie, for our future together, walk into the building with me, your hand in mine,myring on your finger,” he says so gently, so sweetly, that I can’t say no.
I slip my great-grandmother’s ring off my finger and unclip the necklace where his rests, putting it on as I stare down into the beautiful diamond. The ring was huge, but yet, it was exactly right somehow. The cut and clarity of the stones were the highest grade possible and the total karat of it I didn’t even know, but Rafe made it clear that it was more than a status symbol when he’d given it to me. He related each of the stones surrounding the center diamond to something about us, something about me that he loved, and the center stone was the infinite possibilities that our future held. I cried when he slid it onto my finger the first time and every time I remember what hesaid I tear up again. He’s simply perfect and that also scares me. Nothing in this world is perfect but to me—for me—he is.
He came around to open the door for me, and I set my hand in his, letting him help me out of it, before we headed towards the back entrance for the building. On a normal day, we would come out into the lobby then take the elevator up to the top floor, but it wasn’t as though we’d be hidden from everyone. The door opened into the middle of the lobby, and everyone was making their way into the office for the company meeting Rafe called regarding the latest news about Lemans and Diamonds.
I felt his hand tighten around mine just the slightest bit more when I paused momentarily seeing the heads turn towards us and stare. I took a deep breath and slid my chin up just the tiniest bit more as I stepped closer to Rafe letting us move through the lobby towards the main conference room. The rest of the executive board was already in it, and I saw the way they looked at us. As though all of their suspicions had finally been confirmed, and it hit me that I really didn’t care what any of them thought.
Yet again, it’d never been about them, it’d always been about me, and my fear of my heart breaking if I gave into what was between us. Except with Rafe, if anything happened, it’d be well known around here and I couldn’t have handled that.
“Everything okay?” Rafe asks quietly beside my ear as he leaned down a bit and I nod. “Really? You’re not about to go running from the room or hyperventilate on me here?”
“No, I love you Rafe. All of the fears and worries…”
“They were all because of Chad and not understanding how or why he did what he did?” he guesses, and I nod again. “So if I were to kiss you right now…”
I didn’t bother responding with words as I lifted my chin and settled my lips on his, loving the feeling of him against me. He slid a hand around my waist and deepened the kiss until I nolonger wanted to be at work, but at home with him. That was when I knew we needed to end it and I reluctantly pulled back opening my eyes to find the same feelings reflected back from his, along with the happiness that I’d let go and did it.
“I love you, baby,” he says softly brushing the hair back behind my ear and I smile knowing how much he really did.
“I love you too Rafe,” I reply as we took a step apart.
That’s when I realized that the entire room had gone quiet, and all eyes were on us.
Rafe noticed it too and wrapped his hand around mine, as though he were afraid, I’d take off because of it, but I wasn’t going to, not after everything it’d taken to get us to where we were. He walked towards the center of the room, where the podium was set up at and I had no idea what he was about to do or say.
“Good morning everyone, it looks like we’re all here so let’s get right to it, but first…for those of you who aren’t aware who the woman beside me is, I’d like to formally introduce you to Amelia Thorpe. She’s the reason why we are the owners of not only Lemans but as of seven o’clock this morning every single one of Diamonds’ subsidiaries.”
That brought a slight tinge to my cheeks because it’s not true, well not entirely true. Sure, I gave them the opening for Lemans but that’s it.
“But that’s not the only reason she’s standing beside me this morning,” Rafe continues after a bit of cheers and applause, the loudest from the staff who’d worked on the buyout that were all relieved it was finally done. “Far more important to me than simply taking over Diamonds is the next announcement; Amelia and I are engaged.”
I knew it was bound to come out, but I hadn’t expected him to do it so bluntly and it brought second and third looks from the room my way. Part of me still worried that they’dhold resentment or something similar but instead they were simply reassessing me and most of them seemed far more understanding than anything else.
“We will be holding a company picnic this summer for our work family and their families to enjoy the rewards of all your hard work to make this happen, and we hope to see all of you there. It will be the first time we’ll be able to attend as a family and will be shortly after we return from our honeymoon,” Rafe adds, and I smile more because the fact that Rafe wants us to go on a two-week honeymoon with Maggie was incredible. He’d promised that it would be everything I ever dreamt of or wanted, and I fully believe him because I know he’ll never stop trying to make me happy.
I can’t say that’s a bad thing though and with everything I’ve put him through with my fears, I’ll never take it for granted. I’m just glad that he forgave me for trying to push him away after what Harrison tried to make me believe.
I’m really glad that he forgave me for worrying Maggie. I hate that I hurt her in any of this. She doesn’t completely understand what went on, but she knows I wasn’t trying to be mean. That I’d honestly thought they would be better without me in their lives.
It’s clear that’s not the case and as the weeks slip by, I do my best to focus on work and the wedding, rather than the fact that Harrison’s body still hasn’t been found.
One of the biggest decisions we needed to make was whether to have the wedding in New York or back in Missouri. I was torn because honestly, I kind of wanted both. Rafe knew it and so we’re having an engagement party in New York while the actual wedding itself will be at one of the amazing wineries not too far from my hometown.
The crowd at the engagement party draws some curious glances because I invited a few of the girls from the club as wellas Vivian and Maura. They don’t fit in with the crowd from the office and especially not with some of the mothers from Maggie’s school that I’ve gotten to know. All three groups make up who I am though, and Rafe certainly didn’t begin to argue inviting any of them.
“So you’re the one that stole my best girl,” Maura says when I introduce Rafe to her and Vivian, giving me a wink as he clears his throat a bit. “You better take care of her because if not, we’ll come find you.”
“Terrifying prospect isn’t it, babe?” I tease as he pulls me closer. “I can just see you running for your life as a handful of waitresses and dancers chase after you.”
“Horrendous idea for certain,” he agrees, dropping a kiss onto my lips that makes me smile from deep within as his friend and soon-to-be best man Preston arrives.
