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Oliver took my hand and gazed deeply into my eyes. I gazed lovingly back at him, my fingers curling into his.
From the shadows, I heard the soft strains of a violin, and a violinist emerged into the light.
I looked up in surprise at the musician and then turned back to Oliver, who was smiling at me.
Another surprise, I realized.
“Amanda,” Oliver murmured. “I love you so much.”
From the other side, I could hear a cello joining in the melody.
I could feel the tears gathering in my eyes. What did I ever do to deserve this sweet, sweet man?
“I love you, too,” I told him. “So, so much.”
He reached out to wipe the tears that had trickled out of the corners of my eyes. “I’m so happy we were given this chance to be together again. It’s more than I could have ever hoped for in this lifetime. You are the greatest woman I have ever seen. Your strength and your beauty are unparalleled, Amanda. If you could see yourself through my eyes, you would never, ever doubt yourself again.”
I could not hold the tears streaming down my face at his ardent declaration. I had lost all words at this point.
“You look so perfect right now, with the lanterns and the stars lighting you up,” he murmured. “I lost you once because I was young and stupid. I never want to make the same mistake again. You are my soulmate, Amanda. You’re the only one for me.”
I was pretty sure I was ugly-crying by now, but I didn’t care.
The gondola gracefully wandered underneath the small bridge and then…stopped.
I looked up and gasped in surprise when dozens of rose petals fell over us both, creating a curtain of fragrance around us.
I looked back at Oliver and he was on one knee. My breath hitched in my throat when he held out an elegant box. Lying on a bed of dark velvet was a beautiful diamond ring, beautiful enough to rival the stars in the night sky.
Oh my God…
“Amanda Ross,” he said in a shaky voice. “Would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?”
Oh my God!
My heart was just about to burst from my chest as tears streamed from my eyes. I nodded, the words dying in my throat.
There were no words in the world for this! Can anyone bethishappy? I can’t believe this!
“Yes,” I finally choked out. “Yes, Oliver. Yes, yes, yes! Always and forever, yes!”
I fell into his arms, and he laughed nervously as he slipped the ring onto my finger.
“For a moment there, I was afraid you’d say no,” he smiled, before he kissed me sweetly under the starlight.
My eyes closed; I could hear our gondolier begin to sing the faint strains of a familiar song—O Sole Mio.
That was as far as my Italian went.
A smattering of applause drew my attention, and I looked up to find that there were people clapping from their windows as they gazed down at us.
“Congratulazioni!” they cheered.
Congratulations.
I gazed back at Oliver with all the love in my heart, only to find that love reflected back at me.
“I love you from the bottom of my heart, Amanda,” he murmured.
