‘I want us to get married,’ Ash said bluntly, the moment she stopped for breath.
Zoey’s whole body jerked away from him so fast he reached out to grab her in case she really did fall off the stool.
‘No.’ The word came out on a sharp wave of disbelief and anger that Ash couldn’t quite understand.
‘Why not? It’s perfect. You can move in here—or...or we can find somewhere new together. A proper family home.’ Like the one he’d had with Grace. That would have been perfect. ‘You’ll have all the money you need if you’re married to me, we can choose a nanny together so we can both carry on working as we normally do, and whenever I’m home we can be together as a family, without any awkward logistics. I don’t see the problem.’
‘Apart from the fact that that was the least romantic proposal ever?’ Zoey asked, one eyebrow raised. ‘Ash, I promised myself, after I left David, that I’d turn down the next proposal that came my way. Because weddings really haven’t worked out that well for me in the past, remember?’
‘But this one would be different.’ Ash grabbed her hands and held them against his chest, staring down into her eyes as he tried to convince her.
This was his one shot, he realised. His one shot to live the life he’d thought had been ripped from him for ever. His chance at a future worth living—not through the company or money or a fancy flat. But with a woman he adored and a child they could raise together.
His one chance at a family again. And there was no one on earth he’d rather do it with.
‘Zoey, this time we know what we’re getting into. We know each other, better than you ever knew any of those guys you ran out on, I reckon. And we know what we’re signing up for. This isn’t some hopeful fairy-tale ending. This is something better. It’s a family. You, me and our child.’
‘Ash...’
‘I can’t promise you true love,’ he said, his gaze darting away to the floor as he remembered why. ‘You know that. But really, what good has that quest ever done you anyway? Yes, we both know it exists, but we also know it’s rare as hens’ teeth and that not everyone gets to experience it. But we could have this. Together.’
He slid off his stool to hold her closer, feeling her heartbeat racing against his chest. ‘You’re my best friend, Zoey. There’s no one in the world I’d rather raise a child with. No other woman I’d want in my life the way I want you there. You’re it for me now.’
There was a tiny sob. Was she crying? And was it too much to hope that it was tears of happiness?
He had to take the chance that it was. His heart thumping in his chest, Ash dropped to his knees, still holding her hands, and looked up.
‘Zoey Hepburn, will you give my life meaning again and marry me?’
She swallowed, hard enough that he could see her throat bob, tears drying on her cheeks.
‘Yes. I will.’
And Ash’s world slid back into focus again.
* * *
There was a strong chance that Zoey might have made a terrible mistake.
As she surveyed Ash’s apartment, her suitcase at her feet, she wondered if it was too late to back out now. Then she remembered the vintage ring on her finger, and the baby growing inside her, and realised that too late was about two months ago already.
The problem wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry Ash. It was that she was a bit afraid she wanted it too much.
‘Is this really everything?’ Ash asked as he lugged another suitcase through the door.
Zoey shrugged. ‘I move often. I learned to travel light.’
Her whole life in two suitcases. She’d packed up and started again so many times now that she only kept the essentials. Every wedding she ran out on was a chance to slim down her possessions, if nothing else.
‘I’ll put these in your room, then.’ He grabbed the other case—which she hadn’t been allowed to carry up the stairs either—and headed in the direction of the bedrooms.
Your room. Not our room. Another reminder that this wasn’t a real marriage.
Ash had been, as predicted, horrified by her flat share. And Zoey had to admit, as she sank down onto one of his black leather couches to look out over the London skyline, the view was much better from here. She was sure the place would start to feel homelier in time, anyway. Even if she still felt garishly out of place in her pink and white sundress.