She would one day—that she was certain of. She had the tools and the knowledge she needed to be happy now. She knew she was enough just as she was—and she knew she needed a man who believed that too.
After that everything would be easy. She hoped.
‘Laurel.’
She spun on her heel at the sound of Dan’s voice, almost overbalancing until he caught her by the elbow.
‘I’ve said everything I need to say to you.’ She looked up into his eyes and swallowed, trying to keep any fledgling hope buried deep, where it couldn’t disappoint her again.
‘Then maybe it’s my turn to talk,’ Dan replied.
Laurel waited.
And waited.
‘Well?’ she said impatiently. ‘Are you going to? Because if not I really do have some more work I should be getting on with.’
‘I... This is hard for me, okay?’ Dan said. ‘I’m trying to find the right words.’
Laurel blew out a long breath. ‘Maybe they don’t have to be the right words. Maybe you just have to talk to me.’
‘I love you,’ Dan said suddenly, and all that hope in her belly bloomed bright and strong.
‘That’s... What?’
‘I love you. And it’s crazy because I’ve only known you four days. And it’s stupid because I’ve given you no reason to believe me. And it’s terrifying because you could walk away right now and I wouldn’t even blame you. But I love you. And the thing is, I’m starting to think that I always will.’
‘I don’t... What changed?’ Laurel asked, shaking her head in confusion. ‘You said it was just an act. A game. You said it wasn’t real.’
‘I lied.’ He sighed and took her champagne flute from her. After taking a long gulp, he placed it on the table behind them and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. ‘I was scared. Scared of what I felt and how I knew it would end. I...I always disappoint, Laurel. I’ve never once been enough for someone. And I couldn’t bear for that to happen with you. You deserve everything—every happiness you ever dream of. And I wanted to be the man to give that to you...I just didn’t believe I could.’
‘And now?’
‘Now...I’m willing to try.’
He swallowed so hard she could see his throat move, and she knew how difficult this must be for him, and loved him more for it.
‘Because you were right—I was so certain that everyone would leave me, choose someone else over me, that I never gave anyone the chance to stay. I never let anyone choose me.’
‘I would,’ Laurel whispered. ‘I’d choose you every time.’
His eyes fluttered shut and he kissed her forehead. ‘I hope so. Because I realised today...when I saw you across the aisle... I’ve already chosen. It’s you for me, Laurel. Whether you stay or go—whether it lasts or it doesn’t. It’s not even a choice. You’re the one I love—the one I’ll always love. The one I’m meant to be with.’
‘So what is there to be scared about?’
He gave a shaky laugh. ‘Are you kidding? Everything.’ He gazed down into her eyes. ‘But if you’re with me...it’s worth being scared.’
Stretching up, Laurel kissed him, long and deep and with every bit of the love she felt for him. Smiling against her lips, Dan pulled her behind the column, away from the watching eyes of the wedding guests. She liked that. This wasn’t for them. They didn’t matter to her at all.
All that mattered was that Dan was here and he was hers.
‘So, what happens now?’ she asked when they finally broke apart.
Dan shrugged. ‘We start our own story. Here...there...wherever you want. I have faith that we can make it work.’
‘We can,’ Laurel agreed, nodding. ‘Our story. You know, I like that even better than my story.’
‘Good. Because I’ve heard it’s going to be an epic. One of those that just goes on and on and on...’
‘And does it have a happy ending?’ Laurel asked, smiling up at him.
Dan smiled back and kissed her lightly once more. ‘The happiest,’ he promised. ‘For ever and after.’
* * *
New Year’s Day dawned bright and blue and breezy. Most of the wedding guests were still in bed—probably sleeping off the prodigious bar bill, Dan assumed. But not him. With one arm around Laurel’s waist he stood beside Eloise and Noah on the front steps of Morwen Hall and watched as Melissa and Riley climbed into the car that would take them to the airport and their honeymoon.
‘We’re really just here to make sure they’re actually going, aren’t we?’ Eloise said, raising her hand to wave.
‘Basically,’ Laurel agreed. ‘Are you looking forward to getting your hotel back?’
‘I don’t know,’ Eloise said. ‘I’m starting to think I might have other ambitions beyond Morwen Hall.’
‘What about you, Laurel?’ Noah asked. ‘Are you looking forward to getting your life back?’
Laurel grinned, and Dan couldn’t help but smile with her. ‘Actually, I’m looking forward to starting a whole new one.’
‘I know how that feels,’ Noah murmured, kissing Eloise’s cheek.
‘So, what are you going to do first?’ Dan asked. ‘With this brand-new life of yours.’
‘Honestly? I feel like I could sleep for a week,’ Laurel said, making them laugh.
‘A-List celebrity weddings are hard work, I guess?’ Noah said.
‘Very.’
‘I suppose that means you don’t fancy organising another one some time?’
Eloise elbowed Noah as he spoke, and he put up his hands in self-defence.
‘What? Just asking. I mean, it never hurts to have the best in the business on your side, now, does it?’
‘Best in the business, huh?’ Laurel echoed. ‘I like the sound of that.’
‘And I’m not just saying that so you’ll take the job. When the time comes,’ he added quickly as Eloise glared at him.
‘You might have to get in line, you realise?’ Dan said, staring out at the beautiful blue sky as Riley and Melissa’s car disappeared around the corner into the trees. ‘I might have a wedding for her to arrange first.’
‘Might you, indeed?’ Laurel said. ‘And whose would that be?’
‘Ours,’ Dan said, hardly believing the word as he spoke it.
But then he kissed her, and suddenly everything felt very real.
‘Was that a proposal?’ Laurel asked as they broke apart. ‘For real?’
Dan smiled, as his future fell into place.
‘For real,’ he promised.
Because reality with Laurel beat every story he’d ever heard hands-down.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed
PROPOSAL FOR THE WEDDING PLANNER,
make sure you read the first book in
Sophie Pembroke’s
WEDDING OF THE YEAR duet!
SLOW DANCE WITH THE BEST MAN
Keep reading for an excerpt from
A BRIDE FOR THE BROODING BOSS
by Bella Bucannon
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