Playing the Polo Player
Epilogue
Luce
A YEAR LATER
I wish I could say that today has been exceptionally wonderful— as it has been heartwarming and joyous— but it seems that every day with Rupert feels like that. The rainy days feel like summer, bad news is made manageable, and true love is made reality rather than fantasy.
Though, today holds its own success. As the day bleeds into dusk, smoke from the grill wafts into the air, fireflies take flight, and there’s chatter and laughter moving as freely as the breeze. Today has been the first charity event that Blue Hen Stables has ever held. Partnering with foster homes and child outreach programs in the city, we paid for them to charter to the ranch and provided games, food, and of course, horseback riding. And people from Rupert’s circle were invited and they all donated money to the organizations for the kids.
Now all that is left, is dinner with the donors, friends, and others from the community who came to lend their support. My vision pans around the tables set up in the field. There’s a few kids running around with sparklers, string lights illuminating the dining area, and smiles on every face I see. Tyler has even made an appearance today to be with Sierra, which is a big deal. They’ve never really been seen together in public.
“You okay?” Rupert asks as he sits next to me, one hand between my shoulder blades as he sets a plate down for me.
It isn’t until now that I’ve realized my eyes are actually misty. “I just… Can’t believe life is so good,” I breathe. “It doesn’t feel real. A year ago, Sierra and I were in a panic that we would lose it all. And now, every day feels like a dream.”
“The way it’s meant to be,” Rupert purrs, his arm squeezing around me.
“Because of you,” I smile weakly as I kiss his cheek.
“Not entirely true,” he assures me. “The two of you are so dedicated and hardworking. You could have a good backer and still fail. It’s the two of you that make this place happen.”
“Thank you,” I breathe. I’m trying my best not to get emotional right now, as it really does mean a lot to hear him say such things. It’s always nice to have your effort recognized and even more so when the business has gone through the journey it has in the past year. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh, “I don’t think today could be any more perfect.”
“Challenge accepted,” Rupert chuckles and kisses the top of my head. As I raise up to give him a questioning look, he slips away and takes a few paces to stand at the head of the table. “If I could have everyone’s attention please,” he calls over the crowds. Almost all at once, people fall to a polite hush. Rupert looks at me with a wink before turning back to them. “I would like to thank everyone for being here today and making it what it has been. A perfect occasion to give back, put some smiles on kids’ faces, and celebrate Blue Hen Stables.”
There’s an applause break before he’s able to continue. “And none of it would be possible without each and every one of you. However, I think it’s only fitting for me to give special appreciation to Luce Normandy.” A smirk crosses his face as he points at Sierra. “You too, ma’am, but let me just finish before you see why you don’t wanna be included here.” There’s laughter from Sierra, Tyler, and those around her.
Rupert steps toward me and gestures for me to give him my hands. With a deep blush appearing on my cheeks, I give them to him and he pulls me to stand next to him. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how much my life has changed since you walked… or backed into it,” he smiles, referencing the Bugatti accident. I let out a nervous giggle, my heart pounding away as to why I am being made the center of attention. “You’ve brought joy, sincerity, and love into every moment of every day. There’s just one thing I would like to change about you.”
My face scrunches and my mouth opens to throw some unfinished thought at him, when I watch him sink down— onto one knee. A small black box is pulled from his pocket, bringing to light that he hadn’t just been ‘happy to see me’ when I brushed against him earlier and giggled like a schoolgirl about it. It’s opened to reveal a gorgeous, pear-shaped ruby with diamonds adorning a gold band. “Luce Normandy, will you do me the honor of becoming Luce Lee?”
My jaw drops and out of sheer habit, my head snaps to make eye contact with Sierra to make sure this is really happening. She nods rapidly at me and waves frantically to get me to give my attention back to Rupert. I stare down at him, my eyes as wide as ever. “You’re serious?” I breathe.