Joan smiled at me and walked away.
“I don’t know why you came back Ethan,” I sighed. “I said I don’t want you anymore.”
“I’m well aware of what you said, but I need to get something off my chest before you go back to New York.” he reached for my hand, but I smacked it away.
“Fair enough Selena. Would you at least follow me then?”
You know you want to…
I took my time standing up and followed him to the other side of the wedding lake, underneath the branches of a massive pecan tree.
He sat down on a bench and motioned for me to sit next to him, but I sat on the other end.
“That’s not happening,” he reached over and pulled me into his lap.
He didn’t say anything for a long time; he just held me close and sighed. A few swans waded over to our side of the lake, watching us—I was sure they were wondering if he was ever going to speak to me.
“I’ve missed you so much Selena,” he planted kisses along my shoulders. “I’ve been reading the celebrity news section and watching the E channel every day. I’ve been trying to find out where you were for a long time. I—”
“For what?” I tried my best to resist his touch. “Did you want to tell me you’re taking my mom’s house away from her too? Are you in the real estate business now?”
“Not exactly,” he grabbed me by my waist and moved me so I was lying flat against his lap. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you…I watched each and every one of your films, interviews, and TV episodes so I could see your face every day.”
“Well, if I were you I wouldn’t get too attached to—”
“Shut up Selena, I’m talking,” he bent down and kissed me until I couldn’t breathe. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you…”
He ran his fingers through my hair and caressed my face, never taking his eyes off mine.
Keep scowling at him…Pretend that kiss never happened…
“I take it your mother didn’t tell you what I did with Sweet Seasons?”
“I didn’t need her to tell me that you put it out of business, Ethan. That was already pretty clear before I left Fayetteville.”
I knew that wasn’t what he was talking about. I knew that he’d paid all the former employees of Sweet Seasons ten years worth of salary with a hundred thousand dollar bonus, and that he’d given my mother twenty million dollars in exchange for using her recipes and the Sweet Seasons name on a special blend of Autumn Wonder coffee. But I didn’t think that erased what he did. I was still upset with my mom for accepting his money.
“So you do know?” he smiled.
How does he do that?
“Yes…”
“Well, good…Should I assume you signed that million-dollar endorsement deal with Starbucks out of spite?”
Absolutely.
“No, I did it because they happen to be my favorite coffee shop.”
“Yes, of course they are,” he rolled his eyes. “How long are you staying in Memphis?”
“Just tonight.”
“Hmmm. Mind if I join you in your suite? I didn’t make any hotel reservations for myself.”
“If I said yes, would you be upset?”
“Very,” his eyes hardened.
“No…I don’t mind. You can sleep on the couch.”
He laughed. “Why thank you…Now, close your eyes,” he whispered.
“Why?”
“Why? Why? Why can’t you just do things when I tell you to do them? Do you have to question everything? All the time? I swear you are so…” he sighed. “I love you Selena.”
My heart stopped. “I—”
“Please close your eyes,” he kissed my forehead and waited.
“Selena Ross,” his voice was wavering, “for the record, you really are the most frustrating woman I have ever met. You always have to have the last word, you are completely incapable of compromise, and you probably thought you were the only one with hurt feelings when you left Fayetteville.”
That last one isn’t true…
“The truth is, I was hurt too, but mainly because I hurt you and I don’t ever want to do that again. If you take me back, I promise I won’t ever do it again. You mean a lot to me and I don’t think I can go another day without waking up next to you…Two months ago you asked me if I’d ever fallen in love before and I said no because I didn’t even know what love was…But after being without you for so long, I want you to know that that answer doesn’t apply any more. I’m in love with you Selena, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, your stubbornness, and your ridiculous Starbucks contract.”
I gasped as he bent down and kissed me, as he whispered that I should keep my eyes closed.
I felt something cool against my chest, then a kiss on my left hand.
“You can open your eyes now.”
I looked down at my chest and saw a Harry Winston diamond ring—at least six carats, sparkling against the night.
“This isn’t a promise ring,” he looked into my eyes. “I think you’ve received enough of those during your lifetime...Will you marry me?”
“What! You put my mom’s bakery out of business Ethan!” I sat up and slipped the ring onto my finger. “That wasn’t that long ago! Do you not remember that?”