Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
‘ F leur, Fleur, wake up.’ Matty’s voice seeped into hernightmares.
Openingher eyes slightly, it took Fleur a fewmomentstorealisewhere shewas and to remember how she’d got here. And also to realise that Matty was really here, kneeling in front of her and not a figment of her nightmarish subconscious.
‘Geez, Fleur, you’re freezing.’ Matty rubbed his palms up and down her cold arms before shrugging out of his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders. ‘Let’s get you home and into the warm.’
Fleur opened her mouth to speak, only to find her mouth dry. Instead, she shook her head.
‘Please, Fleur, I’m worried about you. You’ll catch your death out here in the rain sitting on the ground like this.’ Matty drew the edges of his coat as close together as he could to cover her.
Clearing her throat, Fleur shook her head again, forcing herself to speak. ‘No.’
Sighing, Matty sank onto the ground next to her before putting his arms around her and pulling her close.
‘You’ve seen the letters.’ It was a statement, not a question. That’s how he’d found her. He’d seen the letters and known she’d have come to her quiet place, the place she’d always escaped to when the world grew too much. She felt Matty nod.
‘I wish I could take it away for you. All of the hurt. Everything you’re feeling. I wish I could absorb it all and protect you from everything.’ Matty’s voice was quiet, his tone unsteady. ‘But I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.’
Biting down on her bottom lip, Fleur leaned against him and shook her head.
‘Please don’t do this, Fleur. Please don’t let them do this to you. To us. Don’t push me away again.’ Moving in front of her, he cupped her cheeks in his hands, the warmth from his contact warming her skin. ‘Don’t let them ruin this. Don’t let them win.’
Leaning her forehead against his, she closed her eyes. She knew he was right. If she broke things off with him, then her parents would be winning. They’d get want they wanted; she’d be miserable. ‘But it’s not fair to you. None of this is.’
‘Fleur, I signed up to this, to you. To all of you, every insecurity, every courageous part, a long time ago, and now I’ve finally got you back I don’t intend to let anyone, least of all your parents, come between us again.’ Matty looked into her eyes.
Fleur swallowed as she opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. ‘But what if I can’t? What if I can’t be the person you need me to be?’
‘You already are, Fleur. You’re exactly who I need you to be, and it’s my job to prove that to you, not the other way around. It’s my job to show you how fantastic a person you are and I’m going to be doing that every single day for the rest of our lives.’ Leaning forward, Matty kissed her on the forehead, leaving his lips against her skin for longer than he needed before he leaned back and gently dried her tears with the pads of his thumbs. ‘I love you, Fleur.’
‘I love you too.’ But it didn’t change her fears, however fiercely she felt for him, it didn’t change the fact she might not be what he needed. ‘I don’t want to let you down, too.’
Matty’s eyes hooded as he frowned, and his eyes glistened with tears. ‘You’ve never let me down. You never could. You’ve not let anyone down, Fleur. Your parents let you down.’
‘I...’
‘No, they let you down. It’s as simple as that. You’ve done nothing to deserve to be treated this way.’ With his hands cupping her cheeks again, he took a deep, shuddering breath. ‘Let’s show them that’s in the past. Let’s prove they can’t let you down anymore. Stay with me, please, Fleur. Be my future.’
Biting down on her bottom lip, Fleur searched his face. He didn’t look apprehensive, scared, or worried about the future. The only thing he looked worried about was her walking away again. What was she supposed to do?
‘We can do this. Together, Fleur. Let’s step into the future together.’ A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he spoke. ‘Let’s get married, have children, get a dog.’
‘You want a dog?’ She smiled as fresh tears streamed down her face. ‘Your parents have one.’
‘Let’s get one of our own.’ He grinned as he pulled two small boxes from the pocket of his coat she was still wearing. Opening each one, he held them both out towards her.
‘Our promise rings.’ She smiled as she watched him take the one he’d made for her from its satin bed.
‘That’s right. And this is my promise to you that no matter what, I’ll stick by you.’ Lowering the boxes to the ground between them, Matty slid the ring onto Fleur’s finger.
Looking down at it, she twisted it around her finger. It was beautiful, the delicate design intricate. ‘It’s beautiful.’
Matty smiled.
Picking up the box containing the one she’d made for him, she took it out and slid it over his knuckle. ‘And I promise to always love you.’
As he leaned forward, his lips touched hers before he brought his arms around her, pulling her towards him.
With every second she stayed in his strong embrace, she felt her muscles relax, her mind filling with hope. Pulling back, she frowned as she traced the pad of her index finger over his full lips. ‘You’re not scared that I’ll hurt you again?’
Without a single pause, he answered, ‘Not one bit.’
Nodding, Fleur leaned back towards him. This was it. This was forever.