Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER…
‘I can’t wait to tell Liv the good news,’ I said down the phone. I hung up and leaned back in my desk chair, swivelling it around to look out at the London skyline. I would never get tired of the view from up here.
After a year working for Simon, I now had my own office opposite his and I loved it. I had signed Liv a year ago, the first author to my own client list, and her book contract with her previous publisher had now ended so I had been working the last few weeks on finding her the best deal I could elsewhere. I had grown to know the team at Turn the Pages really well – not only did they publish Jake but also Tessa, and Liv was best friends with Stevie, who worked as a publicist there so we all had hoped they might want to take her on. And now the official offer had come in from Gita, who was hopefully going to be her editor there. I knew Liv would be over the moon. They wanted four romance novels from her and had a great plan for making her a big success.
I sent Liv a message to ask her to come into the office tomorrow as I wanted to tell her face to face and go over the deal with her, ensuring it was exactly what she wanted. Then I turned off my laptop, grabbed my things and left work. Evening had fallen over the city and it had been a long, busy day so I was looking forward to going home.
I took the Tube to Knightsbridge and walked to the Edwardian apartment block that I had fallen head over heels for. I had held out for as long as possible but Jake and I had spent so much time together here that it became crazy not to officially move in. I let myself into the flat and smiled when the smell of something delicious hit me.
‘I’m home!’ I called out, taking off my cowboy boots and putting my bag down on the console table. I let out a breath like I always did when the city was shut out, the work day was over, and I could come into this sanctuary.
I walked into the kitchen where Jake was stirring something on the cooker. Jazz music was playing softly in the background and he was bopping along as he stirred. Two glasses of wine were poured and ready on the island, and a Jo Malone candle flickered next to them, its fruity scent mingling with the smell of what Jake was cooking.
‘A woman could get used to this,’ I said as I paused to take in the scene. Jake looked as edible as what he was cooking in his dark jeans and shirt, glancing over his shoulder at my entrance, a slow and sexy smile appearing on his face. He was working hard on his next novel and was letting me read each chapter as he went along, and it was clear we were inspiring the characters and the setting too – he was writing a Christmas love story set in New York, and I knew it was going to melt every romance reader’s heart when it was finished. Just like he had melted mine.
‘Good. I want you to get used to it,’ Jake replied. He left the cooker and came over to drop me a kiss on the lips. ‘Mmm, you look lovely and smell good,’ he murmured, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into his chest. This time, he gave me a longer kiss as I hooked my arms around his neck. ‘I missed you,’ he added, leaning back to look into my eyes.
‘You saw me this morning,’ I replied, laughing a little bit.
Jake shrugged. ‘I was thinking about you a lot today; my characters kissed and I really wanted to kiss you.’ He brushed his lips with mine. ‘And then my mind wandered even further…’
‘Oh, did it?’ I said playfully back. I raised an eyebrow. ‘How long until dinner is ready?’
‘It can simmer for twenty minutes or so…’
‘Good. So can I.’ I took his hand and pulled him towards the bedroom with me.
Jake laughed. ‘I love it when you’re naughty.’
‘No,’ I said, looking over my shoulder at him as we walked into our room. ‘I’m a good girl, remember?’
We stopped and Jake took my face in his hands. ‘You’re my good girl,’ he said huskily. His lips found mine, hungry and eager to taste. Then he pulled back suddenly, leaving me breathless. He stepped back and raised an eyebrow. ‘I want to see you in nothing but your ring.’
I started to pull my sundress up and over my head, but I paused and looked at him. ‘Ring?’ I wasn’t wearing any.
‘Turn around,’ he said gruffly.
I slowly spun around to look at the bed and I gasped. I’d been so suddenly horny for Jake, I hadn’t even looked at the bed. It was scattered with red rose petals and in the centre was a red box that made my eyes widen. ‘Cartier?’ I managed to gasp out. I had always dreamt of owning a piece of jewellery from there.
‘You didn’t remember what today was?’ Jake asked, walking over to the bed to pick the box up.
‘Um… no…’ I said, my heart starting to pound.
Jake shook his head. ‘I’m glad one of us is romantic in this relationship.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Shut up! What’s today then?’ I asked as Jake held the box in his hands in front of me. My mind had gone completely blank. I couldn’t think about anything else but the fact that the man of my dreams was holding what looked like a ring box.
‘Today is the date we went to New York together last year. What I count as our actual first meeting because before then, I don’t think we really saw each other. But when you sprawled on the floor in the airport in front of me, I definitely saw you, Freya.’
I chuckled. ‘Yeah, you couldn’t miss me! God, I was so embarrassed that you had to help me up. And that bloody penis pencil!’ I shook my head at the memory.
Jake grinned. ‘I was hooked from that moment. And when you said that was our meet-cute, you were right. I fell for you in New York. I almost lost you…’ He bent down on one knee and I inhaled sharply. He looked up at me, his eyes locked on mine. As always, the world faded into a blur and all I saw was him. In our bedroom. In our bubble. ‘But thank God, you came back to me. I’ve wanted to ask you this for a while but it felt right to wait for today to mark that meet-cute. I don’t want to meet anyone else. You are it for me, Freya.’ He opened the box and I gasped again because inside was the biggest, brightest diamond ring. ‘Am I it for you too? Will you marry me? Will you give me the happy ever after I’ve always wanted? Will you let me give you the happy ever after you’ve always wanted?’
My throat threatened to close up with the lump that had appeared in it. My eyes threatened to spill over into hot tears. But I managed to smile and nod and choke out a, ‘Hell, yes!’ I crouched down and pressed my lips against his. ‘You are my happy ever after,’ I said as Jake slid the ring onto the finger on my left hand. ‘I can’t believe I was thinking about sex, and you were planning this!’
Jake laughed. ‘Yeah, I thought we’d have dinner and I’d tell you romantic things but no, you’re insatiable and wanted me naked in here,’ he replied teasingly.
I nudged him as I stared at the sparkling ring. ‘I had no idea. But those rose petals look like they might be comfortable…’ I said, standing up.
Jake stood up and scooped me up off the floor. I squealed as he carried me to the bed. ‘Now, be a good girl and take your clothes off for me…’ he said, laying me down on top of the rose buds.
I giggled. ‘I love it when you tell me what to do.’
Jake leaned over me and gave me a soft kiss. ‘I love you, Freya.’
I reached up to touch his cheek. ‘I love you too, Jake.’
‘Every love story I write from now on will be inspired by you,’ he said.
‘Ours is the best love story I’ve ever read,’ I replied, pulling him down on top of me, our lips finding each other like they should have never been apart.
* * *