Chapter Forty-One
Camill e
M athéo’s car winds down the country road, the palace long gone from our rearview mirrors. With each mile behind us, I feel lighter yet slightly nervous.
What does he want me to say yes to? To marrying Jacques tomorrow?
He should know by now that once I set my mind to do something, I do it. No matter how much it’s going to kill me.
Minutes later, we veer off the path onto the grass and park behind the large olive tree where we used to park our bikes. It seems like it was just a few years ago when we did this as kids, but in reality, it’s been close to almost a decade.
“I wish I had changed because walking around nature in slippers isn’t super ideal,” I complain as I slam the door shut.
“And yet it’s probably the only clothes you have that suit you,” Mathéo comments as he leads us down the stony path toward the entrance to a lush forest that contains our secret waterfall.
It’s quiet and dark here, the perfect escape I needed. The moonlight shines above us, casting a silvery glow on the stones as we let them guide the way .
We catch up on the twenty-minute walk to our spot, filling each other in on our lives that we missed over the past four years. He recently returned home at the beginning of this year but is already planning his next humanitarian trip.
“What about you, Cami?” Mathéo asks, holding a branch back as he lets me walk ahead of him on the path.
A mixture of happiness and pain fills my chest as images of the life I was building comes to mind. “You know how when you’re a kid and you make up this dream life? Well, I was finally living mine.” My voice catches in my throat. “I fell in love, I had a great group of friends, and the job I’ve always wanted. I got to live life the way I deemed fit. I learned how to live on my own, figured out how to cook for myself, and what I liked or didn’t like to do. I know that sounds so simple, but growing up the way we did, those are things I never would’ve had the chance to experience had I stayed.”
“Let’s backpedal a little bit. Tell me about this falling in love thing you speak of?” Mathéo grins.
We’re a minute away from the small clearing, and I use that time to gather my thoughts.
“His name is Ryker, and he’s a baseball player.”
“Of course he is.” He laughs.
I chuckle and continue. “He’s entirely my opposite, but in the best way possible. I’ve never felt that way with someone, ever. Ryker can come off as an asshole, and he can be, but with me, he’s different. He’s my Ryker the biker.” A sad smile attempts to lift my lips but fails because talking about him is making my heart want to jump out of my chest and never return to the pain it’s feeling.
Mathéo turns and steps in front of me, blocking my view of the waterfall I know is a few feet behind him now. I can hear the waves crashing softly in the distance, but all I can focus on is the excited grin on Mathéo’s face.
What is going on ?
“He sounds great. Think you can introduce him to me?”
I’m about to tell him it’s not possible, when he steps to the side and my eyes instantly zero in on the tall, tattooed man with long hair standing in front of the pond that the waterfall goes into.
Ryker.
He’s here. I don’t think. I only run, and I don’t stop until I’m in the safety of his arms.
My body shakes against his, my tears soaking his neck as I grip him tight while he holds me just as tightly. “I’m s-s-orry,” I mumble through my tears.
“ Shh, ” he whispers, his hand cradling the back of my head as he holds me close.
“You asked me to never leave without telling you and I did. I—”
Ryker silences me with his lips crashing against mine in the most passionate kiss I’ve ever felt in my life. My tears are probably staining his face, but he doesn’t seem to mind as his hand grips my jaw and deepens the kiss.
Feeling his lips against mine after fearing I might never again makes me shiver and I pour everything I have into the kiss. All the love, longing, and appreciation I have for him, for what we share together.
Mathéo coughs somewhere behind us, reminding me that he’s indeed still here and watching this, most likely uncomfortably. We both pull apart, breathless, and stare into one another’s eyes, shock painted in his irises as if he can’t believe I’m really here. I could say the same about him.
“How are you here?” I ask as he sets me down, but keeps an arm around me.
“I knew something was wrong when I couldn’t see you anywhere.” His voice is tortured as he relives the memory, which only makes me cry more. “So I went to the stands to ask Jasmine and Theo, who told me everything. And from there, we decided to come and get our girl back.”
“We?” I repeat, unsure what he means until I hear, “Millie Moo!”
I whip around to see Theo, Jasmine, and Elio emerging from the trees.
I move to go toward them, but Jasmine holds up her hand, “Wait.”
“What’s going on?” I ask Ryker, turning back to face him in confusion. That’s when I see an emotion I never thought I’d see in him. Fear. “Hey,” I murmur quietly, only for Ryker to hear. “What’s wrong? No bullshit.”
“I fell in love with a girl I told myself I couldn’t have more with, for reasons that don’t matter anymore. And now, I would give it all up, because I would still have everything I need with her.” His stormy blue eyes soften as he gently caresses my cheek. “I love you, Camille.”
His deep voice mixed with those sweet words has my entire body melting into a puddle of overwhelming joy. My hand reaches up to stroke his beard, and Ryker leans into the touch, covering my hand with his own as his eyes never once leave mine.
This man who I never thought would even look my way, loves me.
I’d kick my feet and giggle if it were possible, but for now, I’ll settle with pressing my lips softly against his. When I pull back with both of my hands on his face, I smile and repeat the words back to him. “I love you, Ryker.” My lips curve into a smile, but it fades when I remember why we’re all here in the first place. “But I’m getting married tomorrow.”
“You can’t get married if you already are.”
Everything around us fades as I say, “Ryker…” My throat bobs, clogged with emotions. “You can’t. My father, he’ll ruin your life and I won’t let that happen, not to mention the fate of my country relies on me showing up tomorrow even though every fiber of my being is loathing each second I get closer to having to do it.”
He shakes his head as he tucks a hair behind my ear before stepping back and pulling up his black shirt. “You didn’t hear me, Cami.”
My heart rate picks up at the sight of his chiseled abs and tattoos, despite being unsure what he’s doing—wait.
Atop of the baseball he has tattooed near his heart lies a crown.
“Why is there a crown there?” My voice trembles from all the differing emotions coursing through me.
“I got this a few days ago with the intention of showing it to you to prove that you are my number one in life. Then I was going to ask you to be my official girlfriend,” he explains while my fingers gently trail along the outside of the tattoo, careful not to touch it.
For once, I’m at a loss for words. Ryker pulls his shirt back down, then speaks up again, “I’d never play a game of baseball again if I knew I’d get to have you by my side for the rest of my life. I love baseball, and it would suck if I lost it, but I’d find other things to fill that void. Losing you, though? There’s nothing that could replace the spot in my heart that was made just for you.”
I suck in a breath while, shocker , more tears cascade down my cheeks.
“As for the country part, your brother and Idris are working on proving that your father is lying. And if it’s true, your dad can figure it out. It’s not your responsibility to bear, but I know you love the people here, so I’ll work with you to figure out a solution. Anything except you walking down that fucking aisle tomorrow toward a man who’s not me.” Ryker’s eyes darken, a hint of danger radiating off him at the bite in his words.
He has a point. What if this is all a ploy to get me back here and I marry Jacques for nothing? If it’s not a ploy, I’m sure there is something else we can do to help Lorsica. I’ve been consumed with so many emotions in the last day that I haven’t even considered the countless other solutions that could solve this that wouldn’t involve me walking down the aisle.
“Ryker, what are you saying?” I whisper as butterflies erupt in my stomach at the idea he’s hinting at.
Slowly, he lowers to one knee in front of me. My hand flies to my mouth, while he holds the other.
“Camille, there’s not a day that I don’t think about meeting you at the gala and how much it pissed me off.”
“This is not how you start a proposal,” Theo interjects from behind me.
Jasmine shushes him.
Ryker shakes his head, but continues. “It pissed me off because I wanted you, but knew you were too good for me to keep. I thought I’d shake it off, but you planted yourself in my soul with no plans on leaving.”
I marvel at hearing it. Even though he’s said something about this in passing, I’ve never heard all of the details.
“I tried to keep my distance, especially once you started working with the team, but you want to know when I realized how fucked I was? The day I taught you how to throw a baseball, and you danced around in a circle with the biggest smile on your face.”
“Why?” I somehow manage to ask through my tears.
“Because it was then that I realized how badly I wanted to wake up to that exact smile each and every day, how much I wanted to bask in the bliss you radiate each time you light up like that.”
“Is that why you stormed away all grumpy-y?” I hiccup as I wipe under my eyes .
“Shh, this is my proposal.” He grins, leaning down to press a kiss to the hand he’s holding, while reaching in his pocket for…a lace from a baseball glove?
“Camille, I love you so fucking much. Will you please do me the honor of being my wife?” Ryker’s eyes shine with love as he holds up the black leather to me. “I know this isn’t the ring you deserve, but it’s all I could do on short notice.” He blushes, which makes my heart squeeze in my chest.
We may be young, yet I’ve never been more sure of something in my entire life. Ryker’s it for me, and why not get started on our happily ever after as soon as possible?
“I love it and you beyond any words I could conjure. I never imagined I’d live a fairytale life, clearly.” I chuckle, wiping at my eyes with my free hand. “But you’ve given me the love little girls dream about, the one I’ve secretly always hoped for.” I smile widely and freely as I nod up and down. “Yes, a thousand times, yes.”
Ryker ties the lace around my finger, then stands to lift me into his arms as he kisses me.
I break the kiss. “Who’s going to marry us?” I question, looking nervously at Ryker because there is not a church in the country that would dare betray the king.
“That would be me,” Theo shouts, causing us to turn toward him. “Say bonjour to your ordained minister.” He grins, pointing to himself.
“Do I even want to know?” I murmur.
“Nope.” Ryker shakes his head, taking my hand in his as we walk toward our friends and my brother.
We’re an intertwined mess of congratulations between the six of us, and when Jasmine hugs me, we both cry harder.
“I’m so happy to see you,” I tell her. “I can’t believe you came all this way for me. ”
Jasmine tilts her head slightly in Elio’s direction. “That would be thanks to Elio and his private jet, but even without it, I would have come.”
“Thank you, all of you.” I raise my voice, ceasing all side conversations between the boys.
Elio motions us along. “Let’s get this wedding done. We don’t know when or if someone will come looking for you.”
Ryker hands me a bouquet of flowers. “Here, I picked these for you. Figured if anything, you’d like to have a bouquet of some sorts.”
I marvel at the mix of wildflowers wrapped together with grass, much like the ones he tattooed on me. I’m the luckiest girl in the world, despite not feeling like it less than an hour ago.
You never know when life is going to surprise you, and isn’t that the beauty of it all?
I thank him with a quick kiss, and then within minutes, Theo is standing between us, Elio and my brother by Ryker’s side while Jasmine is on mine.
“Wait!” Jasmine squeaks as she pulls out her phone. I’m about to ask her what she’s doing until I hear the tune of a FaceTime call and two familiar faces fill the screen.
“Did she say yes?” Aurora yells.
“Ask her yourself,” Jasmine says, flipping the camera toward us.
Aurora’s hand flies to her mouth while Cameron smiles. “I can’t believe I’m missing my brother’s wedding,” Aurora pouts. “You owe me a do-over!”
“Stay on the line and be a part of it,” Ryker offers, and I’m so proud of him for opening up his tiny circle to now include Aurora in his life.
“Why is she wearing pajamas?” Cameron whispers, probably thinking he was quieter than he actually was .
“You mean you don’t like my purple robe and pajamas?” I tease him, striking a pose with my robe hanging dramatically off my shoulders.
Everyone laughs and Theo clears his throat for us to return to the task at hand.
“I stand here today…”
I’m getting my fairytale ending.