Ezra watched me, his heart, his tender heart now ripe and ready for me to take it, hold it close…forever.
He cleared his throat and continued. ‘I know that my question might seem too soon. You might think we’re too young. You might think I’m asking so no one else can have you. But you would be wrong – on every count. Even if we lived in a world where we had free choice, I would ask you.’
I gasped. Not once had I imagined that I might meet my partner for life and settle down when I was eighteen. It was impossible, wasn’t it?
‘So when I ask you, Eva, beautiful Eva, all I want is for you to answer me, not from a place of fear or from a place of what you think you should or shouldn’t do. All I ask is that you answer me from your heart. Can you promise me that?’
I tried to swallow, to speak, but my mouth felt as though it were full of sandpaper.
‘Eva?’ he asked again, bringing my hand to his lips.
I nodded, and his eyes widened as he fished around in his jacket pocket. As though in slow motion, he pulled a small box from his jacket, dropped down to one knee and gazed up at me. He opened the box, revealing a sizeable emerald engagement ring the same colour as his eyes.
‘Eva Martinez, I promise to love and honour you, each and every day of my life. Would you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?’
The small minute hand of the clock stopped. All that came before was complete. All that waited ahead remained hidden. The voices of dissent, fear and worry were silenced. In that moment there was only me and Ezra and the question that would determine our fate, our future.
Ezra stayed down on one knee, our eyes locked, as my heart told me its story. I loved Ezra, but I also loved another. The love for each man was different, yet they were both true. Jet was no longer part of my life. Ezra was my future. But if I said yes, I would never see Jet again. Ezra would make sure of that. Every day that I loved Ezra slowly erased Jet. One day Jet would become a distant memory, someone I’d once had strong feelings for.
Standing before me was someone who loved me for who I was, someone who had let me down, yes, but someone who was making up for it. Someone I had given a second chance. Could I trust him again, with my life?
‘Be mine, Eva. Marry me?’ he asked.
The question felt far too big for me, for this room, for this town.
‘Ask me again tonight, on the boat – after?’ I whispered.
Ezra blinked, not understanding. ‘Why?’
‘I need some time – to consider your proposal.’
Ezra glanced down at the ring, which sat expectantly between us. Finally, he closed the ring box, stood and placed the ring back in his pocket.
‘At least that wasn’t a no,’ he said quietly, his head lowered.
I stepped in close and spoke gently. ‘That is definitely not a no. I love you, Ezra, but a lot has happened…quickly. I need a little time to think it through…’
‘It’s Jet, isn’t it?’ he said, anger sneaking into his voice.
‘No, it’s us. When we broke up – something…fractured between us. We’re getting it back, I know we are, but I need to make sure I can trust you fully, with my life.’ The colour faded from Ezra’s face, but I continued and said what was needed. ‘If I’m not honest with you, I can’t move forward with you and we won’t be able to start a life together.’
For the longest moment, we stared at each other. It took the sound of a glass breaking downstairs to bring us back into the room.
I reached for his hand. ‘As soon as we can get out of here, we can talk some more. Then I’ll give you my answer – I promise.’
Ezra let out a long, deep breath. ‘This is going to be the longest night of my life.’
Tension rose through me. I grabbed Ezra’s hair and pulled his lips down, hard, on mine. He responded in a way that left us both breathless.
‘And you still have that other promise to keep,’ he said, pulling away from me.
‘I intend to keep that promise,’ I said, desire tugging at me, deep inside.
‘Oh God, Eva, what you do to me…’ He tipped his head back and laughed. ‘I’m going downstairs to pull myself together. I’ll give you a few minutes’ peace before the onslaught.’
I snuck one more kiss before he left me, breathless, reeling and alone. My gaze flickered around my room. Only months ago I’d been a girl, and now I was on the precipice of becoming a woman. I sat down at my dressing table and there, reflected in the mirror, was a woman with swollen pink lips, glazed eyes and desire puffing out her every pore.
I placed my hands on my cheeks, closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing myself to calm down, to think, to pull myself together. Tonight had just turned into the most important night of my life. I let out a little squeal.
‘Guess who?’ came a familiar voice behind me.
I opened my eyes and glanced up. There was Noah, grinning from ear to ear.
‘Noah,’ I said, standing up, turning around and stepping backwards into the dressing table.
‘I don’t bite, you know,’ he said, as charming as ever.
I took a quick glance at him; he looked devilishly handsome in his suit. No doubt he had every girl downstairs chasing after him. It had been well over a month since the day when Noah had tried to force his way into my life as my husband. I’d seen him a number of times at school and that one time
