Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 87

I sucked in a breath. She didn't trust me enough that I'd come back. But...I understood how she felt about all this. I left her once and I still regret every pain I've cost her. But I tried to change that, I did. Sighing and closing my eyes, I placed my left hand on her arm, saying, "Okay, listen to what I'm about to tell you. Just calm down for a moment and --"

"Calm down?" she hissed, wrenching her arm away from my touch.

I gave her her favorite curved smile from me. "Do you want to listen to what I'm gonna say, or do I have to kiss you long enough to make you do just that?"

She blinked, but she eventually grumbled.

"Thought so," I chuckled. When she didn't say anything -- thank God -- I looked at her squarely. "I left to have things fixed for the two of us. I went back to San Ricardo to talk to your grandmother. As you know, she's coming here for the wedding, but I told her that she wouldn't be seeing us."

Silence.

"What?" She looked so adorably confused, it was a miracle I didn't kiss her then and there.

"She wouldn't be seeing us at our wedding here," I repeated in amusement. "I know this is all a bit shocking, but I asked Grams to help me with all that I did back in California." I hesitated, but my gaze never wavered from hers. "You told me once that you wanted a wedding like your parents had. Small, private and simple. You even told me that Grams still kept the wedding gown she wore on her wedding day, and she passed it on to your mum, making sure she'd pass it on to you when it's your turn."

Keller was speechless, but I held her right hand in my left. "I know you don't want this kind of wedding, Keller. You just want it to be just the two of us, and that we'd run away together. We could do that in Scotland like the olden days but we're more modern than that, aren't we?" I teased. The corners of her mouth began twitching.

"Maybe Grandmama will cool off once it finally sinks in that we'll be married in the same church your parents got married in, and that we'd travel across the globe."

Keller's eyes searched mine. "But -- w-what about the plan? The triple wedding? Everything's going perfectly, and it's cost your dad and Lady C a lot of money just to pay Sasha and everyone working for the wedding. Everyone would --"

"Do you want to stay and get married here?"

"I --"

"Keller," I said softly, "just tell me what you want, and I'll do it." I kissed her lips. "You know I will."

There was a moment of hesitation, and she had that far-away look where she was staring right through me. Whatever she wanted, I'd give it to her. And if she wanted to have a triple wedding and stay here, then I'd grant her that.

When I was beginning to think she'd never answer me, she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my lips. Pulling back, she looked at me and gave a little smile. "I like your plan better. I don't want a fancy wedding; I want to have a simple one. And if you go to California, I'll go. If you go tour the world, I'll go." She kissed my nose. "I'll go wherever you go."

For a moment, I couldn't breathe, but everything changed when she smiled at me brightly, all traces of anger gone from her face. "You are the corniest girl I've ever met," I whispered tenderly.

She swatted me playfully on the chest. "Oh, please! You're the one who started talking corny stuff."

"All right," I bit off, leaning my back on the oak tree. Staring above the tree, unexpectedly smiling at the glowing lanterns above us, I said, "For you."

She scoffed. "You broke your arm for me?"

I chuckled, looking back at her. "No. I did this for you. Look up and see the lanterns." She did. "I didn't get help; didn't want to. I wanted to do this on my own. I asked the servants to help me put the lanterns here in the meadow, but I placed each and everyone of them on the tree. Just as I was at the top, hanging the last lantern -- because it looked dark and different from the others, so I thought of putting one there -- I lost my grip, struggled to hang on to a branch, failed, and fell, landing on my right arm."

When I stared at Keller, I saw her crying.

"Whoa, whoa, hey," I said. I didn't like girls crying. Damn. "Don't cry. Come on, now, Kells..."

"You..." she swallowed. "You did all this for me?"

Slowly, I smiled and pulled her to me, kissing her hair. "Yeah, I did. And I'd fall and fall off as many trees just to do this all over again and be here with you."

"You're an idiot," she choked, laughter in her voice mixed with a sob. "But I love you."

"I'm used to you calling me an idiot, but I love you too, darling." We just stood there, quiet and hugging each other, Keller making sure not to touch my right arm.