He gripped her tight, holding one hand to the back of her head. He shook against her, almost as if he were dangerously close to breaking down himself.

He kissed her ear, her temple, her forehead, the top of her head. Then he pulled back, framing her face in his hands before peppering the rest of it with kisses.

Around them there were sighs and exclamations, even a smattering of applause, but Bryony tuned them all out as she held on to the one thing she needed most in this world.

Rafael.

“Give me your answer, please, baby,” he murmured in her ear. “Don’t torture me any longer. Tell me I haven’t lost you for good. I can be the man you want, Bryony. Just give me the chance.”

She kissed him and stroked her hands over his face, feeling the stubble on his jaw and drinking in the haggardness of his appearance. He looked as bad as she’d felt over the past week.

“You already are the man I want, Rafael. I love you. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He shot to his feet and lifted her up, twirling her round and round with a whoop. “She said yes!”

The crowd burst into cheers. Mamaw sniffed indelicately and when Silas handed her a handkerchief, she blew her nose loudly and then sniffed some more.

Slowly he allowed her to slide down his body until her feet touched the floor, but he kept his arms tight around her as if he didn’t want to let her go even for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Bryony,” he said sincerely. “I’m sorry I lied to you, that I hurt you. If I could go back and change it all I would.”

“I’m glad you can’t,” she said. “As I sat here and listened to everything you said, I realized that if things hadn’t happened exactly as they had, you wouldn’t be here now. What’s important is that you love me now. Today. And tomorrow.”

“I’ll love you through lots of tomorrows,” he vowed.

Bryony glanced around as the townspeople began filtering out of the building. Mamaw and Silas had discreetly made their exit, leaving Bryony and Rafael alone at the front of the room.

“What are we going to do, Rafe? What are you going to do? I came to New York because I was going to tell you that you should go ahead with the resort deal. But if you don’t go through with it, what will it mean for your business?”