He Called Me ‘Jealous’ While She Hanged Off Him in a Bridal Party Chapter 09
When my plane touched down, I took a deep breath.
I thought about the girl who’d stood in this same airport two months ago. I was standing in the same
spot now, but I felt like a completely different person.
My phone buzzed. Nathaniel. [You land?]
I texted back, [Yeah.]
[I’m outside.]
When I walked through the doors, I spotted him right away. The moment our eyes met, he smiled.
He took my bags without a word and drove me home.
I stepped through the front door and froze.
The entire living room was drowning in flowers.
Nathaniel took my hand and led me into the center of it all.
He spoke.
“Elena, I know you might not be ready. I know you need time. But I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”
“You’re probably wondering why I’ve held on this long.”
His throat bobbed, like he was pulling up a memory. “Do you remember the first time we met? At that charity gala? We were kids. My family hadn’t made it
big yet. Some boy shoved me into the pool. I was sitting there, soaking wet, and everyone was laughing.”
“Everyone except you. You pulled me out and stood in front of me.”
He exhaled. “From that day on, I was gone for you. But by the time I worked up the nerve to say something, you already had a boyfriend. So I waited. All these years, I just waited.”
I couldn’t name what I was feeling. It was just this sweetness–so sweet it practically ached.
He pulled out a ring.
He looked up at me, his eyes full of nerves and a decade of unspoken love. “Elena Hayes, I want to marry you. I will be good to you for the rest of my life. Will you give me the chance to stay by your side?”
He dropped to one knee.
In that moment, the tears came–falling so fast I couldn’t stop them.
One broken relationship wasn’t going to lock me in place forever. I loved myself. I knew I deserved to be loved. And I was brave enough to try again.
“Nathaniel Sterling.”
His eyes lit up.
“Yes. I do.”