“No?” Her poor voice sounded weak.
“No baby. I’m sorry I ever left you.”
“I was so lost Brad.” She wiped away more tears. “I didn’t know where you went, and what happened to you. I looked everywhere for you for years. And what was worse was my dad knew what happened and never said. He knew he was dying and that he was the only person who could tell me what happened to you, but he never said anything.”
“I’m sorry.” He took her hand into his and held it.
“It’s not your fault.”
“It is.” He admitted sadly. “I should have come back for you. It shouldn’t have taken the biggest coincidence in the world to put us together.”
She smiled through her tears on hearing that. “It is a massive coincidence.”
“Yeah, but we didn’t need the universe to work over time to put us back together. I’m not leaving you ever again Trina.” Everything felt different now because he was different. Tonight there were no more shadows across his heart. "I want you to be mine again Trina. My girl, my everything."
She searched his eyes. "Brad, in case you didn't notice, I never stopped being your girl." Her sweet smile widened as she brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
"You sure you don't need some time to think about it? We've just been together for days." He thought he should say that out of respect, even though he knew how he felt. Brad just wanted to be with her.
"Brad Henderson I've been with you all my life. I might not have seen you for some time, but that didn't mean I wasn't with you, or that my heart didn't belong to you." She smiled at him. "We're just …picking up where we left off."
"Thank you." The warmth of happiness and belonging flowed through him. He wasn't alone anymore. "That means everything to me. You mean everything to me.”
She gazed at him with deep adoration and threw her arms around him. he held her close to him again.
“You mean everything to me too.”
At the feel of her dainty hands around his neck he took her left hand and looked down at her ring finger, thinking of the ring in his suitcase.
He’d have to tell her about it, soon.
“I love you Trina,” he whispered into her ear and smiled.
“I love you too Brad. I love you so much.” She pressed herself against him, and her savored the feel of her and the moment.
They enjoyed the rest of days on Maui, having the time of their lives as they continued their exploration of the island and all its glorious activities.
When they rejoined their friends on the main island, they threw themselves into wedding mode taking care of all the duties they were assigned. It was a busy time, but it was a time of joy. Trina was happy for Jennifer and Neil, but she was ecstatic that she was with Brad again.
She loved him with all her heart and was so glad she could finally express that instead of suppressing it.
The big day arrived before they could blink and they all shared in the love as they watched Neil and Jennifer exchange their vows.
It was truly magical.
At the reception, while Mandy and Lizzie argued over the sweepstakes Jennifer took Trina aside to talk.
"Your skin is glowing far more than mine." Jennifer beamed at her reaching out to touch her shoulder.
They stood by the water fountain that overlooked the hall.
"I'm doing my best to stop," Trina giggled.
"You don't look like you're trying hard enough." Jennifer teased.
"I'll try harder. I'm so happy for you and Neil. You guys both look so in love."
"Thank you, my dear friend. I'm happy for you too. What happens now between you and Brad?" Her eyes widened with excitement.
"I don't know. He kind of lives in LA and I live in Chicago. We haven't talked about that part."
"Would you move?" Her eyes were wide with anticipation at the idea.
"Yes," Trina said in a heartbeat.
"Even with the whole thrill of having your own team thing at work?"
"I know, and yes. Maybe change could be good."
"I'd miss you. But maybe you're right. Keep me posted okay?"
Trina nodded.
"I'm going to say goodbye now because your guy's on his way over here." She smiled looking over Trina's shoulder.
Trina turned to see Brad approaching.
Jennifer smiled at them both then strode away in her beautiful dress.
Brad took Trina's hand and pulled her towards him so they could dance to the smooth jazz music that filled the air.
"I was thinking we should go now." He said bending down to kiss her neck.
"You sound like you have something planned."
"Yes, my lady."
She looked up at him. "My lady? Not Milady."
"No, I think we'll leave her at the back of the shelf." He smiled down at her. "My Lady is the angelic, beautiful vision that you are."
"I like that." She smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
"Ready?"
She nodded and took his hand allowing him to lead her away.
He took her for a romantic walk along the beach, and they stopped near a waterfall that flowed down into a river.
The soft tawny glow of the surrounding lights mingled with the moonlight creating a peaceful atmosphere.
"I was thinking of taking you to Oahu tomorrow." Brad declared with a proud smile. "We can fly there and do all the things you want to do, like see Pearl Harbor."
"Oh my gosh. I’d love that," she beamed.
"I know." He smiled again. Then a serious expression washed over his handsome face. "Trina, there's something I have to tell you."
"Brad," she pursed her lips together. "If this is about the fact that we don't exactly live in the same state, then I've sorted it out. I'm moving."
He looked surprised at her declaration. "You'd do that for me?"
"Of course."
"Thank you, but you don't have to do that. I think I'll be the one moving. You're an established surgeon at the hospital. I'm sure you'll get that chance to have your own team there too. Me, on the other hand. I can work from home. I can fly to LA when needed and hire someone to run the office."
"Really, you'd move to Chicago?"
"Yeah. Of course. For you I would do anything. And, I guess I'd be moving back." That slow easy smile lifted the corners of his lips.
She smoothed her arms around him to give him a hug. "Thank you."
"You're more than welcome." He kissed her and then pulled back gently. "Trina I'm glad we talked about moving, but that isn't what I wanted to talk about."
"What did you want to talk about?" It sounded serious and seemed enough to dampen his mood.
"There was something I didn't mention when I told you about the promise I made your dad."
That grabbed her attention, and she pulled in a breath as she watched him. He ushered her to sit on the nearest bench, but instead of sitting next to her he continued to stand.
"I told you that I stole something and he had to bail me out. What I didn't tell you was what I stole." His cheeks flushed as he spoke, and he kept his focus on her.
"What did you steal?" She was curious to know now.
He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small blue velvet pouch.
"This." From inside the pouch he pulled out a delicate looking ring with a princess cut diamond in the center. It was an engagement ring!
She clutched her hand to her chest to stop her heart from leaping out.
Now it all made perfect sense. Now it did.
"God..." she was so choked up she couldn't even finish. "You were going to ask me to marry you?"
He looked at her and nodded with a faraway look in his eyes. "I had a big date planned with a stolen ring and nothing to offer you. Your dad was so mad at me. He didn't want me to ask you. He didn't want to die thinking that there was a chance I'd ruin your life."
"Brad, why didn't you tell me?" She couldn't believe he'd kept that part to himself. "How
could you leave that part out?"
"Because of the significance of it." He offered a small smile. "Please don't be mad."
"I'm not." If there was anyone to be mad at it was her father, even though she understood his reasons. The part she was mad about was that he allowed her to believe that Brad left and never loved her. Whatever his reasons, he shouldn't have allowed her to believe that.
She observed the tentative expression on Brad's face and looked across at the ring in his hand. "You kept it all this time."
"Yeah. I... bought it." His eyes met hers.
"You bought a ring you weren't going to give me?" She gazed up into his eyes trying to understand.
"To me it was yours, and if I had it, then I had a piece of you. I love you Trina, and I still want to give this to you."
Her eyes widened, and her heart continued its rapid rhythm within her chest. She looked at him. Looked at the changed man before her who'd been through so much.
"I still want to give it to you, one day.” He continued. “Until then I'll do my best to earn your love, and make up for everything I must have put you through. Everything I –"
"No." Trina had to stop him from continuing. She stood up and moved closer to him. "You don't have to make up for anything, and you can't earn something that's already yours. I have always loved you, Brad."
He smiled down at her. "I've always loved you too."
"I know, so if it's alright with you, I'd like to have my ring now please."
Surprise filled his face. "Now? But this isn't the perfect moment I had in mind."
"Brad, we're in Hawaii. Standing by this beautiful waterfall." She motioned across to it. In the moonlight, the water sparkled looking like flowing diamonds. The setting could have easily been placed in any fairytale. "I told you I've always loved you, and you said the same. Don't you think this is a perfect moment?"
His face lit up as he beamed at her. "Yes, my lady."
Her heart soared as she watched the man of her dreams lower to one knee and held the beautiful ring out to her. She felt fully alive as joy rippled throughout her entire body.
"Trina. Thank you for loving me, and for being more than a dream to me. Please be my wife. Please be mine forever. She didn't think she'd ever heard anything more perfect than that.
"Yes Brad. Always yes."
He beamed up at her as he slipped the ring on to her finger. She looked at her hand and smiled. The ring looked perfect as if it had always belonged there.
Just like them. They'd always belonged together too.
She laughed as Brad picked her up and spun her around.
Now she was happy. Brad was her every hope and dream fulfilled.
He was true happiness.
Thank You for reading xx
Thank You for reading xx
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Description
So this is what happens when you fall out of the frying pan and into the fire.
When Allyson Summers lost her job at The Bay News as a prestigious investigative journalist she thought things were bad. Her world and life she had created for herself had literally crumbled beneath her.
Never could she imagine that life could actually get worse when she's asked to work on her best friend's wedding with her childhood nemesis Zack Collins, a retired marine.
Zack Collins couldn't imagine anything worse than working on this wedding with Allyson, especially since he retired from the marines to recover from a terrible experience in Afghanistan.
As life throws them together in the most bizarre situations they realize that they've both changed from the people they used to be when they were younger. They couldn't be more surprised when they find themselves attracted to each other. Find out where that attraction leads in The Objection To Affection…
Books by Khardine Gray
I Only Have Eyes For You
The Objection to Affection
Complete Me
Hearts Entwined
Shape of My Heart
One Wild Night
I Love You again
Never and Always- coming soon
Vandervilles Series
Book 1- When Beauty Met the Beast
Book 2- Secrets and Lies
Book 3- Into the Rabbit Hole
To check out these titles please visit
https://www.amazon.com/author/khardinegraynovels
About the Author
Khardine Gray is the author of such acclaimed romances as Shape of My Heart, Complete Me and Hearts Entwined.
She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Her books have drool worthy heroes who will make you melt, and sassy, fun loving, ambitious heroines.
She loves writing and simply adore her readers.
She’s from the Caribbean but currently lives in England with her husband and two kids.
When not writing you can catch her ice skating or dancing at a Samba class.
Keep up with all the new releases by signing up to her readers list at http://www.subscribepage.com/f4u3v9
Connect with Khardine Reader at the Bliss Romance Hideaway on Facebook
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I Love You Again Page 9