Читать книгу Summer Beach Reads - Natalie Anderson - Страница 22

EPILOGUE

One Year Later.

‘I’M NOT going to win, you know. Just to be nominated is amazing. I never expected it, not two years in a row.’

Scepticism was painted all over Ruben’s face. ‘Just to be nominated? No one actually believes that, you know. Everyone wants to win. You included.’

Ellie determinedly shook her head. ‘It would be nice to win, but I’m not going to be devastated if I don’t. I’m going to enjoy the night anyway.’ She’d partied like a wild woman last year when she hadn’t won. This year was going to be so much better than that because he was with her and they’d just had the best year ever.

‘You are?’

She nodded. ‘You by my side, a job I adore. Life can’t get better.’

Those gorgeous lips of his curved a little deeper. ‘I got you a little something.’

‘A consolation prize?’ She giggled. ‘To make me feel better if I don’t win?’

‘I wouldn’t say it’s a consolation prize. But it’s for later.’

‘Can I have it now?’ She sent him a flirt look.

‘Your category hasn’t even been announced yet.’

‘I don’t care.’ She leaned close, brushing against him. ‘I’m far more interested in what you’ve got for me.’

‘It really is for later.’

‘Please?’

He sighed. ‘I can’t say no to you.’ He put his hand in his pocket. ‘But hopefully you can’t say no to me either.’

He opened his hand in front of her.

Ellie looked at the box. The noise of the crowded room was suddenly muted. The crowd had vanished too—she was conscious of only him and her. ‘Oh, Ruben.’

‘Bit of an odd place to do this, but...’

She looked up. She could see only him—his gorgeous brown eyes, that charming, lucky smile and the love that shone through.

‘You’ll say yes? You’ll marry me?’

‘Of course I will,’ she said. Only she was so choked up with emotion it was little more than a whisper.

She didn’t hear her name over the sound system, she was so busy kissing him.

It was Bridie who poked her in the back and informed her she’d just won Tour Guide of the Year.

She hit the stage, collected her award and was heading back to her seat with no recollection whatsoever of what she’d said or done. But the entire audience had laughed and cheered so it must have been okay. And he was waiting with eyes only for her and with all the love she could ever want.

She ran the last few steps into his embrace. Real life was so much better than anything Hollywood could conjure. And Ellie Summers had won her world.

* * * * *

Read on for an extract from A SECRET DISGRACE by Penny Jordan!