Chapter 8 - The Proposal Beneath the StarsWinter in Seattle gave way to a crisp, clear spring. The cherry blossoms around Green Lake burst into brilliant pink blooms, and Bennett & Bloom Bakery officially expanded into the adjacent retail space, funded by an anonymous venture capital firm that Claire knew damn well was funded by Adrian Park.
On a Friday evening in late May, Adrian told Claire to dress up. No jeans, no bakery aprons, no flour-dusted sneakers.
“Where are we going?” Claire asked as she walked down the stairs of the Queen Anne house wearing a simple, elegant emerald silk dress that hugged her curves.
Adrian stood at the bottom of the staircase in a sharp tuxedo, his dark hair neatly styled, his silver watch gleaming on his wrist. When he looked up and saw her, speech seemed to fail him for a moment.
“Nowhere special,” Adrian finally managed, smiling softly. “Just out.”
He drove her not to a crowded, high-end downtown restaurant, but up into the Cascade foothills overlooking the twinkling lights of Seattle and the dark, majestic silhouette of Mount Rainier in the distance. He had arranged a private clearing surrounded by towering pines, strung with thousands of fairy lights that twinkled like fallen stars. A small wooden table was set for two, complete with wine, artisan bread, and a custom chocolate cake baked by a pastry chef Adrian had secretly flown in from Paris.
After dinner, as they stood near the edge of the overlook watching the city lights shimmer below, Adrian turned Claire to face him.
“Adrian, what is this?” Claire asked, her heart hammering against her ribs. She could feel the familiar, thrilling intensity in his eyes.
“It’s a correction,” Adrian said quietly.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He didn’t drop to one knee immediately; instead, he held her hands in his, his fingers warm and steady.
“Five years ago, I let a phone call and a corporate vulture steal the best part of my life,” Adrian said, his voice thick with emotion. “I lost five years of waking up next to you. I lost five years of watching our children grow. I can never get those years back, Claire. It’s my biggest regret.”
Tears welled in Claire’s eyes, spilling over her lashes.
“But,” Adrian continued, his gaze locking onto hers with absolute, unwavering devotion, “I refuse to lose tomorrow. I love you, Claire Bennett. I loved you when we were interns in San Francisco, I loved you through every lonely night I spent searching for you, and I love you now, more than my own heartbeat.”
He slowly dropped to one knee on the mossy ground.
“Will you marry me? Will you let me spend the rest of my life proving that I am worthy of you, of Ethan, and of Emma?”
Claire looked down at him—the powerful billionaire, the undisputed titan of Park Meridian, kneeling on the damp earth with tears shining in his dark eyes.
May you like
“Yes,” Claire whispered, her voice breaking. “Yes, Adrian. Of course, yes.”
Adrian slipped the diamond ring onto her finger—a delicate vintage-style band set with a brilliant emerald-cut diamond that caught the fairy light like a star. He stood up and pulled her into his arms, crushing her lips in a deep, fierce, desperate kiss that tasted of sweet wine and forever.
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