Chapter 15 - A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
Three months later,
the bitter winter snows of Boston melted away,
giving way to the bright,
blooming colors of spring along the harbor.
Emma no longer worked three exhausting shifts at the diner.
Instead,
with Nathaniel’s quiet backing,
she had opened her own independent bookstore in Beacon Hill,
a cozy haven filled with rare literature and the smell of old paper and roasted coffee.
Maisie attended a prestigious private school nearby,
skipping down the sidewalk every morning with a bright pink backpack.
And Nathaniel? Nathaniel was no longer just the feared mafia boss lurking in the shadows.
He was a regular fixture at Emma’s bookstore,
reading in the corner chair,
bringing her coffee,
and playing chess with Maisie on Sunday afternoons.
One sunny afternoon,
as the bookstore closed and the golden evening light filtered through the front display window,
Nathaniel walked behind the counter where Emma was organizing new arrivals.
He reached into his pocket,
pulling out a small velvet box.
Emma’s breath hitched in her throat as she turned around to face him.
“Nathaniel…” Emma whispered,
her heart pounding.
“When you walked into that restaurant three months ago,
” Nathaniel said,
his voice deep and steady with emotion,
“I was a man waiting in the dark.
”
He opened the velvet box,
revealing a stunning diamond ring that caught the evening sunlight.
“You and Maisie brought light into a world I thought was pitch black.
”
He dropped gracefully to one knee,
looking up at her with complete,
unreserved devotion.
“Emma Walker,
will you let me spend the rest of my birthdays with you?”
Tears welled up in Emma’s eyes as a radiant smile broke across her face.
“Yes,
Nathaniel,
” Emma choked out through happy tears.
“Yes,
May you like
a million times yes.
”
