|33| - "We've always made a great team." -

When Nathan asked if I had any preference over how to spend my final days in Italy, one thing in particular sprung to mind.

"If it's okay with you, I'd love to go back to that lake."

He rolled over in bed to face me, propping himself up on his elbow. "Of course it's okay. Why wouldn't it be?"

Shrugging, I reached to brush some longer strands of his blonde hair away from his eyes.

"It's your place. I know you've taken me there before, shared it with me, but it still holds personal significance to you. I don't want to tarnish that or risk turning it into something it's not."

"You wouldn't, Bella." Nathan smiled and threaded his fingers through mine, squeezing my hand. "I actually love that you want to go back there. It is special to me, and so are you. What could be better?"

In truth, I'd worried that I was forcing myself into a chapter of Nathan's life that had been special to him before we'd met. Yes, we were in a relationship, but that didn't mean he was obligated to share every part of his past with me. I hadn't always been with him, and it sometimes felt like an intrusion to delve into parts of his life that existed before me.

"Want to go today?" he asked, easing my concern.

Half an hour later, we were showered and dressed. Jasmine had left in the very early hours, claiming that she'd found an ideal spot to watch the sun rise with Sean. It all sounded very romantic—even if it was for photography purposes and she had nobody else to go with.

Abbie and Ant had left Italy the previous week, and despite Meg's icy exterior gradually defrosting over the course of the year, her friendship with Jasmine wasn't quite at the level where they would enjoy an early morning trek to watch the sun rise together.

Not wanting to third-wheel with Nathan and me, that had only left Sean to accompany her. Despite her half-hearted attempt at justifying it, Jasmine seemed pretty happy with the arrangement. They hadn't put a label on their romance, but neither of them seemed bothered by that kind of formality.

Nathan and I grabbed breakfast en route to the station and I gave him one final chance to change his mind.

"You said the lake was very tranquil. We could go there this time?"

"Probably not quite so tranquil at this time of year," Nathan replied. "Let's go to the church first, and then we'll have some idea of how busy it is at the shore."

Doing the journey in summer rather than winter was like an entirely different experience. Vibrant colours whizzed past the train windows and the mountainous drive up to the church didn't feel quite as perilous in the bright, midday sunshine, beneath blue skies.

Climbing out of the taxi at the church, the air was still and birds chirped within the trees. Despite the seasonal differences, though, the sensational view over the lake struck me just as powerfully as the first time I'd seen it.

"I don't think I will ever see a view that beats this one," I said to Nathan.

He chuckled. "It's special. There are so many other places to see in the world, though. We've got lots more exploring to do."

"True. And a whole lifetime to do it."

We cuddled under the shade of the trees, not feeling the need to say anything. The view spoke for itself. Even this high up, I could just about make out movement along the lake's shoreline, so Nathan hadn't been wrong with his prediction about how busy it would be.

"It's moments like this that you wish you could just bottle up in a jar and relive time and time again," I said.

"Will a photo suffice instead?" Nathan rose to his feet and dug into his pocket for his phone. "I'm not as good as Jasmine, so you'll have to choose whether you want your face lit up or the background."

"I'll save you the trouble and face away from the camera," I said with a smile.

I pushed myself up off the grass and took a few steps into the open, away from the shelter of the trees. The warmth from the blazing sun instantly enveloped me, beating down on my skin. I doubted the weather was this good in London.

"Okay, bear with," Nathan said.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw him playing around with his phone, brows knitted together.

"I still can't get the lighting to work. The sun is too bright."

"It doesn't matter. Just click to focus on the lake and it'll turn me into a silhouette. It'll look fine. Trust me."

"Okay... just keep looking at the lake, then, and I'll fire off a few attempts. If this is going to capture the moment, it has to be perfect."

I smiled to myself but did as I was told. "I feel silly."

"Nobody's around. Just pretend I'm not here."

Concentrating on the lake, I considered the irony of how a photo which was intended to look natural had actually been choreographed between us. Every so often, I would hear click of the phone, followed by Nathan sighing to himself.

"Do you remember one of my first visits to see you?" Nathan then asked. "I challenged you to learn thirty different types of pasta."

I laughed, and then heard the camera go off again. "That seems like ages ago."

"Do you think you can recite them?"

Typical of Nathan to remember that challenge. However unlikely it would be that I could recite thirty, I gave it my best shot. Standing with my back to Nathan whilst he snapped away was awkward enough and so I welcomed the distraction.

"Farfalle, Macaroni, Penne, Orecchiette, Gemelli, Conchiglioni, Bucatini, Rigatoni, Cannelloni, Lasagne..."

How many was that? Ten? I'd be impressed if I got to twenty-five without repeating one.

"Isobel Smith?"

I spun around, my eyes dropping to the ground. Nathan knelt on one knee, cradling a small square box.

My heart lurched, my stomach flipping. With my mouth dry from shock and my hand frozen against my lips, I couldn't have spoken even if Nathan hadn't then continued.

"Bella, this spot has always had a special place in my heart, just like you have. When you suggested coming here this morning, I could tell how hesitant you were, but I want to share all of my life with you. My past, my present, and my future. I know this year hasn't been easy for you. I know it's not been easy for our relationship, either. But we got through it, and if we got through this, then we can get through anything. After such a tough year, though, I did want to give you one special memory that would last a lifetime. But maybe that's just an excuse. Because I really can't wait to marry you."

Nathan opened the box, and a round diamond sparkled as the sunlight bounced off it.

"So, Isobel Smith, vuoi sposarmi?"

Awareness returned to my body and I lowered my hand from my mouth. When I met Nathan's eyes, I noticed the hint of nerves amongst the tender affection.

"Yes," I said. "Of course I'll marry you."

Grinning, he plucked the ring from the box and eased it onto my finger. It was beautiful, a single diamond glistening against my skin that had started to tan in the warmer Italian weather.

Nathan rose and swept me into a hug before seeking out my lips. As we kissed, his fingers grazed my cheeks, and I noticed the dampness that he brushed away. I hadn't even realised that I'd been crying. The whole situation felt like a euphoric dream.

"How long had you been planning it for?" I asked him as we settled back on the grass, my head resting on his chest.

"Four years."

I laughed and playfully booted his ankle. "I'm being serious. I was the one who suggested we come up here. I was the one who suggested I face away from the camera."

"Yeah. Thanks for making it so easy for me."

Smiling against his chest, I threaded my fingers through his. "Well, we've always made a great team, haven't we?"

"After what you told me last time we were here," Nathan said, "about how you thought I was going to propose, it made me realise that I wanted the real proposal to come as a complete surprise. With you being the one to suggest we come here, and you being the one to effectively set up the whole scene, I knew it would surprise you."

"And you just happened to have the ring on you?"

"Yes. I've been carrying it around for a while now, waiting for the perfect moment. Being with you has always felt so natural and real. I wanted the proposal to be like that, too."

"It was perfect."

He kissed my forehead. "When do you want to tell people?"

"Let's wait until we're back in the U.K. It'll be nice to tell them face-to-face, and I like the idea of just the two of us knowing for now. It's something special that I want to share only with you for the time being."

"Sounds good to me."

We dozed under the shade of the trees, basking in the bliss of being engaged. It still didn't feel real and would probably take a while to sink in. I'd always imagined marrying Nathan, but I could never have imagined how exhilarating it would feel for that fantasy to become a reality. I was going to be his wife. Mrs Hunt.

Three years ago, Nathan had given me a different ring—one that I wore on my right hand and that promised commitment. It had been a reassuring gesture on his part, and although he'd joked that it represented a promise never to break up, I don't think either of us would have been able to say for sure that it would be replaced by a more permanent version later down the line.

This year had been a prime example of how we could never know what the future holds. But Nathan was right; we had made it work. We'd got through it. Despite the odds. Despite the sceptics who'd warned us that long distance never works.

It had been a journey up to this point, but at the same time it felt like this was only the first chapter in the rest of our lives together. 

THE END

***

In 2011, I created a Wattpad profile and posted the first chapter of Getting Over Matt. Nearly nine years later, I've posted the last chapter in the trilogy. It's a very strange feeling, and I've been nervous about posting it as I desperately wanted to do the ending justice. I can't believe this little story of mine has led me to where I am today--and all because of the support you've shown me and the series. Thank you to everyone who has read, commented and voted. You will never know how much it means to me. 

I will be posting various bonus chapters at some point in the future, so follow me on Wattpad and/or my social media if you don't want to miss out!

Thank you for reading :) xx