She couldn’t prevent the happy tears leaking from her eyes. “But you said—”
“Forget everything I said before. I’d never been in love. I never had to change my life for anyone, nor did I want to. Until you. So please just listen to what I have to say now, okay?”
She nodded. They both knew she wasn’t going anywhere. He had her mesmerized, hopeful, and scared all at the same time.
He brushed her tears with his thumb. “I’m here, baby. I’m staying in Serendipity. The mayor formally offered me Simon’s job permanently, and I accepted.”
Cara’s mind balked. “But you’ll get bored. You’ll grow to hate it and me—”
“Never.” He kept his hand against her uninjured cheek. “As soon as I walked into my New York apartment, I knew I’d screwed up. It took me a week to do something about it because I didn’t think you’d want to see me again. And based on your reaction, I was right.” He winced at the memory they both held of how she’d rejected him back at the bar.
Cara ought to feel bad, but she didn’t. She was too shocked by his words and by the fact that he’d thought this out so clearly—and he’d taken the job.
He was staying.
“When you left the bar, my gut told me to go after you, but I waited. Then I saw that bastard’s hands on your throat and your head hit the pavement.” His body trembled. “You scared me to death.”
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“No, I’m sorry. For leaving, for putting you through the last week.”
If it brought them to this point, it was okay, Cara thought, her heart close to exploding from her chest. “You warned me not to get too invested, but despite everything, I fell in love with you too.”
As much as it hurt to talk, it was worth the pain to finally express her feelings and know they were reciprocated, she thought, running her finger down his cheek.
“Thank God.” He moved closer, and Cara threw herself against him, finding everything she’d ever wanted as his strong arms enveloped her in a tight embrace.
He pushed her away long enough to kiss her, a soul-stealing, all-consuming melding of lips that lit her up from the inside out. His tongue slid against hers and she moaned, seeking closer contact, wanting to rub up against him and never be cold again.
“You’re sure about all this?” she asked.
“So sure that I gave up my New York apartment and put a deposit on this house—pending your approval. The real estate agent faxed me pictures and I fell in love, but I wanted us to walk through together.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered.
His grin transformed his entire face, and Cara fell in love all over again, more so because this time she didn’t have to push away the emotions because now they were shared.
“You’re my life,” he said, the words a balm to her soul. “I want to get married, have a family, raise kids here in Serendipity. I want them to know their grandparents. And I want you to know that I will never abandon you again.”
Cara was crying for real now, but they were good tears, tears that told her he’d just given her everything she’d never dared to hope for or dream about. She watched in disbelief as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a ring.
Go big or go home, Mike thought, holding out the diamond engagement ring he’d picked out himself. He’d managed a lot in a short time, including this ring, which had called to him as soon as he’d laid eyes on it.
He presented it to her with shaking hands. “So, Cara Hartley, will you marry me?” he asked, as he gazed into the face of the woman he loved more than life itself.
She stared at him with those big, blue, expressive eyes, then glanced down at the ring and nodded. “Yes. Yes!”
She threw her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck, and Mike breathed easy for the first time in over a week. Or maybe ever in his life.
He separated them long enough to clasp her hand and slip the ring onto her finger.
“Look at that,” she murmured. “It’s a perfect fit.”
He couldn’t help but grin. “Just like us.”
He met her gaze, loving that her cheeks now glowed with happiness, a feeling that echoed inside him. “Ready to go check out the house?” he asked.
She nodded.