“I’ve done some thinking and I finally realized that a contract is just as easy for some people to break as a promise is.” He frowned to himself and took a breath before saying, “I was so busy getting everything on the dotted line, it didn’t occur to me that if someone wants to lie or cheat…or leave, a contract won’t stop ’em.”
“No, it wouldn’t,” Mia whispered.
“But a promise made by someone who keeps their promises is as good as gold, right?”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Well, I keep my promises. And I want to make you one right now, Mia,” Dave said, choosing every word carefully now because the next few minutes would decide his future and he for damn sure wanted to get it right. “I promise that I will always love you—”
Mia gasped, clapped a hand to her heart and started crying again. Made a man weak in the knees to see a strong woman cry—especially if he knew he was the cause. “Don’t cry anymore, Mia, you’re killing me.”
“Dave…”
“I’m not afraid to say it now,” he told her, reaching out to wipe away her tears with a gentle swipe of his thumbs. “I always thought if I never said the words, then I wasn’t risking anything. But by not saying them, I was losing everything.” He smiled at her. “And you know I don’t like to lose.”
“I know.”
“So I’m promising you a lifetime of being loved. I want to marry you, Mia. I want our kids to wear that christening gown my mom gave you,” he said, then paused and winced. “But not the boys, okay?”
She laughed and nodded. “Okay. We’ll find manly outfits for our sons.”
He grinned. “That’s a deal. Our sons and daughters. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds wonderful, Dave,” she said, stepping up close to him. “It sounds perfect.”
“Then marry me, Mia. Wear my ring. Tell the whole world that you hold my heart.”
“Oh, Dave, of course I’ll marry you.” She watched as he plucked the ring from its velvet liner and slid it on her finger. He kissed it as if to seal it into place, then looked into her eyes.
“And you’ll come home with me.”
“As soon as I’m out of candy.”
He grinned. “Tell me you love me.”
“I love you so much,” she said.
“Promise me forever,” Dave whispered.
“I promise I will love you forever, Dave Firestone,” she said, her heart in her eyes.
“That’s all I’ll ever need.” He kissed her then, sealing their promises to each other.
As her arms came around him and he pulled her in close, Dave felt his world come back into balance. With Mia, with love, he had the world.
Then the doorbell rang and laughing, they handed out candy together.