“I had to. I thought about everything you said yesterday. I ache for everything you told me. I admire who you’ve become.”
He flinches. “I’m hardly perfect.”
“I’m not, either. Far from it. The fact that you could open yourself up to tell me your darkest memories simply to help me proves your strength and compassion and—”
“I couldn’t leave you to wonder anymore. Not explaining was cruel.”
“You were protecting yourself, Griff. You probably learned to do that a long time ago because no one else did.”
He frowns, drops his head. He doesn’t have to tell me I’m right. I know. And every bit of me aches for him.
“Why did you come?”
The question takes me aback. He told me to. At noon. I’m five minutes early. Did he change his mind overnight?
Dread clenches my belly. “I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk about us.”
Over Griff’s shoulder, Harlow runs out of the house and adjusts all the blue bows on the folding chairs. She drops more tropical petals on the white sheets underneath. “There’s another wedding here today? Is this Keeley and Maxon’s first official day open for business as a bed-and-breakfast?”
He pauses. “Not exactly. Maybe Jamie can run around with Auntie Harlow while we talk?”
“Sure.”
Griff calls out to his sister, who dashes our way, wearing a beaming smile and a full face of makeup, which seems odd for this early on a Saturday. Maybe she’s got someplace to go later?
She hugs me tightly, which surprises me even more. “Glad you’re here. We’re—”
“Going to talk,” Griff cuts in. “Can you entertain Jamie for a few?”
Harlow’s smile falters but she nods. “Sure.”
When the pretty brunette carries my son away, I watch. She’s an interesting woman. I hope she doesn’t marry the guy she’s engaged to, but it’s none of my business. She’s not my sister-in-law. I don’t even know if she considers me a friend right now. The mixed signals are confusing.
Then again, I’ve got a mountain of problems in front of me. Harlow is a smart cookie, and she’ll make the right choice. I hope she finds love someday…but I’m pretty sure her outlook on happily ever after matches the one her brothers shared for years. Her heart won’t go down without a fight. Vaguely, I wonder what secrets are lurking in her closet after growing up in the Reed household, but Griff takes my hand, distracting me.
“Is this okay?” He squeezes my fingers. “To touch you like this?”
“Of course. Griff, I’m here because I love you. And I’m here because I don’t want this.” I extricate my hand from his and reach into my purse for a small manila envelope, then pass it his way.
He scowls at it. “What’s in here?”
“Look inside.”
Prying open the lip, he stares down into the contents. “Is that confetti?”
“It is now. It was the papers you signed yesterday relinquishing your parental rights. I can’t keep you from your son any more than I can bear to stay away from you myself. What you told me changed my outlook—and mind—about everything between us. You told me your past because you wanted me to understand your behavior. But what you really needed was for me to understand you. So I could be with you. So we wouldn’t repeat this terrible cycle again. So we could commit to each other with whole hearts.” I swallow nervously. “Am I wrong?”
He crushes the envelope in his fist, then shoves it in his pocket. “No. You’re right. So right. About everything.”
His voice isn’t quite steady, and I’m touched down to the soul. This man has walked through fire and stripped himself bare for me. I can’t do any less for him.
I reach into my purse again and withdraw another form, the one he had drawn up voluntarily establishing his parental rights. I swiped it from his desk at the office on my way over here.
With a deep breath, I hand it to him. I understand this is forever—and that makes me so happy now. “Here. I’ve already signed this. If you do the same and give it back to your attorney, you’ll be Jamie’s father in the eyes of the law.”
Reverently, he takes the paper from my hand and unfolds it. After a quick scan, he breaks out in a big smile and starts looking for a pen. Luckily, I come prepared and hand him one out of my purse.
He smooths out the form against the car and adds his name in all the places marked FATHER. Then it’s done. My heart feels lighter already.
“Thank you. Really. That means the world to me.”
I shake my head. “You don’t have to thank me. You’re his father. And I know you’ll be a great one.” I dig into my purse again. “I also brought you something else.”
After a little searching, I finally find the black box containing the rings he bought me so early in our relationship and held on to because he couldn’t let me go. I put the velvety square in his hand. “I also came here today because I finally have an answer to your proposal.”
He glances at the box, then yanks his gaze to my face, as if he’s desperately trying to read my intentions. “Angel?”
“Yes.” I cup his jaw and look into his beloved hazel eyes. “Unequivocally, most certainly, wholeheartedly yes. I want to marry you.” I break out into the tears I swore I wouldn’t cry. “Finally.”
“Thank god.” His voice crumbles. “I love you, angel.”
“I love you, too.”
Griff wraps his fingers around my nape and hauls me closer like he can’t get to me fast enough, slanting his mouth over mine. There’s hunger in his kiss, but I taste the relief and the devotion. We’ve only been apart for a week, but it’s felt like an eternity. I press myself against him. He’s solid, strong. His heart beats against mine. This feels right. We feel right.
We share a love—and trust—we can both count on. I’m convinced of that all the way to my soul.
His fingers are in my hair. I grope for his shoulders. He moans. I melt.
“Get a room!” Maxon yells across the yard.
We jump apart guiltily. I give a nervous laugh.
Leave it to Maxon to say the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate moment.
Griff turns to him with a snarl. “I’m going to kill you.”
“Nah, you look like you’re going to be too busy to mess with me.” He winks, then waves at me. “Hi, Britta. Your job is still available…”
I giggle through my tears. “I’ll think about it.”
“Later,” Griff adds to his brother. “Go the fuck away. Don’t you have things to do?”
“Now I do.” He salutes us. “I’m on it.”
Then he disappears inside the house again.
“What was that about?”
Griff clears his throat nervously. Why he should be worried now that I’ve said yes is a mystery.
“Let’s get this engagement ring on you.”
I’m beyond ready. “Please.”
He flips open the box, and I’m struck again by how beautiful the stones and setting are. It’s something I would have been drawn to. If he had turned me loose in a room full of rings, I have no doubt I would have chosen this one. He knows me so very well. Finally, that’s a comfort.
He lifts the ring from its pristine perch. I hold out my hand. Together, we work to slide it on my finger. It fits perfectly, and the unfamiliar weight clenches at my heart. I’m his—now and always.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur.
“I really believe it was made for you.” He pockets the box containing the wedding band. “I’ll keep this until the right time.