A woman walked up carrying a large amount of bags. “Harry! Please, will you help me with my shopping bags?”
I quickly reached for the door and held it open. Harry was so occupied with helping the woman that he forgot about me. I made my way over to the elevator and headed up to Ava’s apartment.
My heart was racing in my chest. I knew Ava was going to be pissed at me and think I had been ignoring her. I only hope what I picked up at Nate’s place would show her how sorry I was.
Taking in a deep breath, I reached my hand up and knocked on the door. It took a few seconds before the door opened and I saw her beautiful face.
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes lit up. “Ryder. I thought … what are you doing here?”
“I missed you.”
She shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “But … you haven’t been answering your phone.”
Puffing my cheeks, I blew out a breath. “Yeah, about that. I didn’t mean all the shit I said, Ava. I was so angry with myself for all of that I threw my phone and it broke into pieces. Then when I realized your number was in my phone and I couldn’t remember it, I kind of freaked out.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“I didn’t want to call your family, then your father would ask why I hadn’t taken the time to memorize his little girl’s number if I asked her to marry me. He would know we argued and I didn’t want that.”
Her teeth sunk in her lip. “No, we don’t want that.”
“Baby, I’m so sorry. I don’t care what you do or if you want to live in that little stone house for the rest of your life. All I care about is that you’re by my side each night I close my eyes and every morning I wake up. You are my life. All that matters to me.”
I dropped onto my knee and that’s when I noticed.
“Oh my God,” we both said at once.
Glancing up, her hands were covering her mouth. “Your cast is off and your leg … looks … so good. When did you get it off?”
She dropped her hands and looked at me. “Really, Ryder? Can that wait?”
“Oh … shit. Yeah.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the jewelry box.
With a huge smile and my heart pounding in my chest, I opened the box. I knew the moment I bumped into Ava that day on the street that she was going to be my forever. “Ava Grace Moore, will you marry me?”
Tears rolled down her face as she nodded her head. Jumping up, I slipped the round antique diamond onto her finger.
“Ohmygawd,” she mumbled while staring at the ring. “It’s beautiful. It looks … so elegant!”
Knowing I was about to make her very happy, I replied. “It’s old. It was my great-great-I think one more great grandmother’s.”
Her head popped up. “Lizzy’s?”
“Yep. It’s been passed down to each first-born son.”
Pinching her eyebrows together, she shook her head. “I thought Nate was older.”
“He wanted you to have it and thought it would mean much more for you to wear it. He’s had it in a safety deposit box here in Austin, so it was perfect timing.”
Wiping her tears away, she stared at the ring. “It’s … I don’t know what to say. It’s perfect.” Lifting her eyes to mine, she whispered, “You’re perfect.”
“I’ve missed you, Ava.”
She pulled me into her apartment and we quickly got lost in a kiss. “Ryder, please make love to me.”
My lips trailed lightly across her neck while she moaned softly. “It would be my pleasure.”
Picking her up, I carried her to the bedroom where I gently set her on the floor.