The Match

We both laugh at the stupid idea that I thought would be romantic. To some extent, I guess celebrating the first night we had sex is romantic for me.

I shrug, staring out into the city that’s full of life. “I guess so. I wanted to do something special for us to remember the night. Meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

I press my lips to hers, taking in the scent of her vanilla lip gloss that is now on my skin. “One thing I will never regret is meeting you. I will never stop loving you. Because of you, I’m a better man.”

Ava smiles and reaches up to plant a kiss on my cheek. Holding onto her, I steer Ava toward the chairs and help her into one. Instead of taking the seat next to Ava, I get down on one knee in front of her. She gasps when I remove the ring box from my pocket and flip the top for her to see the five-carat diamond I bought her from Tiffany’s.

Ava covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with surprise. “Oh my God. Sloan, this is…” Her words die off in her throat, as tears stream down her face.

I pluck the ring from the box and set it on the table. Holding the ring with one hand, I take Ava’s hand in the other, pinning her down with one look.

She locks onto me and flashes a bright smile that lights up her beautiful face. Even though she looks as though she wants to say something, Ava keeps her mouth shut. For once. I was afraid she would get more nervous than me and ask a million questions or ramble on about something to distract me. Ava has a habit of doing that when she’s anxious. But it’s one of the things I love most about her. All of her quirks are what had drawn me to her in the first place. And those subtle imperfections are what has made me love her even more.

“You came into my life when I least expected it and turned my world upside down. I never thought a hook-up in an on-call room would turn into something real, but it did. What we have is special. My life is better because you are in it. Will you marry me?”

She nods, sobbing, and wipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand. I slip the ring onto her finger and then reach up to help her dry the tears. “Yes, of course I will marry you.” Ava fans herself, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

“You will make a beautiful bride. I can’t wait for you to be my wife.”

Ava runs her thumb along the stubble on my jaw and stares into my eyes. “I forgot to tell you something.”

I get up from the ground and sit in the chair next to Ava, still holding her hand. “What’s that?”

“Happy sexiversary.” She chuckles.

I shake my head and laugh at her. “I was trying to be romantic by remembering the night we met. I guess I should have picked another day, huh? Who celebrates the anniversary of when they first had sex?”

“This is perfect. If I hadn’t been so reckless the night I met you, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Now that I know you, I am even more thankful that you lowered your guard with me. It was fate when you walked into that conference room for orientation.”

“I guess it was. Best and worst day of my life. I was so sure I would get kicked out of the residency program or have to switch hospitals.”

“As much as I wanted to resist you, I never would have let that happen.”

“I love you,” she mouths and I say it back to her. Three words I never meant more in my life.

I never want to let Ava go. From the moment we met, I felt a special connection to the quirky raven-haired girl. Instead of the one-night stand I had wanted, I got so much more. My life feels complete, all because I took a chance, broke my rules, and allowed Ava into my heart.

Epilogue

SLOAN

Four years later

“Sloan, I did it. I’m a member.”

I spin around in the crowded hall to see Ava running toward me. She’s wearing navy scrubs and a white lab coat that now reads Dr. Hart over her left breast. She lunges herself into my arms, holding a paper in her hand and an envelope in the other.

“You are looking at the newest member of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. All of that hard work paid off.” She kisses me on the cheek, and I set her down on the floor in front of me.

I take the letter she shoves in my face and study every word, unable to contain my excitement for her. “They would have been stupid not to want you. You earned this. I am so proud of you, baby.”

“What can I say? I had a great teacher.” She winks at me with a smile on her beautiful face.

I smirk. “You were a good student.”

After finishing her seventh year as a resident at Penn General, Ava was finally eligible to become board certified in thoracic surgery. There was never a doubt in my mind that she would pass the board certification. She followed in her father’s footsteps in every way.