“I should have known that. And when you came back…” He shook his head, the emotions and regret evident in his eyes. “I was ready to do anything to make you stay forever. To fix anything I’d messed up the first time. So when I realized you’d been keeping secrets—”
“For Lucas.” She wanted to be clear about that. “I couldn’t risk revealing him to you until I knew for sure what your feelings were toward me. My father has been feeding me a diet of lies for months, showing me stories about the McNeills and telling me you married me to inherit—”
“None of it was true.” His jaw tensed, showing a streak of pride and stubbornness that she admired. Something about his expression made her imagine what Lucas would look like one day. Would he take after his father with that same McNeill pride?
Would she be with them both to see that day?
The hope she’d stuffed down before grew back stronger. More insistent.
“I know that now. But between the drugs and being ill and having amnesia, I questioned everything. Every. Single. Thing.” She realized that no matter what the outcome of this conversation, she loved him as much—more—than ever.
“That’s what a good mother would do.” He stroked a hand along her arm. “I’m sorry, Caroline. I understand now that you had to make the call to put Lucas first while I was still concentrating on us—fixated on why you left. I’m trying to catch up to be a good father.”
“And you are.” She liked seeing him hold their son. Kiss the baby’s silky hair. “I trust that. But what I really want to know is, what’s next for us?”
Of all the risks she’d taken today—maneuvering her father into thinking she was on his side, gambling with Damon’s company in front of his other investors—this one was the biggest. Because Damon McNeill still held her heart.
“If I had my way, we would go to the police station right now to tell them everything you’ve remembered. While you give your statement, I’d work on making arrangements to have legal custody of your brothers shifted over to you so that we can help them through this.” His hand moved to her knee. “My father went missing from my life at their age, and I know how confusing that will be for them.”
Tipping her head to Damon’s shoulder, she couldn’t wait another moment to take the comfort he offered. Not when he said the most beautiful things. She appreciated that he would think of her family—her father’s sons—in that way.
“You’re right. Thank you for considering my brothers’ needs.” She kissed his shoulder through his jacket. No matter what, Damon was going to be an amazing role model. And maybe, her heart hoped, he would be so much more.
“I think we should pull them out of school. Let them spend a few weeks with us here, or maybe in Martinique. That’s a good place for kids.” He frowned as he seemed to weigh two important choices. Then he lifted his head. “Maybe we ask them?”
“I think that’s a great idea.” She felt a smile from deep inside her, confidence gathering along with the hope. This feeling couldn’t be wrong. She remembered it from those heady weeks when she’d fallen in love with this man. They clicked. They fit together.
Damon nodded. Then he took both her hands in his, turning to face her more fully on the sofa. “But first, I want to ask you to forgive me for not telling you how much I love you. Today, yesterday, and every day since I met you.” He stroked the backs of her fingers. “I was tongue-tied and stupid that night you said it to me. My brain was stuck wondering how you could feel that way about me. But not for a moment of that time did I not love you back.” His voice lowered, the emotions behind the words so evident she couldn’t believe she hadn’t heard them before. “Please believe me.”
The rightness of the moment, the truth of their happiness, flowed over her. Comforting her. Assuring her. Making her heart whole again.
“I do.” She kissed his cheek, let a tear of happiness roll unchecked down her face. “I believe you. Because whether you say it or not, I feel your love all around me right now. It’s been there all along, I was just too afraid to believe it. It’s in the thoughtful things you do for me and the way you took care of Victoria with the bodyguard. Or putting my brothers’ care before anything else today.”
“I would do anything for you. I knew it in that board meeting that I’d rather lose the company a hundred times over than lose you for even one more day.” He kissed her fallen tear and both of her closed eyes. “Will you do one thing for me, my sweet Caroline?”