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And, beyond my family, I was just so damn happy I had found Paulo through all of this. He was still working with Alex and Morgan but had taken a step back to focus on us, our relationship; it seemed to be doing him good, and coming home from a long day of classes to find him cooking dinner for us in the kitchen was my favorite way to end a day. Well, not quite my favorite, but close enough.
He had supported me every step of the way, never faltering, never letting his support for me waver for a second. It was such a relief, being with someone who knew my history and shared my struggles with addiction; we never had to explain ourselves to each other, we just understood each other on that deep, visceral level. I had gotten a few flirtatious glances from guys in my class at college, but none of them had even turned my head, not when I had him waiting at home for me.
"Hey, save some for me," he protested playfully as he stole a piece of our dessert.
"It’s my graduation," I teased him. "That means I get all the cake I want."
"It sure does," he agreed, smiling at my fondly. He always seemed happy when I was eating. I guessed because I had struggled with it so much when we had first met. I’d gained a couple of stone since I got out of that whole mess with Stefano, and I felt so much better for it. Strong, capable—like I could take on the world.
"You know, there was something else I was hoping to give you," he remarked casually, reaching into his pocket. "Aside from the cake, I mean."
"Oh, yeah?" I replied, cocking an eyebrow. "And what’s that?"
He paused for a moment, flicking his tongue over his lips and smiling. And then, to my complete and utter shock, he pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket.
"I wanted to give you this engagement ring," he told me, popping it open, showing off the diamond glittering in a band of silver inside. "Because I want to ask you to be my wife, Selina."
I gasped, clapping a hand over my mouth. I had noticed him slipping something into his pocket that evening, just before we left to go out, but I hadn’t thought anything of it. This was what it had been, right? This ring?
"Will you marry me, Selina?" he asked me softly. As if he needed to ask me. As if I ever would have said anything other than …
"Yes!" I exclaimed, practically snatching the ring from his hand and slipping it onto my finger. "Yes, I’ll marry you!”
I hadn’t even noticed the rest of the restaurant was watching us, but they exploded into a round of applause as I leaned across the table to kiss my fiancé on the lips. He grinned into the kiss, linking his hand through mine. I could feel the cool metal of the band against my skin, the promise of our future together, of so much more to come.
No matter what I had been through, no matter what my past looked like, this man wanted to be there for my future. And I couldn’t imagine anything sweeter than that, anything better than that.
"I love you," I whispered to him softly, so only he could hear me, the words meant only for him.
"I love you too, Selina," he whispered back, and he kissed me again.
