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Since we don’t work together anymore the chances of running into Gabriel are even slimmer.
“Okay,” Mira says loudly, picking up her glass and raising it high, calling everyone to attention. “I want to thank everyone for coming today. Thank you for making this happen and for making our special day a success.”
“I also want to thank my maid of honor Harper Quinn,” she turns to me and raises the glass in my direction. I smile. “Thank you for being the best friend anyone could ever have. I wish you love—the kind that perseveres no matter the storms.”
She’s talking about Gabriel, I know, and it makes me want to see his reaction, but I fight the urge.
“All right! Let’s all have fun and get drunk!”
Cheers go around, and everyone settles into easy conversation with their partners and from other tables.
While I sit here, trying not to address the elephant in the room. But I can tell that the elephant is looking at me, and ignoring it takes a lot of work.
I take a swig from the glass in front of me, and the alcohol burns straight to my stomach. I’ve forgotten what I ordered, but it doesn’t seem to work because my mind remains fixated on the person beside me.
“What is it?” I turn to Gabriel. “Do you have something you want to say?”
He nods. “Yes, I do. I just…” he sighs, and his shoulders sag. “I didn’t think I have the right to say anything. Not after what I did.”
I scoff. “You think? But we’re stuck with each other, so I might as well hear you out before I forget you forever.”
His lower lip trembles when I talk about forever and he wipes his brow with the back of his hand.
Is he nervous?
I have never seen Gabriel Everhart nervous. He’s either being a stubborn flightless bird, or he’s teasing me to no end.
“Harper, that night at the party. I was going to propose to you,” he says, and my lips part in surprise. “I bought the ring at the same time Caleb got one for Mira.”
“On the way home, all I could think of was how much I couldn’t wait to finally ask you, and that was the night you let me into your apartment for the first time. You don’t know what it meant, but,” his voice is thick with tears, and he blinks rapidly, “it was the confirmation I needed that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”
I knew there was something different, but I didn’t…I didn’t know.
Gabriel puts his hand into his pocket and brings out a small box.
“This. That night, I was going to give it to you. To ask you to marry me. Then I overheard that stupid conversation you were having with your mom and I just…it was stupid of me to think that you were using me, but I guess I was scared.”
“No,” he shakes his head. “I was scared. I haven’t loved anyone the way I love you, Harper. You make me feel things I thought were not in the books for me, and the mere thought that it could have all been one-sided sent me down the rabbit hole.”
“I’m sorry. I should have asked you instead of jumping to conclusions. I shouldn’t have gone home and gotten drunk, but I should have waited for you and heard the truth instead.”
A tear slips down my face as Gabriel speaks, and I bite my lip hard to keep the shudders at bay. To think that this was all a misunderstanding—
A wave of relief comes over me. I have spent the last however many weeks trying to navigate the hurt and pain that turns out was all for nothing, and now the release is impossible to hold back. My hand goes over my mouth to stifle my sobs when he sinks low, going on his knees beside my chair and taking my hand.
“I don’t know if I deserve a second chance. But I promise that what I feel for you is real. I love you, and you’re the only one for me. I’m your stubborn, flightless bird, and you’re the smart, beautiful woman who took my heart by storm. You are my undoing.”
“So, if you give me a second chance, I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I promise.”
Looking into his eyes, I see the depth of emotion and regret in them. I also see sincerity and the spark of a promise that won’t die. The tears fall faster now.
“How can I say no?” My voice breaks as I speak, “My heart belongs to you. But,” I raise a finger when he moves in to kiss me, “if we are going to do this, you have to promise that you won’t make any more hurried conclusions. Ever.”
“If you have doubts, you come to me first. If we have problems, we work it out, we don’t avoid each other.”
He hurriedly nods his head, grinning from ear to ear.
“I promise,” he says earnestly. “You have my whole heart, Harper Quinn. And I will spend my days making sure you never doubt how much I love you.”
