“I fought Thomas and Gareth because the first time you created an internal audit plan, and I approved it, you wouldn’t stop smiling for three straight days.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“You kept pretending you weren’t excited.” A small grin finally appears. “You failed miserably.”
Heat floods my face, but I smile despite myself. I don’t know where he’s going with this. But I’ll give him the same patience he gave me.
“I fought them because I knew how much that role mattered to you. Because I wanted to keep you smiling like that.”
My hands move to his face.
“I call youCecebecause that’s your name. And the one and only time I called you Celestine, I watched the light leave your eyes. It lasted maybe two seconds, but I saw it.”
“My mother always called me Celestine whenever I’d throw atantrum—her words,” I rush to explain.
The anger that flashes across his face is immediate. But it’s gone just as quickly. Reined in.
“What I’m trying to say,” he continues quietly, “is that loving you that way was never difficult.” His voice softens further. “It was so natural—so easy—that I didn’t realize I was doing it. And I think I slipped up just as easily because I let doubt take away my focus. The merger. The embezzlement. My parents.”
My eyes grow weary, so he continues on.
“Please trust me when I say this,” he says, eyes begging. “I know you’re scared I’ll screw it up again.”
I nod.
He smiles sadly. “I probably will make mistakes. New ones, maybe. But neverthatone again.”
The certainty in his voice makes me blink. “I’ll tell you why.” He brushes away the tears sliding down my cheeks. “Not just because I’ve destroyed the one thing that hurt us—the clause. But because I’m wiser now. I always knew I’d fall for you the moment we met. And the more I got to know you, the more I fell.”
My gaze softens at his confession.
“We were still learning each other. Learning to communicate. And now, I know you more than I didthen. I love you more than I did then.”
My breath shudders.
His thumb traces the curve of my jaw, voice breaking. “I also know that I lostmyselfwhen I didn’t love you right.”
The tears won’t stop now.
Neither of us tries.
His eyes lock onto mine. “I’ll make mistakes. I’ll say the wrong thing. I’ll probably drive you insane since I’m unemployed now.”
A tiny laugh escapes me.
“But no,” he whispers. “There’s nothing that will get in the way of me loving you. Because I will never stoplearningyou.”
His lips brush mine reverently.
And my heart warms. Because he isn’t promising perfection. He’s promising growth.
His voice turns rough. “I choose to love you.” Another kiss. “Specifically.” And another. “Deliberately.”
His forehead settles against mine. “Every single version of you. Every day. For the rest of my life.”
THIRTY-FIVE
Levi
