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He spoke again. “I fell in love with you here, you know. On this bench, watching you eat a hot dog like a starving animal.”
Her eyes flew open, but he set two fingers over her lips, preventing her from speaking. “The way I spoke to you that day at Kelli’s house was unforgivable.”
She lifted a shoulder. Well, yeah.
His eyes dropped to her chin as though unable to look her in the eye. “I held on to my mad for so long, hating you. But I read your article and realized you were hurting too, and I couldn’t stop replaying the things I said, and I—I realized I never apologized. Never asked you to forgive me.”
He leaned his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. “The truth is, Julie, I didn’t think about the bet when I was with you. I tried. I tried all the time, but when I was with you there was no room for anything but you. For the first time I wanted a relationship for the person and not the security.”
“Mitchell—”
“Not done. You can write about relationships all you want. Get as personal as you want. Your serial dating days are over, Ms. Greene. From here on out, anything related to your personal relationships better be about me.”
She nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Me too.”
He tugged at her ponytail, forcing her face up to his. “You told me you loved me, and I threw it in your face.”
She gave a small smile. “Well, yeah. You’re a jerk.”
“Try me again.”
Julie swallowed. Took a breath. Took a risk. “I love you.”
His eyes went bright and fierce. “You’d better. Because I love you so damn much.”
“Forever?” she asked.
“Forever. Or at least until I decide I can’t live without box seats at Yankee Stadium.”
“Ah, so Wall Street’s a funny guy now.”
“You bet your ass. Now, how about you write about this?” His lips found hers just as she felt something cool and firm slip onto the fourth finger of her left hand.
Julie felt the blood drain from her face. Or maybe it rushed to her face. Either way, her thoughts were scattering in every direction, and her heart felt lodged in her throat.
“Mitchell—”
“If you need time, take time. But don’t say no just yet,” he said quickly, urgently. “I know it’s soon, and I know it’s crazy.” He put a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face up. “But it’s right, too,” he added softly. “Isn’t it?”
She glanced up into his navy eyes, reading both the hope that she’d say yes and the panic that she’d say no.
It was soon. And crazy …
The thoughts racing through her head slowly came together to form one cohesive picture. Of her, and Mitchell … maybe a whole fleet of cross-country-running toddlers.
She let herself try on the image for size. Hell, wasn’t that what she’d been doing over the past few weeks? Trying Mitchell on for size and realizing that he fit her perfectly?
And knowing he always would?
Julie smiled up at him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s a yes?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said softly, sliding her hand into his hair and pulling his head toward hers. “That’s a yes.”
