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I give her some of my thoughts, but she seems to be half listening. And she’s acting nervous.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Great.” Her smile seems forced. “You?”
Confused as hell. “Fine.”
And worried.
Does she know something I don’t?
Suddenly, her phone dings. Her smile turns real, and she shrugs off her great shampoo dilemma. “I’ll figure this out later. Let’s go.”
Kella all but drags me to the checkout counter and hustles through our purchases.
“What’s going on?” I ask as we head to the lot, bombarded by a dry, relentlessly sunny day.
“Nothing.” She shoots me another forced smile. “See you there!”
Before I can reply, she hops into her compact and peels away like she’s on fire.
What the hell?
With a sigh and a niggle of worry that something weird is up, I settle into the driver’s seat and drive the two miles to his place.
When I arrive at Hayes’s bungalow, Kella has already parked and seemingly gone inside without me. In fact, no one is waiting outside for me, least of all the man I love.
Did I somehow misunderstand what our week in Hawaii meant to him?
Willing myself not to cry, I climb out of the car and take a deep breath. If Hayes acts like he’s the same best buddy I had before we went to Maui, I’ll smile my way through the movie, then stay after and ask him what the hell is going on. I don’t want to lose him…but I don’t know what I’ll do if he breaks my heart.
Still, I can’t fathom that. This must be some misunderstanding. Hayes has always been there for me.
As a friend. He’s been a serial boyfriend to every other woman he’s dated. Maybe you’re just the latest?
Maybe, but I don’t want to believe it. I have faith in him, in us. I have to…or what do we really have?
With a fortifying breath, I grab the champagne from the passenger’s seat, along with my purse, then head to the front door, giving myself a pep talk. I love Hayes. He loves me. Whatever’s going on, we’ll talk it out. I’m not giving up.
Decision made, I ring the bell.
Hayes answers with a nervous smile, then he pulls me into the foyer, tugs me into his arms, and cups my face. “Damn, last night lasted forever. You look beautiful, and I’m doing everything out of order, but fuck it. I don’t care.”
Then he seizes my lips with his, plunging deep into my mouth and reminding me of the sugary, summery kisses he plied me with in Maui and lighting up my body like a firework.
When he finally comes up for air, I pull free and look around, surprised that we’re alone. Where did everyone go? I don’t understand, but that’s not my most pressing question now. “Has something changed between us, Hayes?”
“Shortcake…” He turns solemn. “Everything has changed. Come inside. We should talk.”
My stomach drops to my knees. Nerves rattle around the empty chasm as he leads me into the kitchen. There’s food and drink everywhere, but it’s strangely devoid of people. “What’s going on? Where is everyone? Maryam and Kella are both acting weird, and you—”
“I’m nervous.”
Because he needs reassurance about my feelings? Or because he’s trying to find the right words to let me go? “Why?”
He takes my hands in his, takes my mouth with his. As he does, he clutches my heart even tighter in his grip. “I love you. I can’t believe I overlooked you for so long. I feel like the stupidest ass on the planet. But you opened my eyes, and I see you so clearly. I want to spend my life with you. Please tell me you want to spend yours with me.”
Then he kneels.
My heart jumps up to my throat. I gape and slap a hand over my mouth to cover my gasp. He’s down on one knee? Surely I’m misunderstanding. Or hallucinating. Maybe the hours of positive projection have me seeing things I’ve only dreamed of.
“Hayes?” My voice shakes.
“Echo Annalise Hope, I fell in mad, passionate love with you last week, but it feels as if I’ve loved you forever. I don’t want to go another day into my future without knowing you’re mine. Would you make me beyond happy and marry me?”
Oh, my god, he’s serious.
Hayes reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring. He’s totally serious. And the diamond he holds in his hand leaves me stunned. Set in rose gold, it looks vintage. The band is a collection of swirls and filigrees held together by tiny glimmering gems. The center stones have been arranged in the shape of a flower.
It looks like something he would have had made just for me because I can’t imagine anything more perfect.
I don’t have to think twice.
“Yes. Oh, my… Yes!” I start to cry.
Hayes leaps to his feet, hauls me in his arms, and crushes my lips under his in celebration. He’s already stolen my heart, but when I’m in his arms, he steals my breath and my mind, too.
