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The golden light of the hundreds of candles flickers over his face. “I didn’t go back to L.A. I went to see my mom. I … I needed to see her. I suppose I needed to talk to someone who was my family, who felt like home … like you do to me. She reminded me of things, and an old friend too. You know, I’ve struggled with thinking I don’t deserve you, that because of the way I’ve acted in the past I’m not worthy of you, but I also know no one will ever love you the way I love you. Wholly. Completely. You’re it for me Mia. I’m sorry I let what happened with your dad drive me away. I guess I … No, I know I was terrified one day you’d either regret me or you’d choose him over me, and I couldn’t live with either option so I removed myself from the equation.”
I close the distance between us and shove his shoulders, tears clouding my vision. “Why?” I raise my voice. “Why couldn’t you talk to me? To listen?”
“I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “Fear. Weakness, I guess.”
“I needed you, and you left.”
“I know.” His eyes close and when they open I see pain there. Pain I’m sure he can see reflecting in my eyes as well. “I’ll never forgive myself for it either. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. I was an idiot.”
“Yeah, you are an idiot,” I tell him.
“Are you angry with me?” he asks softly.
“I wish I was,” I confess. “But I love you too much.”
He reaches out and cups my cheek. I swallow past the lump in my throat and lean into his touch.
“You’re real,” I breathe.
He chuckles. “Yes, baby I’m real.”
“I kind of thought maybe I was dreaming.”
He laughs. “I’m better than any dream.”
I shake my head. “Always so cocky. I found your present for my birthday, you know,” I confess.
“That so?” He raises a brow.
“I already knew you lied when you left, but then I really knew you lied, and I also could see how much you love me.”
“And how much is that, Mia?”
“A lot,” I whisper, leaning even closer to him.
“I’m so sorry.” He brushes my hair away from my eyes. “You have no idea how much I wish I hadn’t left.”
“But you did,” I remind him.
“But I did,” he agrees.
“Can you forgive me?” he asks, looking pained.
“Are you ever going to do something stupid like that ever again?”
“No,” he answers emphatically.
“Then I forgive you.”
He grabs my cheeks and kisses me. It’s a kiss I feel all the way to my toes. It’s the kind of kiss where all the oxygen seems sucked from the room—it’s the kind, where in movies fireworks would begin to go off. His lips move against mine and mine seem to know exactly what to do.
I was made for kissing him, for loving him, for … just him.
He pulls away and looks down at me. “I’m never leaving you ever again, Mia Hayes.”
I place a hand over his. “Even if my dad doesn’t approve?”
He grins. “I talked to your dad before coming here.”
