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She stopped abruptly and stared. “Jay?”
He turned around and a cascade of emotions ran through her. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you,” he said.
“Waiting for me?”
“Yes. I set this up. I wanted to do things right this time.”
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean,” she said.
He came to her and took her hand, leading her to the middle of the dance floor.
“I was a coward for leaving again. Even as I walked out of your door I knew I loved you, but I was so afraid to stay. Afraid I couldn’t be the man you needed me to be,” he said.
“What changed your mind?”
“You did,” he said. “You have haunted me every single second since I left you. And I know now that I need you with me, Aly. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
“But—”
“I know I haven’t given you much to believe in, but I want you to know that I am changing. I quit the Corps and got a job with Company B. I confessed to your mom and Toby that I’d hurt you again.”
“Oh, I hadn’t mentioned that to them,” she said.
“I think you did that because you knew I wasn’t leaving for good this time,” he said. “You took a big chance on letting me go and had to hope that I loved you enough to come back this time. And I do. I love you.”
She blinked at the tears that were stinging her eyes and looked up at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Very sure. Do you think I can redeem myself and be your hero again?”
“Yes,” she said. “I love you, Jay Michener. If you ever try to leave me again I might have to hurt you.”
“I never will,” he promised. “In fact, I want to do something...will you wait here a minute?”
“Yes,” she said.
While Jay strode up the path she moved the cake onto the table so it was out of harm’s way. Eventually, hotel staff showed up to man the deejay booth and then her family and friends arrived. They all sat down at the tables and Jay came back to her in the center of the dance floor and got down on one knee.
“Alysse Dresden, in front of all of our family and friends, will you marry me and be the light in my life?”
“I will,” she said.
Jay smiled up at her and pulled a small ring box from his pocket. Taking out the diamond ring, he slipped it on her finger and stood up to kiss her.
As he embraced her she knew she’d found something more than she’d ever expected. By taking that rush order for a redemption cupcake, she’d found the happiness she’d been missing. The man who was the other half of her soul.
