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Our son or daughter. That phrase opened her up and laid her bare. How could she say no to the man she loved? He was inside her, still—he’d been a part of her this entire time. Royce was saying not only that he wanted this family, but that he would sacrifice his own legacy to support hers.
“Our paths have always been laid out before us, Taylor. But we don’t have to walk the path our fathers intended. We can still honor them, whether they’re here or not.” He gave her arms a gentle squeeze, tender emotion shining in his eyes. “We can do the job we were put on this planet to do. Mine isn’t, as I previously believed, to be CEO. My job is to love you. I’m going to make up for failing at that. I swear.”
“You’re doing great so far,” she whispered. Happiness bloomed in her chest, dangerous and full. He was in love with her? His job was to love her? It was everything she wanted to hear, but... “Royce, if you’re having some sort of breakdown or early midlife crisis—”
“It’s not a breakdown. It’s an epiphany. I’ve always seen the world as black and white. Your father knew that about me—that my inability to handle emotion well was my downfall. That was why he warned you away from me.” Royce smiled gently. “What he didn’t know was that you, Taylor, had the ability to change me. To open me up to love. You’re my first. I also want you to be my last. I’m happier in the gray with you.”
Was Royce right? Had her father only been trying to protect her from a future he’d predicted?
“Do you love me, Taylor? That’s the only missing piece. That and the sincerest of apologies, which I’ll do right now. I’m sorry I broke up with you. I’m sorry I ended what we had without giving us a chance. I said I couldn’t envision myself as a family man, but the truth was I never tried. I overlooked the gift you would’ve given me—your heart. I love you so much. So much I tried to use an electric drill.” His throat bobbed in a rough laugh. “We’ve had separate dreams for too long. It’s time we build a new dream together. One that we choose ourselves, not the one predestined for us.”
“I like the sound of that.” She swiped the tears from her eyes as he pulled her into his embrace. She went, wrapping her arms around him and knowing he was right about them needing to build a dream together. They would change their fathers’ plans, but only slightly. They would run ThomKnox their way. Together.
Against her lips, Royce murmured the words she never thought she’d hear from him. “Move in with me. Marry me. Have my baby.”
“Okay,” she said simply. And it was simple. She loved him and he loved her, and the rest they would make work. But she couldn’t let him fail. They had time to work “them” out. His legacy still mattered. “But the launch...”
“Do you think Gia and Bran would let ThomKnox go down in flames?”
“No.”
“Do you think if you aren’t there, that they’ll let you fail as well?” He tipped his head.
“Absolutely not.” Bran and Gia were more than friends. They were family. And now that Royce had proposed—soon they would literally be family. And soon Royce and Taylor would begin raising their own.
“Neither do I. Besides. I can’t go to the office. I have a crib to build.”
“And a bassinet.” She let out a soft laugh. “Why didn’t you hire somebody to do all of this?”
“I wanted you to see I’m capable of being the man you need me to be. I’ll be a good father, Taylor. Like mine. Like yours.”
“I know you will. I always knew you would. I’m sorry I ever made you believe otherwise. I love you.”
“I love you.” He kissed her. She’d never doubted his ability to love his child. She’d only doubted herself. The day he’d brought her those doomed flowers, she should have told him she loved him. She wondered if he would’ve known then that he loved her.
“I’ll be a better husband than I was a boyfriend,” he told her. “When I put my mind to something, I always succeed. And with your love in my corner, how could I possibly fail?”
She kissed him, tasting the resolve on his tongue, feeling the passion in his touch. Surrendering to him when he carried her into the next room and they made love long and slow. It didn’t quite make up for a month apart, but it was a good start.
A good start that would have the happiest of endings.
They’d see to it.
