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Calli shuffles one step closer. "I made so many mistakes in my life. I thought I didn't deserve happiness, didn't deserve someone as good as you. God, you are so good. You make me feel like I'm not a criminal, like maybe I could have someone who loves me and treats me with respect. A man like you." Her voice broke on the last word. She moves a little closer, gazing into my eyes with unwavering focus. "For years, I've hidden from life because I felt guilty for breaking the law to help Rade, sure I'd be found out and locked up. I couldn't believe anything good could happen to me, but then you barreled into my life and turned everything upside-down in the most incredible way. The whole thing with Seona threw me for a loop, and you were right. I had too much time to think of lame reasons to stay away from you. The truth is, I love you so much it terrified me. But not anymore."
My lips twitch a wee bit. She flew all the way to Scotland to find me and tell me all of this. She must still love me, aye?
"What I'm trying to say," she says, "is I am so sorry. I'll do whatever it takes to make up for hurting you."
I should say something, shouldn't I? But my voice has abandoned me.
"You said you'd wait," she begins, spreading a palm on my chest, barely touching me. "Said you'd wait as long as it took. These two weeks felt like an eternity. But hey, at least I didn't make you wait two months. We've got one up on Erica and Lachlan, right?"
The corner of my mouth ticks up a hair. My heart is racing again, and I cannae figure out why I'm standing here like a tree instead of kissing her senseless. I guess I still cannae believe she's really here.
Fanning both her palms over my chest, she leans in and angles her head back to meet my gaze. Though I keep my chin raised, I roll my eyes down to look into her emerald eyes. My throat has tightened, and my eyes burn like I might cry. Only Calli has ever made me this emotional.
"I love you, Aidan."
My brows furrow, and my eyes widen a fraction.
"Please believe me, Aidan. I love you so much I can't imagine my life without you anymore." She skates her palm across my chest until it bumps over a small, hard shape beneath my shirt. She taps one fingertip on the circular object. "What is this?"
I duck my head, turning it to the side, my eyes closing. Aye, I'd bought the bloody thing for her, but now that she's here and I know she still loves me, I can't move a muscle to show her how happy I am to have her with me.
Diving her hand inside my shirt, she pulls out the object—a diamond engagement ring, dangling from a long silver chain. She runs her finger over the shiny gold band. The diamond glitters in the sunshine as bright and perfect as the love I feel for her.
Rubbing her thumb over the brilliant stone, she looks up at me, though I can only see her out of the corner of my eye. "I'm not giving up. I'll come back here every day, ten times a day, to beg you to forgive me if that's what it takes. I'll stalk you until you either take me back or have me arrested. Hell, I'll strip naked and run down the streets of Ballachulish screaming your name. Don't care about dignity or pride anymore, all I care about is you."
I rotate my face toward me.Speak, ye eejit, before she leaves.
She waits for my response as seconds elapse, and she bites down on her bottom lip.
I clear my throat. "Well, it took you bloody long enough. Thought you'd never come to your senses."
"You mean—" She gawps at me like she hasn't understood what I said. "Do you mean you forgive me?"
"Nothing to forgive. I knew you'd turn up eventually. You are hopelessly in love with me, after all." I smirk and wink. "Just like I predicted you would be."
A wee sob bursts out of her. She slumps into me, her forehead falling to my chest. I wrap my arms around her soft, warm body and tuck her snugly into my embrace. I don't care if she announces we have to move to America. I will go anywhere with her.
I crook a finger under her chin and raise her face to mine. "Did you think I'd give up so easily? A few weeks is nothing. Told you I'd wait as long as it took, because you're worth it."
"I know, but I told you—"
"Hush." I hold her face in my hands, brushing her tears away with my thumbs. "If I learned anything from Lachlan and Erica, it's that second chances come along if you're patient. And when you get a second chance with the one person you love more than anything, you jump on it."
"I spoke to Erica back in the house. She said I…broke your heart."
"You did." I keep my hands on her cheeks to stop her from flinching away. "Easy,mo chridhe, I'm not a weakling. I can handle a broken heart." I tilt her head back, slanting mine down to within an inch of her face. "Now it's your job to heal it."
She glances at the ring, which she'd been twisting around her fingertip, carving out a red line in her flesh.
"You spoiled the surprise," I say, snatching the ring away. I yank it, snapping the chain and letting the silver links plummet to the ground. I hold the ring between my thumb and forefinger. "This belongs to you."
"You still want to marry me?"
I shake my head, because she is adorably obtuse. "Havenae you been listening? Ahmno letting our second chance slip away."
"You're jumping on me?"
My lips curve into a smile. "That'll come next, you can count on it. First…" I drop to one knee before her, raising the ring, and gaze at her beautiful face that's filled with love. "Calli Douglas, will you marry me?"
