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He’s known all week?
I shake my head. My confusion must be clear as day on my face when Theo smiles softly at me. A smile I was only just becoming used to seeing.
“Let me clear some of that up for you. Turns out Nora and Ruth have been working together, conspiring on how to get us together. Ruth told me all I needed to do was show up and deliver the best damn apology I could manage in order to win you back.”
“Win me back,” I whisper.
“Win you back, Cassie,” he confirms. His eyes bore into mine.
“The thing is, I don’t want to live without you for another single day. I thought I knew what I wanted. I wanted a life where I only had to depend on myself, where work came first after taking care of my sister. Nora and Eli Co. were my sole duty in life. Settling down, falling in love, I’d been there, tried that, and it only caused me heartache, so it wasn’t worth it. I was completely fine on my own.”
His eyes search mine as I take in a shaky breath.
“But then I found the fucking sun. And I couldn’t look away. I was blinded by all things you, and it wasn’t until I lost you that I realized you changed everything I thought I knew.”
I feel a tear fall down my cheek.
“Theo,” I breathe.
“Baby.” His voice cracks and he’s out of his chair, kneeling before me.
Turning toward him, he grabs my hands in his big, strong ones. “You are my life now. I promise you the world, if you’ll let me give it to you.”
I sniff back tears. “You called me a liar.”
“And I’m a fucking idiot. I realize that what you went through is nothing like what I went through, and I was so blinded by anger and my lack of control over falling in love with you that I couldn’t… I wouldn’t let myself see the truth. And for that I am so incredibly sorry. I’ll apologize every single day for the rest of my life if that’s what it takes.” His voice is nearly in a panic.
“Falling in love?” I ask and damn it, another tear falls.
“I love you so fucking much, Cassie.” And he grins so big that my lungs deflate with loss of air and my heart pounds in my chest. His hands cup my head, brushing hair away from my face. “I’m going to marry you, baby. You’re going to plan a beautiful, fucking wedding and then I’m going to put a baby in you and then another and we’ll get another dog if you want. Fuck, anything you want, you’ll have it.” His words come out rushed but confident, his eyes full of hope.
I bark out a laugh and cry at the same time, his declaration overwhelming my emotions. “I love you too,” is all I can manage.
“Thank fuck,” he mutters as he seals his mouth over mine.
Pulling me toward him, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with fervor. His tongue sweeps into my mouth. I melt into him. His kiss I missed. His taste I craved, but the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, it was what my heart has always longed for.
He pulls back too soon, resting his forehead against mine.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Same.” I sigh.
“Do you want to stay, eat? Or should we get out of here?” he asks, still kneeling on the floor in front of me.
“Got any frozen pizza?” I ask, a giggle tucked between the words.
“Always.” He grins.
“Then take me home, Mr. Grumpy.”
Smirking, he stands, holding out a hand to me. I take it, looking down at our joined hands. “Whatever you want, sunshine.”
He yanks out his wallet, pulls out a bill, and drops a twenty on the table that never even received our drinks.
And much like the first time we left this restaurant, his hand lands at the small of my back as we weave through the tables, down the stairs, and through the restaurant.
But this time, instead of only wishing I could be wrapped up in him, I don’t hesitate when I bury my nose into his chest. A deep chuckle vibrates through him as his arms wrap around me.
