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“So, what’s changed?”Hasanything changed?
He dips toward me, our faces on level ground with each other. Then his hands hitch upward, grazing the bare skin of my back. My whole body wants to wave a white flag. I can’t, though, right? He hurt me. Walked away from me. And yes, I realize that just a few hours ago, I’d come to terms with that, but unless he’s ready to apologize and turn a full one-eighty, then I can’t trust him again with my heart.
Can I?
“Everything’s changed.”
Oh goodness.
“W-what”—my voice trembles—“what happened?”
“I had a chat with Topher, and he helped me realize that you were right.”
Did he now? For some reason, this makes me giggle. “He always was my favorite brother.”
“You should do something really nice for him.”
“Maybe I should throw him a huge party and invite all of his friends.” I smile.
“No one could possibly be that generous,” he teases. “I just meant you should get him a new book or something.”
“He already has far too many of those.”
“He really does, doesn’t he?”
My shoulders relax because the banter between us is alive and well, and I’m so grateful to find that my anger’s gone. It’s drained away with the words of humility he’s speaking. “So what specifically did he help you realize?” I finally get brave enough to ask.
“That what I want does matter. And do you know what I want more than anything in this life, Chloe Huntington?”
Oh, he just set himself up for this one. I set my nose against his, batting my eyes. “A fully stocked home gym? A thousand cheeseburgers? A trip around the world?”
That has him barking with laughter. “Yes, actually. How did you know?”
“Freddy!” I smack his chest, then settle back into something serious as my feet wrap ever so slightly around the backs of his legs. “What do you want more than anything?”
“To be with the woman I love.”
I suck in a hard breath. Is this really happening? Did he really just say…? “She sounds like a lucky woman.”
“That’s true.”
We laugh together, before Frederick sobers. “I do love you, Chloe, and I’m so sorry for putting you through all of this. I’ll move wherever you move. If you’ll forgive me, I’d like to spend a lifetime making it up to you.”
“A lifetime, huh?” I pull back. “That sounds an awful lot like a marriage proposal, Frederick Shaw.” Goodness, I’m being bold. But if he’s really saying he’ll move for me, if he really loves me, then his intentions are deep. But how deep?
“Well, perhaps not quite yet.” Frederick grins, and his confidence melts my insides. “But let’s just say you shouldn’t get terribly comfortable in our status as a mere dating couple.”
“Oh? Are we dating now?” How I love teasing this man.
“If you’ll have me.” He takes my hand and presses it against his chest. “This heart has only ever beat for you. Without you, it would cease. I’ve been walking around a dead man, but you woke me up. I want to spend every day trying to make you the happiest woman in the world. Chloe Marie Huntington, will you date me?”
“Aw, Muscles. I thought you’d never ask—for real, anyhow.”
“It’s real, all right.”
His eyes blaze into mine as he takes my hand and rubs my grandmother’s ring absently with his fingers. “So, is that a yes?”
“Yes, Frederick Shaw. I’lldateyou.” I grab his face in my hands and kiss him slow. “Because I want to spend every day trying to makeyouthe happiest man in the world.”
