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For a second I’m confused.
And then Luke goes down on one knee.
“Here’s what I should have said that day at the restaurant.” He raises his voice loud enough that anyone standing nearby can hear us. “I love you so much, Hazel. I love you in a way that scares me, because I know what it does to a man to lose someone like you. And I already love the kid we’ve made together.”
I choke back tears.
“I want to be your husband because I can’t imagine not coming home to you both every day,” Luke says. He digs in his pocket and pulls out my ring. “I know you gave this back to me. Maybe I fucked up everything too badly. But if you give me one last chance, Hazel, I’ll do everything in my power not to hurt you again. I want to love you right, all the days of my life.”
I stare at his stubborn, beautiful, hopeful face.
“What happens if I can’t?” I ask softly. “What happens if I’m too scared?”
I expect his face to close off. I wouldn’t blame him if he did.
But he doesn’t disappear behind his professional mask.
Instead, his expression gentles. “If that’s what you need, I’ll understand. But just know I’ll be carrying this ring around for the rest of my life in case you ever change your mind.’
I can’t help it. I start crying now. I’m crying for the way we hurt each other, and the way he’s grown for me, and the way hope can hurt so much but feel so good.
I’m crying for the way I love him so damn much.
That pulls Luke to his feet. The next moment he’s cradling my face, wiping my tears. “Don’t cry, baby. Please.”
I rise up on my toes and kiss him, fierce. He kisses me back, hard, and it heals some fragile crack in my heart.
“If there’s anyone brave enough to love me,” he whispers against my lips, “It’s you, Hazel. It’s always been you.”
“I do,” I say. “I love you. I’ll always love you.”
“Yeah?” Happiness lights his smile. “Seems like you better put my ring back on then.”
I laugh, and then I’m crying, and then I’m laughing some more. Luke slides the ring back onto my finger, and kisses everywhere my tears fall.
When we come up for air, I realize everyone around is clapping.
“Well. It’s about time,” a familiar voice says.
I blink, shocked and delighted to see Sarah standing not too far from me, along with my parents, and Cooper.
“Wait. How did you get here...?” I ask.
Luke wraps around my waist and pulls me back close to him. “I own an airline. And, if I was going to shout about how much I loved you, I figured I’d do it in front of the people who mattered most to you.”
“Luke flew himself up here early though,” Cooper chimes in, rolling his eyes. “He couldn’t risk anything screwing up his big plan.”
“It was sort of dashing,” my mom chimes in. “Like in one of those old movies.”
Everyone keeps talking, but I’ve only got eyes for Luke.
“I know we started off fake,” he says quietly. “But this time every inch of it is real. I told my dad the truth about us too.”
My eyebrows shoot up, surprised.
I can’t wait to hear howthatconversation went.
I take his face in my hands. “Thank you for giving me all of this. For bringing them here. But the most important thing is thatyou’rehere. That’s all I need, Luke.”
