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I swallow the bite and scrunch my forehead. “Why?”
“I used to tell him not everyone digs that whole mysterious, brooding look.”
“It kinda worked?”
Viktor snorts. “Obviously. I meant to deduct the broken desk from your salary, Theo.”
“Broken desk?” Bernie asks, stealing the remaining slice from Deb’s plate.
Theo rolls his eyes. “He’s being dramatic. One leg broke off.”
Viktor points the fork at him. “Broken. That’s why I said it’s broken.”
Deb’s eyebrows knit together, and she drags her gaze from Theo to Viktor. “Why? What happened?”
“An enthusiastic meeting, maybe?” Viktor throws a knowing look at Theo, who responds with a murderous gaze.
I almost choke on the cheesecake. My cheeks feel like it’s on fire, and I want to crawl under the table and stay there until the endof time. All this time, I thought we were being discreet. Guess not.
It’sgraduation day and the Tates are here—Bernie in his black and white polo shirt and gray dress pants, Deb in her light yellow wraparound dress, and Viktor in his dark purple suit.
I try to ignore the nagging hollowness in my chest, but I can’t. Everyone’s family is here, cheering for them, supporting them, loving them. I know Dad and my siblings won’t show up, but it still hurts to think they never really bother at all when it comes to me. Apparently, I’m expendable.
Choking back the tears because they don’t deserve it, I turn to see Theo walking toward me. Even in black toga, he’s so freaking hot and gorgeous. Gone is the grumpy Theo because he’s now grinning at me and, in turn, making me feel all sorts of fuzzy feelings.
“Family picture!” Viktor yells and hands his phone to a poor passerby who can’t refuse.
Theo wraps an arm around me and pulls me to his side while Bernie stands beside me. Deb clutches Theo’s other arm while Viktor leans toward his mother.
“1, 2, 3 … Smile!”
I’m still laughing at the way the impromptu photographer listens as Viktor gives him “tips” on how to take group photos when I feel Theo’s hand on my shoulder. I wheel around, but the smile freezes on my face when I find him going down on one knee, opening a small black velvet box with a diamond ring inside.
My hand flies to my chest, and I grip the front of my toga.
“Tess, the next part of your life is about to begin. And I want to be there. I want to be there every single day, in every single moment. Will you let me? Will you marry me and we can start a new life together?”
My heart swells with overwhelming happiness, and tears stream down my cheeks. I wipe them with the back of my hand, fully aware that I’m messing up my makeup. But I don’t care. At this moment, I don’t care about anyone else. All I care about is Theo.
“Yes, Theo. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“I love you, kitten.”
“I love you too, Theo. So much.”
He slides the ring into my finger and pulls me in for a hug. With my cheek leaning on his hard chest, I see Bernie patting Deb’s shoulder while she presses a white handkerchief to her eyes. Viktor sports a wide grin and raises two thumbs up.
The realization hits me in full force. I did not just find Theo, the love of my life, but I also found a family. One I can call my own.
EPILOGUE
TESS
“Kitten, are you gonna be pissed off if I leave you for five minutes so I can join that?” Theo stops massaging my back and nuzzles the crook between my neck and shoulder.
It’s been two years since our simple, intimate wedding. We held it at home and only had around 10 guests. Viktor was our photographer, and Bernie and Deb insisted on paying for the caterer. She also gifted me her wedding gown and gave me permission to alter it as I saw fit.
It was beautiful and magical. After the wedding, I stayed at the bar, still doing the paperwork, while I went through several career options. It was there that I found my true passion.
