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“I did buy it. But the rest is for a loan, between us. You’ll pay back the cost of the shop, at a fixed amount from your profits, for the term of it. It was the only way I could think of to give you what I wanted to so badly, and also not take away from the accomplishment of you doing it yourself. In this way—well, we’re doing it together. And I can’t think of a better symbol for our anniversary.” Dante takes a deep breath. “Well—except for this.”
He drops to one knee, his hand slipping into his pocket, and I stare down at him. “Dante, this is all—”
“You’ve been making me hold back on the grand gestures for a year,” he says teasingly, a small smile at the corner of his lips. “So I figured I would just have to do them all at once.”
He holds out a velvet box, opening it so that I can see the ring inside. And when it sparkles in the light, I gasp softly.
It’s not a diamond. It’s a dark red ruby set in gold, the same color as the flowers that I tattooed on his shoulders. It’s an oval solitaire, simple and perfect, and I can already feel myself nodding as Dante reaches for my hand.
“I haven’t asked you anything yet,” he says, laughing, and I feel the smile break over my face.
“Yes. Yes, yes.” My voice cracks, and Dante stands up, reaching for me as he pulls me into his arms. I stare up at him, overwhelmed by everything that’s happening all at once, and happier than I ever thought I could be.
“I’m still going to ask.” He reaches up, brushing a lock of hair away from my face. “Will you marry me, Emma Garcia?”
I lean up, my arms going around his neck as I kiss him, my hand curled around the back of his head. “Yes,” I whisper again, against his lips. “A thousand times, yes.” I kiss him again, more deeply this time, and he backs me up against the desk, his hands sliding over me as he whispers how much he loves me, again and again.
And there, in the place where I once was afraid to make memories with him, he gives me the beginning of so many more. The continuation of the life we already have together, and the start ofsomethingelse that’s brand new.
I could have never imagined Dante. But I didn’t have to. We found each other anyway.
Some things are simply meant to be.
