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I press a kiss to her knuckles. “No wait, I’m lying.”
“You don’t want to marry me?” she asks confused, her eyes searching mine. It’s obvious that she’s struggling to process my sudden declaration. Or maybe I’m saying something completely wrong.
“No, Ameline, it’s not just that I care about you,” I state nervously. “I love you. I’m in love with you, deeply and irrevocably.”
Her mouth falls open in shock. “You . . . you what?” she stammers.
I pull her into my arms, holding her close as if she’s the most precious thing in the world. “I’m in love with you, Ameline Lewis. I’ve been madly in love with you for a long time. It took me a while to accept that this could be real. That we could be more than just friends. The timing might not be the best but . . .” I shrug as if saying, “What are you going to do?”
She swallows hard. “You love me?” Her voice barely a whisper.
“Why is that so hard to believe?” I ask, looking into her eyes, trying to convey the depth of my feelings.
“I always thought you saw me as just some girl who invaded your apartment when she needed to hide from her wicked stepmother,” she states.
“That’s how it started,” I confess. “But somewhere along the way, I fell for you. You think I bake cakes for just anyone?” I try to lighten the mood with a small smile.
She presses her lips and nods.
“Well, no,” I continue. “I don’t just bake cakes or come up with crazy contests to get Helen off your back, or do half the things I’ve done, for anyone else.”
Ameline wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a kiss that feels like a revelation. Her lips are soft yet insistent. Ameline melts into my embrace, her body trembling against mine. I try to convey my love, the hope and everything I can in this kiss.
After a long moment, she pulls back just enough to look up at me. Her eyes are rimmed red but there’s a spark of hope flickering within them now.
“So we’re really doing this, huh?” Her voice is hushed. “Getting married?”
I brush a strand of hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “Only if you’re sure. I don’t want you to feel pressured. Though, it’d help a lot with the insurance.”
She bites her lip. “I just . . . I don’t want you to feel obligated. This is asking so much.”
“I want to help you through this, Ameline. Any way I can.” I pause. “And I meant what I said. I would be honored to be your husband.”
Fresh tears well in her eyes. She cradles my face in her hands.
“You’re too good to be true, Gabriel. What did I ever do to deserve you?”
Before I can respond, she presses her lips to mine in a gentle, searching kiss. It steals my breath away.
When we finally break apart, she rests her forehead against mine. A hint of a smile tugs at her mouth.
“Okay, then, fiancé. Let’s get married.”
It only takes a second for her to say, “What if they catch us, and they declare insurance fraud?”
I roll my eyes. “Baby, don’t borrow trouble, okay? If you don’t feel comfortable using my insurance, I have savings.” I offer her a small smile.
She doesn’t need to know about my trust fund, or the money I make from the royalties I get with all the music I’ve composed for my father. She’ll learn about the Decker fortune later, much later.
She searches my eyes for a long moment as if trying to absorb my confidence through osmosis. Finally she lets out a shaky breath and nods.
“Okay. You’re right. One step at a time.” She attempts a watery smile. “Sorry for . . . I’m so scared, Gabe. It’s not only about the money. I’m focused on that because it’s something I can somehow control. But . . . if something goes wrong during the surgery I could?—”
“We’re going to have positive thoughts,” I interrupt her, knowing what could happen if something goes wrong. I could lose her, but I won’t lose her.
I fold her into my arms, gently stroking her hair. “I know. But we’re going to visit the best doctors and get second opinions before they do anything. You’ll get the best care, I promise.”
She clings to me tightly, finally allowing herself to break down and cry. I just hold her close, silently letting her know I’ll be her rock for as long as she needs me.
