My heart dropped to my stomach. “What did you do?”
“I knew that until I figured out where my own future was going, I couldn’t keep you in the dark or expect you to wait and feel like you were being sidelined. Because that was never what I intended. I can’t even begin to tell you how torn up I was when you said that. After I left your office, I went right to the airport and flew back to LA. I told my agent I was going to fulfill my last contract and then I was done. Love Rebound is my last movie.”
“What do you mean…you’re done?” I asked in a stunned voice.
Luke’s eyes met mine. “I’m finished with acting, Bree. This is my last movie. I’m done.”
Tears pooled in my eyes, though I wasn’t sure how I should be feeling. A part of me wanted to scream out in pure happiness. The other part hated that I’d made him give up his career.
His face fell as he watched my tears fall. “Don’t do that.”
I wiped at my cheeks. “Do what?”
“Blame yourself. Because I know that’s what you’re thinking right now.”
“I’m not sure what I’m thinking, to be honest with you. I never…oh God, Luke, I would never ask you to give up your career.”
“You didn’t.”
“But…but…”
Luke took my hand in his. “Let me finish, okay?”
My head jerked a little as I tried to nod. “O-okay.”
“Before you even came into my life, something felt off. Something was missing, and I couldn’t figure out what it was. I told myself I was happy. I was doing what I’d always wanted to do and I was successful at it. I had a damn good career, money, a house on the beach, a house in Boston. I could fly anywhere in the world, anytime I damn well pleased. Then my mother begged me to come home for Christmas. Do you know how many times I’ve turned down an invite to go to that damn Christmas party?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Every single time, Bree. But for some reason…I knew I had to go. I told myself I was doing it for my mom. The moment you looked at me, I knew nothing would ever be the same. I won’t lie and tell you I wasn’t scared. Scared you would wake up one day and realize that you deserved someone better than me. Someone who would show you off to the world, not keep you hidden.”
I squeezed his hand. “I did the same thing to you by not telling anyone about us. To be honest, even if you weren’t an actor, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to tell my parents about you. I think a part of me wanted to keep you a secret as well. I guess we both had our own reasons for that. You didn’t want the press to tear our love apart, and I didn’t want my mother to start planning a wedding and the names of our kids.”
Luke laughed. “Your mom is not that bad, Bree.”
“We’re not dating right now, so you haven’t seen the real Joanne Rogers.”
A brilliant smile lit up his entire face. “I’d like to change that.”
“You want to see the real Joanne?”
“No,” he said as he placed his hand on the side of my face. I felt myself lean into his touch. “I would very much like to start dating you again, Bree. If you’ll have me back.”
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath before I exhaled and met his gaze. “I’m not sure how Kyle will handle this.”
Luke laughed again and pulled me closer. Cupping my face in his hands, he said, “Are you still angry with me?”
“Yes.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Luke, I never wanted you to give up your life. Your career. Your passion. Your dream—”
Pressing his mouth to mine, he stopped my words with a powerful yet tender kiss. He deepened the kiss, and we both let out a soft moan. When we drew back, he leaned his forehead on mine. “You, Brighton Willow Rogers, are my life. My passion and all of my dreams. I’ve spent the last four months without you, and they were beyond miserable. I can’t be without you for another minute. I don’t want to be without you. I love you, and I want to marry you.”
I gasped. “What?”
He smiled and drew back until we looked at one another. “I want to marry you.”
Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes and shook my head slightly. Had I heard him right? “You want to marry me?”
“Yes,” he confirmed with a soft laugh.
“But…I want to live in Boggy Creek.”
“So do I, Bree. I want to eat at The Coffee Pot two or three times a week, so they know what kind of drink I want. I want to walk our kids to school and stop at this park and push them on those swings.”