“And then I finally let you in. And I fell hard and fast, baby. Thoughts of you consumed me. It wasn’t until almost losing you I realized how much I—” I pause and swallow, ready to say it aloud for the first time.
“How much what?” Her voice is low and shaky, almost as if she is bracing herself for what comes next.
“How much I love you. I know it might seem fast, and maybe it is. But I love you, I do. Maybe all those months of fighting were just our version of foreplay. But I want it all with you, the good and bad times, the fights and making up, the growing old together.”
“But what about—” I smirk at her continued interruptions. It’s just part of who she is.
I cut her off. “Yes, I meant what I said the other night at dinner. Because of you, I finally thought about having a bigger family.” Her expression falls, and I’m not going to let her insecurities slip through the cracks. “But there’s only one thing that matters to me. And that’s having you in my life. If that means it’s just me, you, and Andy for the rest of our lives, then so be it. That is enough for me. You are enough for me.
“I know you think of this as a weakness, but do you realize how strong that makes you? You truly are amazing, and I will spend every single day until my last breath proving that to you.”
At some point in my speech, our bodies have come together like magnets, and my hands are resting on her hips.
“How’s that for apologies?” I joke, breaking the intensity of our stare.
“I’d say you’ve definitely improved,” she laughs.
“Well, I’m bound to fuck up again, so I’m sure I’ll only get better,” I vow, causing us both to smirk, knowing that it’s the truth.
Before she can respond, I grab the back of her neck and seal her lips to mine. She doesn’t resist when I push my tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss.
“But there’s one part in all of that you forgot to mention,” she says, pulling back reluctantly.
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“I love you, too.” Four words never sounded so perfect on her lips. I kiss her again. I will never stop kissing this woman. I pull her body against mine, and I’ll be damned if I ever put another inch of space between us again.
When we finally pull back, breathless, tears are flowing down her cheeks. I swipe a few away with my thumb. “Please don’t cry anymore. I don’t ever want to be the reason for your tears again.”
She shakes her head. “No, these are happy tears. I just can’t believe you did all of this.” Kate looks around the room, taking in more than just our little corner. “What even is this place?”
“Well, that’s the second part of the surprise.” In my best infomercial voice, I say, “But wait, there’s more.”
I link my fingers with Kate’s and walk around the room. “This building belongs to one of our clients. It was actually him who I was meeting with the day you first watched Andy. We recently remodeled it, and he’s now looking for a tenant.”
“It’s a beautiful space. It would make for an amazing art gallery.”
The corners of my lips grow into an even bigger smile. “I’m glad you think so.” I pull her toward the front entrance. She must have walked right past this on her way in. Although, I’m not surprised she walked in like a woman on a mission.
When she stops abruptly, I turn to find her mouth gaped open. “Umm, Jaxon, why is my art on the wall over there?”
“Well, because this gallery is for you.” I wait with bated breath for her response.
“You can’t buy me a gallery.”
“Well, I didn’t buy it, but I took care of the first three months of rent already. So even if you hate the idea, you can still have it for three months without issue. You are so talented, Kate, and deserve to have a place of your own for others to fall in love with you and your art just like I have.”
I step up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and rest my head against the top of hers. Our breathing syncs as one, and my body vibrates with each hiccup.
“What do you say, Kate? Just say yes.”
One day, I hope she will say yes to another question, but I’m not in a rush for that.
“Yes,” she breathes. Before she can say anything else, I lift her in my arms and spin her around. She squeals and holds me tighter.
“I love you.” I smile into her hair as I spin her around
“I love you, too,” she replies once I set her back on her feet. “And I hope you feel that way again when I tell you there is already an opening show booked for two weeks from now.”
Her smile transforms into a scowl. “Jaxon McAdams,” she shrieks, and it echoes throughout the building. I chuckle at how red her face has grown. “Two weeks.” Kate clutches to her chest as she takes in the size of the surrounding space. “Oh my God, I can’t be ready in two weeks.”
“Hey, baby. Take a breath,” I cup her cheeks and turn her focus on me. I get her to take a few calming breaths with me. “You can. Do you know how I know that?”
She shakes her head, but because of the way my hands are holding her cheeks, she ends up making a funny face.
“Because I’m going to be right by your side every step of the way.”