Gently cupping my face, Kenneth runs his thumbs over my cheekbones, looking down at me with an emotion so deep I’m afraid to call it by its name. “Devin told me that you called him,” he rumbles. “You still want me. I thought that you needed space.”
“It turns out all the space I needed was the length of the plane ride, and by the time I got home, I knew I’d made a mistake.” I swallow hard, putting my hands over his where they are still on my face. “I still want you and more. I need you.”
“You have to be sure, Kasey. I can’t take losing you a second time.”
Now, I tell him everything I’ve done, so he knows just how sure I really am. I explain that I took the interview and made it clear I can’t take the job unless it was remote. Then, how I only called his son to make sure the jerk wouldn’t stand in our way anymore and to let him know in no uncertain terms that I’m laying claim to his father no matter what he thinks.
“I read your email after I spoke to Devin,” Kenneth admits when I finish. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it at first because I was sure it was your way of cutting things off permanently without having to face me in person. Once I talked to my son, I read it. And then read it again at least a dozen times.”
He licks his lips, making me want to kiss them more than anything. “Kasey…you’ve went above and beyond with the work you’ve put in. No one has ever done anything like that for me.”
I feel a surge of pride at his words, knowing that everything I did was worth it if it means we can be together. "I wanted to do whatever it takes to be with you," I whisper. "Even if it meant swallowing my pride and making nice with Devin."
Kenneth takes my hand in his, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you," he says, his eyes locked onto mine. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever met."
I feel myself blush at his words, feeling both embarrassed and flattered at the same time. "Kenneth, I just did what I had to do," I shrug, trying to downplay my actions.
But he shakes his head. "No, Kasey. What you did was selfless and amazing. It just confirms what I already know—what I’ve known since the first moment I saw you. That I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Suddenly, my heart feels like it's about to burst. I can't believe what I'm hearing. Could this really be happening? Is Kenneth about to propose to me?
And then, just as I'm lost in my thoughts, he drops down on one knee, taking my hand in his. "Kasey, will you marry me?"
The world drops out from under my feet, static buzzing in my ears as shock rolls over me like a wave. All the hours I spent agonizing over whether he would forgive, and here he is, on his knees, ready to make me his wife. It makes me realize that Kenneth forgave me the second he left my suite that night because he loves me and he wants me. All of me, flaws and uncertainties and all.
Tears start to form as I look down at Kenneth and into his ocean-deep eyes, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "Yes," I say, barely able to get the word out. "Yes, I'll marry you."
The ring is perfect, a single solitaire diamond, huge and sparkling on a gold band. Just like how Kenneth fits into my life, the ring fits onto my finger perfectly. Like it has always been meant to be there.
I take his hands and tug him to his feet, standing on my tiptoes to clear the differences in our height and crushing my mouth to his. Kissing him feels like coming home, and now the tears flow freely.
“I love you,” I gasp, and he wraps his arms around me like I’ve been aching for.
“I love you too, Kasey. I know you’re going to cause me a lifetime of trouble.” I huff but he laughs, continuing, “But I’d go through that and more to have you.”
Now he kisses me again, and even though I can’t speak, I tell him over and over again in my mind,I love you, I love you, I love you.
EPILOGUE
KENNETH
Two Years Later
Sometimes, I’m still shocked at how good life can be. I’m lying by the pool on our private cruise in the Caribbean with my beautiful wife Kasey by my side. She's cradling our sleeping daughter, her tiny round head covered with a ridiculous baby-size sun hat to match Kasey’s, and I can't help but smile at the sight.
Everything feels perfect—the sun shining, the ocean glistening, and I have everything I've ever wanted right here beside me.
It’s good to be me.
Kasey reaches into her bag to grab something, but she struggles to get it out one-handed with the baby on her chest. I offer to help, and she hands me the bag. “I’ve got a surprise for you and I can't wait any longer,” she chirps excitedly, keeping her voice down so she doesn’t wake Kaia.
Taking a second to admire her long, oiled-up legs, I smirk. “Kasey, we can’t have those types of surprises with the baby here.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, just hush and open it already!”
Inside her cavernous purse, I find a small box, and Kasey tells me three times in the space of a second to open it. Laughing at her anxiousness, I do. I can hardly believe my eyes. Inside the polished wooden box is a pair of cufflinks made from abalone. Even before she tells me what makes them special, I already sense the importance radiating from the gift.
“They’re made from abalone that comes from the beach of the resort where we first met,” Kasey says, her eyes bright. “Happy early anniversary. I couldn’t wait, sorry.”
