“I’m going to fix this.”
She blinked, uncertain whether she’d heard him right. “What? Emil, what can you possibly do?”
“I can do a great deal,” he said, steel creeping into his voice. “And I’ll start by telling you the one thing that matters most.”
He faced her fully, his gaze strong and sure.
“I love you, Olive Becket. And I want to marry you—as soon as you’ll have me. I don’t want to face this world without you ever again. Not when we can face it together.”
She swiped at the fresh tears coursing down her cheeks. Someone—Emil—loved her. And he wanted to take on the world for her. It was all she’d ever wanted. All she’d been too afraid to even hope for. What if it was too good to be true?
“How can you love me?” she whispered. “I’m a mess. My life is a mess.”
“And mine isn’t?” He leaned closer, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re the only thing in my life that makes sense. I tried returning to my old life, but it no longer fits. Because you changed me, min käraste. You opened my world. You showed me how to see past myself. And you, Olive Becket, taught me what courage looks like.”
“Me? But I don’t feel courageous. I feel like I’m drowning.”
“But you’re still here. Still fighting. Still making plans. It’s time you had someone to help carry the weight. So I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.” He grimaced, his voice faltering slightly as he added, “If that’s what you want. If you’ll forgive me for being a damned fool and taking so long to understand what I needed most. If you love me, even after everything I’ve done wrong.”
“It’s what I want, Emil. More than anything.” She huffed out a low, awed laugh. He saw her broken pieces and didn’t flinch. Instead, he embraced them. Embraced all of her. How could she resist telling him she felt the same? “I forgive you. And I love you. So much.”
His face broke into a wide, crooked grin. “Thank God.” He pressed his lips to hers in a firm, searing kiss, then rose from his seat. He began to pace, energy building with each step “Now we make a plan.”
“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“I do,” he said, already moving toward the door. “You stay here. Watch over your mother. She needs you more than anything right now.” He turned back, eyes blazing. “I’m going to get Robbie. He’s not spending one more goddamn minute in that bastard landlord’s masonry.”
She nodded, relief and peace washing over her in waves. Before, she’d had to choose between her mother and her brother. Now that Emil was there, she didn’t have to. They would do it together.
Just as he reached the doorway, the pipes rang again. Emil turned back to her with a raised brow. “Expecting anyone else?”
She shook her head, puzzled, then rushed to the window. Peering through the grime-streaked glass, her breath caught.
“Winnie…and Clem?” she whispered.
There they were, bundled in thick coats and hats on the stoop, shielding their eyes from the afternoon glare as they looked up. When they spotted her, they waved with frantic enthusiasm.
“They’re supposed to be in Olympia. Did you…did you ask them to come?”
Emil moved to her side and gazed outside with a small smile. “No. I’d like to think they’re here for the same reasons I am.”
“But they don’t know what’s happened.”
Emil shrugged. “Then you’d better go find out.”
Still blinking in disbelief, Olive tugged on her coat and hurried down the stairs. Emil followed her halfway, but paused on the landing behind her. Winnie and Clem surged through the doorway before Olive could speak, talking over one another in loud, excited voices.
“There you are?—”
“Oh, thank goodness?—”
She didn’t have time to get a word in before they spotted Emil behind her. They stopped short, eyes widening.
“Ladies,” he said, lips twitching with the faintest of smiles. He descended the remaining two steps and paused at Olive’s side. “I won’t come back without Robbie. I promise.”
She gave a shaky nod. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t.” His voice dropped. “Robbie is my family, too.”
