Her slender neck worked with her swallow. “Good.”
“Now, what I need is you.” I rubbed a lock of her light strands through my fingers.
“Jonah?” She tilted her head up to me.
“When I was alone and figuring out how much I’d intentionally left myself out of life and why, all I wanted was you. Everything was easier with you. You make me feel like my old self, but also like my present self isn’t so bad either.”
The corner of her mouth tipped up. “He isn’t.”
“Then Teller pestered me until I got my head out of my ass. I was terrified, Summer.”
“Of me?”
“Of loving you and losing you. Of failing you. Add in kids and I was ready to run, which admittedly wouldn’t be far.”
“So how do you feel now?”
“Like I’m crazy in love with you.”
Her pink lips parted and her small inhale was audible. “You are?”
“So damn in love.” I brushed a thumb over her cheek. “Please tell me I didn’t fuck up too bad and that you’ll give me another chance.”
She closed her eyes and turned her cheek into my touch. “I don’t want to push you too fast either.”
“You didn’t. It wouldn’t have been fair to you to go at a glacial pace when I’ve held up so much of my life—and yours—for years already.”
“Remember what your parents said. Don’t feel guilty over my decisions. I lived my life, and you lived yours, and we both faced our repercussions from that day.” She gripped my wrist with her small soft hand. “I love you too.”
My heart soared. Goddamn. Summer Kerrigan had fallen in love with my grumpy ass?
She held me in her amber gaze. “What exactly do you want? I need to make sure we do this right and that we’re on the same page.”
“I want it all. I want to give you that summer wedding you want. I want to parade you around town on my arm. I even took another table order with some guy’s collectible baseball cards.”
Her gasp was louder this time. “You did? Baseball cards?”
“My eye twitches when I think about it, but also...” A slow grin spread across my face. “I had him sign several waivers in case I run into issues and things go wrong. But I’m kind of looking forward to the challenge.”
“Are you charging a ton?”
“I can take you anywhere for a honeymoon, sunshine.” I dropped a kiss on her forehead. She hadn’t fully committed to me. She needed more reassurance and I understood. “As long as it’s in driving distance, because I know you hate to fly.”
“Jonah,” she whispered and she stepped into me. “Are you proposing to me?”
“I’m warning you that I’m going to do it properly.”
Her amber eyes swam with emotion—all for me. “I’m warning you that I’ll say yes.”
Hot damn. This was really happening. I hadn’tfucked up beyond all possibility. “I also have enough socked away to start an addition to the house.”
Confusion filled those gorgeous eyes. “Why?”
“More bedrooms. We can make the upstairs your office—shit. Do I need to move to Bozeman?” I was back to messing it up. “I’ll go wherever you are. I just need space for a shop?—”
She pressed a quick kiss to my mouth. “I want to come home,” she whispered. “I can work from anywhere. But are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more certain.” This time, I pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I’m still terrified, but if I could survive fucking up what I had with you, then I can thrive raising kids with you.”
