She just stared at him.
“Piper?”
“I need a moment.”
Hell, he’d give her as much time as she needed. Just as long as she didn’t tell him to go away and never come back.
Chapter 25
Piper stared at the dream kitchen in her dream house, next to her dream man, and thought about her dream of tomorrow.
Only a less than intelligent woman would turn away a golden future out of fear of the past.
He said he loved her. He bought her freakin’ dream house. He treated her like she mattered. And he’d been open about what really mattered.
Suddenly, as clear as day, she remembered their promise. To marry in twenty years. Just as he’d said when she’d first spotted him walking up her driveway, when he’d gotten down on bended knee.
“You meant what you said when you first got here.”
“I did.” He stared with solemn intent.
“You really want to marry me.”
“I do.”
“But Grant, I’m not that little girl, and you’re not that little boy, and that promise meant nothing.”
“It meant everything to me. I told you, I know what I know. I’m not like other people. I’ve got a few flaws, I admit.”
She gave a short laugh. “A few?”
“Okay, so I can be obsessive about things. I’m a list maker. I’m organized, almost anal retentive about it, if you asked my brother. But I’m true, Piper.” He walked toward her and tenderly cupped her cheeks, wiping away tears she hadn’t felt fall. “I love you so much. If you give me a chance, I’ll prove it to you.”
“How?”
“I don’t want to scare you, but I made a list.” He pulled his wallet from his pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. “This is from ten years ago. My original list is at my condo.”
She read it. “Graduate top of class. Get into the MLB. See Piper naked. Marry Piper. Get a new family. Punch Cade in the gut. Publish series of successful comic books.” She glanced up at him.
He flushed. “Cade had done something that got on my nerves right as I wrote that. And I’ve been dreaming of you since we first met. You’re my family, Piper. You’re my home.”
She sniffled. “I know you have flaws. I’ll find them.”
He handed her a fresh hankie.
“What, do you keep a supply of them?”
“If I think we might have sex, I haul them around. They’re good for clean up.”
She laughed. “God, Grant. You want to get married?”
“And have babies and live together. All of it.”
“I don’t know.”
“No prenup. I trust you.” He paused. “Unless you want one for your stuff. I’ll sign whatever you want me to.”
“You’re insane.”
