“It took me two tries to figure out exactly what kind of cake you had at that birthday party in the photo album, but I think this is close. And look…” He rushed over to the table and grabbed something. “Your mom still had this.” He held up a familiar tiara. “You’re thirty-six, not sixteen, but I didn’t think you’d ever pass up a chance to be queen, your majesty.” He handed it to me, bowing with a wide smile.
“Tyler, look, this is…” I rubbed at my eyes, both overwhelmed and infuriated by what he’d created. “It’s beautiful and I love you for the effort, but I’ve told you a million times that I don’t celebrate my birthday anymore—”
“Yes, and I think it’s bullshit.”
I grabbed the tiara from his hand. “It’s not a rule that you have to make a big deal out of one stupid day. Other people just let it go by—”
“Not you. Remember, I was at every single birthday of yours growing up, and I watched you eat it up and love every minute of it. You think you’re respecting your father’s memory by ignoring it, but if he was here, he’d be pissed at you for punishing yourself like this over something you had no way of knowing would happen or had any control over.”
I inhaled a long breath through my nose. “I get what you’re saying, I do. And I’m trying to deal with the guilt that I’m not supposed to have over losing him. But it’s still not the same. Even if I somehow get over that, because of how he died, I’ll never think of my birthday in the same way ever again, and there is nothing you can—”
My heart leaped into my throat when Tyler fell to one knee. “Do you love me?”
“What kind of a question is that?” I screeched. “Of course I love you.”
“So you wouldn’t want to hurt my feelings, right? Like if I asked you to spend the rest of your life with me tonight, you wouldn’t celebrate it with me tomorrow? You wouldn’t acknowledge the day I told you that I loved you so much that just living with you isn’t good enough? I need you to be my wife. I need it in writing that I get to have you forever.”
“Yes, I want all of that too.”
“I didn’t ask you yet.”
I flinched as he pulled a ring box out of his back pocket.
“The only way I’ll ask is if you let us celebrate it tonightandtomorrow. Because the day I finally made you mine isn’t something I’d ignore year after year.” He popped the velvet top open. “What’s it going to be, Sanchez?”
“You’re playing dirty,” I rasped, unshed tears scratching at my throat.
He shrugged, his eyes still holding mine.
“Sometimes that’s the only way to win. Olivia, will you marry me?”
I knelt in front of him and placed the tiara on my head. It still poked my scalp with its heavy weight, but I could still feel an inkling of the thrill I’d had at slipping it on for my party all those years ago. Maybe Tyler was right and ignoring it was disrespecting all my father had done for me. Not just for all thirty-three birthdays but for loving me with all that he had every day, even if he couldn’t do it for long.
My heart still wasn’t all that into it, but for him and for Tyler, I’d find my way back to some of the joy.
Because Tyler and the family we were about to create was something to celebrate every single day.
I grabbed his face and covered his mouth with mine, feeling his heavy sigh of relief bleed into the kiss.
I held out my ring finger, wiggling it with feigned impatience.
“I’m waiting for my birthday present.”
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Tyler
“That’s enough, buddy.” I laughed, swiping icing off my son’s chubby chin. “You can have more cupcakes later.”
Javier grunted, furrowing his brow when I shook my head again. At almost a year old, my personality showed through in him more and more each day. He had his mother’s golden skin and dark hair, but the brooding stare and quick temper were all me. He lit up a room when he’d laugh and smile, but he didn’t give in easy. Both my mother and Olivia reveled in a baby version of me while I hoped that, unlike his father, he’d loosen up a little as he got older.
We’d told Carla his name after we’d laid him in her arms for the first time, and she still couldn’t say it without her voice cracking.
Olivia had her one-year postpartum checkup today, and while our mothers could have taken him, I wanted to do it. The perks of owning your own business included not having to worry if you had to bring a carriage to work, and I liked to steal time alone with my son when I could. Olivia had him during the day since she worked from home, but I enjoyed having him with me at the bakery sometimes even if he was a big distraction to the staff.
I bounced Javier in my arms, hoping to take his attention off the cupcake by walking him around and waving to some of the customers seated around us.
