“I want to build a life here,” I continue. “With you. With Daisy. If that means showing up every day and proving it, I can do that. If it means going slow, I can do that too.”
She studies my face like she’s searching for cracks.
I let her.
“There’s one more thing,” I say quietly.
She tenses. “Okay.”
“I love you,” I say. “I never stopped. But I’m not asking you to say it back tonight.”
Her eyes fill.
I take a breath. “I just want to know if you’ll let me stay.”
The silence stretches, long and full.
Then she steps into me.
Her arms wrap around my waist, her face pressed to my chest, and the way she exhales feels like something letting go after a long fight.
“I choose you,” she says softly. “And I choose us.”
I hold her tight, careful and certain, my chin resting against her hair.
“Good,” I murmur. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
She pulls back just enough to look at me, a watery laugh escaping. “You realize this means you’re going to be fixing things around here forever.”
I grin. “I already started.”
She laughs, real and bright, and the sound settles something deep in me.
Inside, Daisy peers around the corner, clutching her stuffed bear.
“Is Brendon staying?” she asks sleepily.
Abby looks at me.
I kneel down, keeping my voice gentle. “If it’s okay with you.”
Daisy considers this very seriously, then nods. “Okay.”
She toddles over and hugs me, quick and fierce. “Good.”
Abby watches us, tears slipping free.
I stand and take her face in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers.
“This isn’t the end,” I say quietly.
She smiles through tears. “No.”
“It’s the part where we stay.”
EPILOGUE
ABBY
