“Me go now?” Molly asks, seriously.
“You can go now,” Sullivan replies.
“We were only interesting for a moment,” I joke, rippingmy eyes away from the ring to watch her leave the kitchen quickly, probably off to get her baby dolls.
“Are you sure about this?” I turn back to Sullivan. He’s still on one knee in front of me, his gaze locked on my face.
“Are you?” he asks.
“Yes. If you really mean it.”
“We mean it,” he says with conviction. “You have no idea just how much we both love you, do you?”
I shake my head, smiling, as more tears threaten to soak my cheeks.
He cups my face in his hands.
“Your voice is the melody to my heart, Tate. I told you once, and I’ll say it again and again until you understand it. You are more perfect than any song. Molly’s always seen that too. But she knew how to love you properly from that very first day. I didn’t. And I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting the terrible job I did of showing you in the beginning.”
I sniff, overcome with emotion that makes my chest tight. “It’s okay. I understand why. You were protecting Molly. And besides, that was in the beginning. You didn’t love me then.”
He sighs and his lips lift into a soft smile.
“I’ve loved you a long time, Tate. Before I ever knew how to show it, I loved you.”
He lifts my hand like he’s admiring how the ring looks on me.
“Why do you have an engagement ring here? You didn’t know I was coming.”
“I had it in my pocket the day Cliff and I dragged that old piano into the street.”
“You did?”
“I’d have married you right there on the sidewalk if you’d let me.”
He looks up at me.
“I was going to ask you then, if you’d forgiven me. Butthings went differently, and I’ve kept it with me ever since so I can look at it and manifest you coming back to me. Or something like that. Halliday told me it would help. But mostly, I looked at it and told myself what an idiot I was for losing you in the first place.”
A small, shocked laugh pushes past my lips. “You’re unfairly hard on yourself.”
“I love you and knew that I’d lost someone really special.”
I reach up and cup his cheek.
“You haven’t. I’m right here.”
He leans in to kiss me, but a loud bark makes me jump back from him.
Two dogs race into the kitchen, barking wildly, their tails flying about in wild circles. They’re followed by a squealing Sinclair.
“Molly said you did it!”
“Did what?” Sullivan asks, moving back on to his feet.
“Oh my God, just move, please.” She laughs and breezes past him, making a beeline for the empty seat beside mine.
Denver enters the room, carrying a grinning Molly. “It wasn’t me,” he rumbles.
