He paused, and I saw him take a shaky breath.
“But I didn’t understand love. Not really. I understood compatibility and chemistry and the transactional nature of some relationships. I understood the math. But I didn’t understand the magic.”
My breath caught.
“I didn’t understand until I met someone who showed me what I’d been missing. Someone who believed in magic so fiercely that she made me believe in it too.”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. Dane as tall as a building, declaring his feelings for the entire world to hear. And for me.
“I fell in love despite every logical reason I shouldn’t.” He shook his head. “And then I panicked. Because love is terrifying when you’ve spent your whole life hiding from it. I said things I didn’t mean. I hurt her. I made her think I didn’t believe in what we had.”
Tears were streaming down my face now, and I didn’t care who saw.
“I didn’t know how to trust my own heart.”
He looked directly at the camera, and it felt like a hundred Danes were all looking right at me.
“But here’s what I’ve learned: love isn’t data. It’s not something you can measure or calculate or predict. It’s magic. It’s choosing someone every day even when you’re scared. It’s trusting that what you feel is real even without proof. It’s taking the biggest risk of your life and hoping it’s enough.”
The crowd around me was completely silent now, hundreds of people watching this man bare his soul on the biggest screens in New York City.
“I don’t deserve the success I’ve had,” Dane said quietly. “I don’t deserve the company or the money or any of it because I don’t understand love. I’m selling a product I don’t understand. But I hope to learn.”
He smiled, small and sad. My hand was over my mouth, trying to hold back a sob.
“Ina, if you’re watching this, I love you. Not because of an algorithm. You made me believe in magic. You make me want to be brave. You make me feel things I didn’t think I was capable of feeling.”
People around me were starting to cry. I saw couples holding each other, strangers wiping their eyes.
“I’m asking for another chance.”
He looked directly at the camera again.
“I love you, Ina.”
The screen went dark. The crowd around me erupted. People were cheering and crying.
I stood there in shock, also crying, my heart pounding so hard it might bounce out of my chest.
Abby was grinning. “So? What did you think? Worth the trip out here?”
I shook my head, mouth agape, unable to even blink. “I can’t believe he did that.”
“It’s so awesome,” she squealed.
“This is insane.”
“It’s romantic.”
“It’s a lot.”
“It’s a grand gesture.” Abby squeezed my hand. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
She shoved me. “Girl, the hottest man in New York just poured his heart out in front of millions, no, billions of people. This is going to go viral. Come on! You have to be freaking out right now.”
“I am. But that doesn’t mean I can just open my heart and forget everything.”
