GRADY
At first I’d thought I imagined Esme calling my name but, when I turned around, there she was, wearing a sunflower costume. In her hand, she held a single sunflower. My breath caught in my throat. Did it mean what I thought it meant?
“Hey, Sunflower,” I said.
“Hey, yourself.”
“Nice petals.”
“I made them.”
“I’d expect nothing less.” I smiled, reaching out to touch one, but decided against it. “Any reason you chose to be a sunflower?”
“I thought I might like to try to see myself as you see me,” Esme said. “For tonight anyway.”
“And what did you see when you looked in the mirror?”
“That I look kind of ridiculous.”
I laughed. “You look beautiful. But you don’t need a costume for that.”
“I’m sorry I pushed you away. I was wrong to act like I did.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
“Do you?”
“I know a little about shame, yes. And I should have been more careful how I told you. It was clumsy. I’m sorry.”
She held out the sunflower in her hand. “This is for you.”
I took it from her, staring down at it for a moment, noting the sturdy stalk and perfect symmetry of the petals. “Thanks, only I don’t have anything for you. Other than this suit.”
“You look handsome in it. But I don’t understand.”
“It’s a symbol,” I said, smiling. “To show you I’m ready to be the man you need. I ran away from my life, thinking that was what was best for me. And maybe it was, at the time. I needed to distance myself from my father’s world or lose myself in it forever. But things are different now. It’s not just the money. I realized I’ve been punishing myself for the sins of my father, which in hindsight doesn’t make a lot of sense. You said you’re not my family, but I want you to be. I want to take care of all of you. Spoil you. Give you all the lifestyle you deserve. From here on out.” I paused, taking in a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is that I love you. I’m in love with you and have been for a long time.”
“I was wrong to say that. You are our family. We’re lost without you. I love you too.”
I crossed the distance between us in two steps and kissed her.
The sunflower got crushed between us. Her free hand came up to my face, her fingers cold against my jaw. And she kissed me back, tasting like a mixture of salt and sugar and smelling like the ocean breeze on a summer day. I pulled her closer, one hand in her hair, the other on the small of her back, and the silly beautiful petals of her costume pressed against my suit.This is the moment I’ve dreamed of. This is my life.
I pulled back to get a good look at her luminous face in the moonlight. “Do you have any idea how you wreck me—make me forget everything else but you? You’ve had my heart since that first surf lesson.”
“I was in denial about my feelings for you for a long time. But it turns out I can’t live without you. Why did it take you so long to tell me?”
“I haven’t felt worthy. I thought you could do better. Someone who could give you the kind of life your friends have.”
“If you didn’t inherit the money, would you have ever told me?” Esme asked.
“I think so. That night you went out with the doctor, I thought I was going to lose my mind. I sat there with Robbie watching that documentary without hearing a word of it because all I could think about was you. With someone other than me. I’ve never felt as jealous or violent as I did that night. I’d made up my mind to tell you the truth. Then you came home, and the news broke about my dad, and my whole world got turned around again.”
“If you’d told me the truth, I would have said yes. With or without your inheritance. You’re who I want. You’re my one and only. My perfect match.”
“You’ll stay then? With me? Forever?” I kissed her again before she could answer.
“Yes, I’ll stay with you. Forever.”
