“Purple,” he says. “Always purple. Your door. Your clothes. The ribbons you tie around packages at your shop. Figured your ring should match the woman wearing it.”
My throat tightens.
“It’s perfect,” I breathe.
Then I look up at him again, my heart so full it almost hurts.
“It’s exactly me.”
He grins.
“Good,” he says softly. “I have one more surprise.”
“I don’t think I can handle another one,” I admit, trying to hide how ridiculously excited I am.
Riley runs over and hands Tank a purple gift bag.
“Thanks, Riles,” he says before turning back to me. “Okay, Abigail… I was trying to find a way to prove to you that I’ve loved you even when I was too afraid to admit it.”
“You have nothing more to prove, Tank,” I interrupt.
“Oh, baby,” he says, not caring that the entire compound is listening. “That’s where you’re wrong. I have a lot to prove. But I can start with something strong.”
He hands me the bag.
Suddenly, I’m afraid to open it.
“I never planned to admit my feelings for you,” he says quietly. “I planned to spend the rest of my life loving you in secret.”
“Wasn’t much of a secret,” Skip mutters loudly.
“But I dreamed, baby,” Tank continues, ignoring him. “I dreamed so hard it drove me crazy. That ring you’re wearing? I bought it three years ago.”
My head snaps up.
What?
“It’s been sitting in my safe tormenting me with the dream I thought I’d never get to have,” he says.
Then he nods toward the bag.
“I bought that at the same time.”
Right.
The purple gift bag.
Tank gently takes it from my frozen hands and opens it himself, since apparently my brain has completely shut down.
He reaches inside and pulls something out.
Soft leather unfolds in his hands.
Lavender.
A lavender leather cut.
I can’t breathe.
