“Her?”Rhett’s face twists scornfully. “Why would you do any of this for her?”
“Because,” I start, looking down at Coco. The pulse at her neck flutters. Her cheeks are red. This is her worst nightmare, being exposed.
My God, how do I know this?
Because I knowher, better than even I remember. Coco tucks herself away and hides around her family, but she can’t hide from me because I see her.
In this moment, I stop worrying about who I was and walk into the man I am now—the one who sees her, who sees this land, who sees everything.
Emotions war in her eyes. She’s afraid of this moment. She didn’t want me to know the truth, to protect me, but I don’t need to be protected, because I know what’s real.
Thisis real. This feeling.Thisright here, right now. This is me looking at the past I’ve lost and telling myself I will not let those agonizing feelings take over ever again.
I’m here with her.
I squeeze Coco’s hand and then pin my gaze on Rhett, who’s scowling. “We’re engaged,” I say, my voice steady. “Coco and I are getting married.”
Then I smile, just for her.
“And part of this resort is my wedding gift.”
Coco sways like she’s going to faint. And I don’t blame her. She thought I forgot our truth, that we’d made plans for the future, and she’s right.
But I’m not worried. It’s all about to come back to me.
Chapter 26
Coco
What is happening?
Am I living in a mirror world? Is a white rabbit about to run by claiming he’s late?
Right on cue, Hercules prances past.
I suppose that’s close enough.
Stone murmurs in my ear, “I found the ring. You should have told me.”
His voice is low, intimate, like a caress light enough to coax and an iron hot enough to brand. My skin flames from the closeness of him. But before I get too cozy and wrapped up in him, a record scratches in the back of my mind, and the moment is obliterated.
A ring? He found a ring?Whatring?
Oh, shit.Stone found my grandmother’s ring—the one she gave me—and he thinks it’s for our engagement?
My stomach falls into an open pit.
He presses my hand to his breast, right over his heart. It pounds, thumping so hard I wonder whether his body is lying, too—or it’s just telling a different kind of truth.
“We’re engaged,” he confirms to Rhett, as casual as a summer breeze. Like this is just a totally normal Tuesday announcement. Thenhe jerks a thumb toward the plans. “And the flower garden? Not in the original blueprint. That one’s all me.”
Then he whispers in my ear, “Just so we’re crystal clear, the garden is my wedding gift to you.”
He’s building a garden for me?
My knees go full spaghetti.
Is this what swooning feels like?
