“Mine? No, baby it’s ours,” I turned to her, watching the shock that radiated from her face and smiled easily at her. Taking her hand in mine, I walked her towards the door. “Let me show you inside.”
She remained silent, in shock, as I unlocked the door and escorted her inside the gym. I purchased the building after I had been released from jail hoping I’d be able to one day turn this place into something I could be proud of. I had taken the bankbook my mother gave me, and with every red cent of the money I had made working for Victor, I built this gym. I didn’t earn that money by working hard but I wanted to put it to good use. I hope this place will be a watering hole for young kids, that, it will give guys like me a chance to stay out of trouble.
Adrianna looked at everything, her eyes scanning the room, taking it all in, every square foot.
I pointed to the right side of the gym to where a small boxing ring was set up, a replica of the large one that centered the room.
“See that? It’s for kids. I’m going to offer boxing lessons to children from ages four and up. I even made a separate locker room for them.” I crossed the room to where there were two dozen heavy bags lined up in front of a mirror. “Over here is where I will teach the adults and in the back we’re going to put a juice bar.”
She turned around, closed the distance between us, and finally smiled. “It’s amazing. You’re amazing. I am so proud of you,” she whispered, lifting her hand to run her knuckles along my jaw.
“Yeah?” I asked cupping her face in the palm of my hands. “What do you think about the name?”
“I love it.”
I swallowed. “I don’t want to forget the past. Yeah, it would be easy to forget it, but every bump in the road led me right here. It’s a tribute to what we lost but it’s a promise of what’s to come.”
“It’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” I said, leaning in and kissing her forehead. “There’s just one thing though.”
“What’s that?” She asked, looking up at me through the fringe of her lashes.
“All this means nothing if you and Luca aren’t a part of it.” I slowly pull back, dropping my hands from her face.
“Whatever you need help with, of course I’ll help. I’ll run the front desk, I’ll make smoothies, but I will not put gloves on ever again.”
I smiled. “That’s not what I meant,” I released a breath and reached into my pocket. I took her hand, turning it over so her palm was facing upward and dropped the diamond hoop into her hand.
She glanced down staring at the earring she thought she had lost and then lifted her head.
“Where did you find this?”
“You left it at my apartment the night you ran out on me.”
“I went back for it …” she trailed off, running her fingers over the trinket. “My father gave me these.”
“I know and I’m sorry I didn’t give it back to you sooner.”
“Why now?” She asked.
“Well,” I said, as I scratched the scruff that lined my jaw. I had rehearsed this a thousand times in my head, and then I said fuck it because moments like this you can’t plan or rehearse.
“I figured you’d wear them when you marry me.”
The earring fell from her hands, her lips parted but she remained silent. I knelt down, picked up the earring, and held it out to her.
“It would be like having a piece of him with you when you walk down the aisle.” I closed her palm so she held the earring and took her other hand. “And then you could hand them down to our daughter and tell her all about her grandpa.”
I didn’t forgive Victor for everything he had done but I let it go because in the end, when it mattered, he gave me back all he had taken from me. Tears slid down her cheeks and I couldn’t help but think she was even beautiful when she cried but maybe that was because they were tears of joy and not sadness. The sad look that lived in her eyes was gone and now replaced by hope.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring I had bought all those years ago and heard her sobbing as she watched me
“Don’t cry. I don’t want you to cry anymore,” I said, sincerely. “I will spend the rest of my life making up for all those tears you shed. All you gotta do is say yes. Just say yes.”
She took a breath and giggled. “You didn’t ask me anything yet.”
I squeezed her hand, hiding my grin. “Marry me, Reese’s.”
“Still not a question,” she said, and then whispered the words I used to tell myself I would never hear. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she smiled widely, falling to her knees before me and wrapping her arms around my neck. I closed my eyes and took her body into my arms, holding her close.
“I love you, Adrianna,” I whispered against her ear. “Thank you for fighting for me, even when I made it impossible.”
She pulled back, our eyes meeting before she leaned her forehead against mine. “I’ll always fight for you because nobody will ever love me like you do.”
The End
Epilogue