“And here I was, thinking that we’ve made progress in our relationship. I’m not a kid, remember?”
“Just because you’ve stopped being a child doesn’t ever mean you’ll stop being my child. I don’t care if you’re nineteen or ninety. You’re stuck with me and my slightly overbearing, overprotective ways.”
Slightly overbearing?
I hug him tight. Although we’ve had a rocky road, trying to navigate an adult father-and-daughter relationship, I wouldn’t change a single thing about him. Not for anything.
“I love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too,” he replies, hugging me back and kissing the top of my head. “Something’s in the summerhouse for you. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Presents? Shiny things?”
Laughing, he shakes his head and picks up his duffel bag. “Be good.” He holds his hand up. “Before you say a word, no, I will not get anyone pregnant.”
I pat his head. “That’s the spirit. Have a nice time.”
“Summerhouse.”
Saluting, I reply, “Going.”
It’s bloody freezing and drizzling with fine rain—thank you, England—as I go out the back and dash down the path. Holding my hand out, I block the water from getting in my eyes and shove open the door.
My feet root to the floor. “Oh my God,” I whisper as my eyes fill with tears.
Kitt is standing in the middle of the room with a big bunch of roses. The wooden summerhouse is filled with flowers and fairy lights. The wood burner is on, making it toasty. Pillows and blankets are laid out in front of it. He has snacks and beer on the coffee table.
“Hi,” he whispers.
“Hey,” I reply, still looking around. The summerhouse is small, but he’s decorated it beautifully. “What are you doing here?”
He smirks. “I’m here for my girl.”
His girl. Gets me every time.
I look into his eyes, and I’m falling, just like the very first time. Like Paris, the cage, the bus, every time I’ve awoken in his arms and been on the end of frantic and passionate kisses.
I thought the time apart would heal my heart, and I’d get over him. It hasn’t, and it couldn’t. I love him more than I ever thought was possible.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, Texas, and my biggest regret is letting you get on that plane to come home. I should’ve fought harder.”
“No. Stop,” I say, taking a step closer to him with butterflies in my stomach. “It was the right thing for us both, and you know it. We needed space. You had to finish being a rock star, and I had to find out who I was. Let’s not go over old ground. Forward, not backward, remember?”
He grins. “I know who you are even if you’re not always sure.”
“Yeah? Who’s that?”
He closes the distance and takes my face between his hands. Staring into my eyes, he whispers, “You’re Texas Knight. Beautiful, compassionate, funny, loyal, driven, and passionate. You love completely, and you’ll do anything for the people you care about. You love music and dancing and Netflix. You give as good as you get, and you always put one hundred percent into everything you do.”
“If you want me to cry like a baby, continue!” I say, unable to wipe my eyes, as he’s holding my head hostage. I don’t mind in the slightest.
With a smirk, Kitt sinks to one knee, and I think my heart gives up altogether. He stares up at me with love and adoration. Maybe with a few nerves mixed in.
Oh God, oh God.
Oh. My. God!
Don’t hyperventilate. Don’t faint and miss this moment!
“Texas Knight, my whole world changed when I fell in love with you. You forced me to reevaluate everything. You made me question everything, and the answer was always you. I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me, baby?”
I’m dreaming. Right?
I open my mouth to scream, Yes, but nothing comes out. This moment is something I’ve dreamed about for years, and it feels a million times better than I ever imagined. I swallow thick emotion and nod my head because my voice really isn’t working.
Kitt’s smile is bigger and brighter than I’ve ever seen it before. He jumps up and tackles me in a bone-crushing huge hug. “Fuck yeah!”
I attack his lips, kissing him with every ounce of love and happiness I feel right now. I’m soaring. Kitt ends the kiss way too soon and reaches into his pocket.
Oh God. He has a ring.
I already love it.
When he presents the diamond to me, I’m breathless. It’s beyond beautiful. It’s a chunky rectangle that sits high with smaller round diamonds around it.
“Kitt,” I whisper breathlessly.
No one has ever been this happy before, I swear.
I blink a few times to clear the tears blocking my view of the ring that means I’ll marry this man one day.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it. I love you.”