Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Gabe
L ight filters in through the blinds when I open my eyes. I can tell it’s early. Too early to be awake, probably, but my brain has a habit of waking me up before the sun when Molly is in my bed next to me. Like it’s trying to make sure I get as much time to look at her as possible, to make up for all the years when I didn’t get to look at her at all.
I’m sure there will come a day when I don’t feel the need to stare at her like she’s going to disappear on me, but today is not that day.
Today, my eyes drink her in. The smooth skin of her back, bared by the blankets pooling around her waist. Her curls spread wildly over the pillowcase. Her perfect pink lips, curved in a small smile even in sleep. The long, dark lashes feathered over her cheeks. The most beautiful girl in the world, and she’s lying in my bed. Our bed.
No one gets this lucky, but now I have, twice in one lifetime.
Unable to help myself, I lean down and press a kiss to Molly’s shoulder. Her cheek. Her forehead. I run a light hand over her hair. Not wanting to wake her but also not able to lay here and not have my hands on her.
“I can feel you doing that weird early morning staring at me thing,” Molly mumbles, her face half buried in the pillow.
I chuckle and stroke a hand down her back. “I can’t help it. You’re right here, and I just love looking at you.”
“Look with your eyes, not with your hands. When you look with your hands, you wake me up, and when you wake me up, I get grumpy. I hate mornings. Nothing reasonable happens before eight AM. We’re night people, Gabe. Night people are not up before sunrise.”
I laugh, laying back down and snaking an arm around Molly’s waist, pulling her to me. Settling her head on my shoulder, I tug her as close as I can, so our bodies are intertwined. She lays a hand on my chest, right on my heart, and I cover it with my own.
“If it means I get to look at you, I’ll be up with the sun every morning.”
“God, I hope not. Getting up that early indefinitely sounds terrible.” Molly finally opens her eyes, turning her head to peer up at me. “Anyway, one of these days you’ll get used to having me around. The newness will wear off, and it’ll be normal that we’re together instead of something we waited years for.”
“Like hell it will.” I roll Molly onto her back, hovering over her, looking into her eyes, more green then blue this morning and still heavy with sleep. Cupping her cheek with one hand, I run my thumb along her bottom lip before leaning down and kissing her, slow and deep. Slipping my tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers, she tastes like mine. Like the promise of a new day and this brand-new life we get to live together. I break the kiss and lift my head, stroking her cheek with my thumb.
“There will never come a day when I’m not in awe of waking up next to you in our bed. And not because I waited ten years to have you again. Because you are magnificent, Rory, and you chose me. Chose us. We get to love each other for the rest of forever, and that’s something to celebrate, every damn day.”
Molly smiles and lifts her head, kissing me again. “You’re really good with words first thing in the morning.”
I lay back down, rolling onto my side so we’re face to face, sharing a pillow. “I’m good at a lot of things when it comes to you.”
Molly laughs and runs a hand through my hair, settling it on my cheek. “Are you talking about sex stuff? Because, can confirm. Last night was…wow.”
I wink at her. “Fuck yeah, it was. We are fire, Rory. We almost burned down the damn house. Are you sore?” I run a hand down her side, stopping to stroke a hand over her hip, around to her ass, dancing my fingers over her silky skin.
She shakes her head. “Not really. I mean, the normal amount. The amount that reminds me I came harder last night than I ever have in my life, and I really would like to do that again, as soon as humanly possible.”
Molly yawns then, rolling onto her back and stretching her hands over her head. “But I think I’ll need caffeine first, before we attempt any kind of sexual acrobatics.”
I grin, enjoying the hell out of her. Kissing her again, I get up and pick up my sweatpants from the floor, tugging them on. “I’ll make the coffee and bring it back up here.”
She stretches again. “I mean, since you’re the one who woke me up at this ungodly hour, it’s only fair that you make the coffee, but don’t bring it up; I’ll come down. I like sitting at the table and drinking coffee together. It’s a really good way to start the morning.”
I study her and make a split-second decision. Coffee isn’t the only thing she’s getting this morning. “It really is. Take your time, baby. I’ll get the coffee going.” Leaning down to kiss her one more time, I stroll out of the room, already in love with this day.
Molly
Ten minutes later, I walk down the stairs and freeze at the door to the kitchen, my entire body lighting up. One day, I might get used to the view of Gabe, shirtless, all smooth skin stretched over well-defined muscles, in glasses and low-slung sweatpants, curls tousled from sleep as he works the coffee machine. I look him up and down again and on second thought, I probably will never get used to this view. Who could? This is the hottest, best man in the world.
“If you’re done ogling me, coffee’s ready.”
I sidle up to him, sliding my arms around his naked torso, tracing my fingers over his abs. “I will never be done ogling you, Gabriel. You are the most gorgeous man alive, and you’re making me coffee.”
He grins and spins, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Not just a coffee. Peppermint mocha.”
He hands me an oversize mug and I study it. “You know how to make these?”
We’ve had peppermint mochas here a million times, but they always come from somewhere else. When we make coffee at home, it’s always just regular coffee. And caffeine is caffeine, but it’s always a better day when I can start it with the peppermint goodness that really should be less seasonal and more mainstream.
He lifts his own mug. “Sure do. I even bought all the same stuff the Coffee Tree uses to make theirs. It’s more authentic that way.”
I take a sip and it’s obviously perfect. There is nothing this man can’t do well. “Literally, you are the perfect man. I love it here, Gabe. I know we already talked about how I’m selling my house and all that, but I don’t think I told you enough about how much I love it here. Having coffee with you here in the morning and staying up late and watching Marvel movies with you at night. Our books intermingled on the shelves and the pictures of our life together that we’re starting to put everywhere. The Lego sets we built in college and all of our stuff mixed together. This is a really happy house, and I love making it into a home with you.”
Gabe’s eyes swirl with emotion and he doesn’t say anything, just puts his coffee down and takes mine from me. Then he wraps me up in his arms, holding me tightly. I can feel his heart pounding in his chest, and there’s something different about the way he’s holding me, but I can’t quite pinpoint it. When we break apart, he cups my cheek with one hand, looking into my eyes with an intensity that’s unusual for early morning coffee in the kitchen. “I want to show you something.”
I study him, a little confused but willing to go with it. “Okay.”
“It’s outside. Let me just grab a shirt.” He sets his coffee down on the counter and kisses my cheek before jogging upstairs. Thirty seconds later he’s back, pulling a Captain America T-shirt over his head. He takes my mug from me and puts it down, and I’m immediately surrounded by his scent as he tugs a sweatshirt over my sleep shorts and tank. He pulls it down and lifts my hair out of a collar as I put my arms into the sleeves.
“Perfect,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Let’s go.”
Gabe takes my other hand, leading me out the sliding glass doors off the kitchen to the backyard. The late-April air is still chilly, making me grateful for the sweatshirt. As we cross the big yard, I glance around, imagining the pretty space filled with comfortable furniture, a fire pit, and colorful flower beds. Our friends scattered everywhere. I can’t wait to make my mark on it.
When we come to a stop in front of the side door of the giant detached garage, Gabe looks at me and grins. “I have a surprise for you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I knew you didn’t suddenly decide to put new windows in a detached garage for the hell of it. You’ve been up to something.”
Gabe bounces on his feet a little like a kid excited for Christmas morning. “I have. I’ve been dying to show you, but it took a little longer than I expected, and I was waiting for the perfect time. But then I realized there is no perfect time. There’s just now, and I really, really want you to see it, so today is the day.”
I chuckle, because his enthusiasm is freaking adorable. Then I let go of Gabe’s hand to push my hair back behind my ear, my bracelets jingling against each other. Gabe tracks the movement and his grin widens.
“What?” I ask.
He points to my wrist. “I love the sound your bracelets make. For all the years we were apart, every time I heard someone’s bracelets jingling, it reminded me of you. The other day at Allie’s funeral, you only wore one bracelet and that’s one of the ways I knew you were hurting so badly. They’re one of your signature things, and they make me happy.”
Gabe shrugs and looks a little sheepish at this admission. Even as grief twists my stomach, warmth rushes through me at the thought of something as simple as the bracelets I’ve worn for almost twenty years making Gabe happy. Grief and happiness. Two opposing forces that, for the next while, are going to live in me side-by-side. I know Gabe understands because he takes my hand again, gaze boring in to mine, deep understanding in his eyes.
“It’s okay to be sad and to miss your friend. It’ll be like that for a while. It’s okay to be happy too. Either. Both. Neither. Feel however you need to feel. I’ve got you, no matter what. If you would rather, we can do this later.”
I feel a rush of gratitude for him. He has felt so much grief in his life but has turned into such a good man. My man. “Nope. Let’s be happy today, Gabe. I love a surprise, so lay it on me.”
He squeezes my hand, his smile spreading. “Okay, I kind of want to be dramatic and tell you to close your eyes and everything, but mostly, I’m just really excited to show you.” He pushes open the door and waves me in. “You go first.”
I take a step into the large space. It’s almost pitch black, but before my eyes have a chance to adjust to the dark, Gabe hits a switch that floods the room with light.
I gasp, my eyes roving the space, trying to make my brain make sense of what my eyes are seeing. Because I’m not standing in a garage. I’m standing in a brightly lit room with glossy light wood floors and a wall of mirrors. A barre in the same shade of wood as the floor stretches the entire length of the mirrors. Shelves mounted to the wall hold what looks like an expensive sound system, and the windows that line the opposite wall are covered in paper, but I know as soon as they’re uncovered the entire space will fill with natural light. I walk to the center of the room, turning in a circle. There is an entrance to another, smaller room along the far wall, but I can’t make my feet move. All I can do is gawk at the space.
“Do you like it?” Gabe murmurs to me.
I spin at the sound of his voice. “You made me a dance studio?” My voice is thick and filled with disbelief.
Gabe frames my face with his hands. “You are so beautiful when you dance, Rory. When you mentioned wanting to try and dance again, I wanted you to have a space to do it. Dancing used to make you so happy, and I hope that it can make you happy again.”
I give a little watery laugh, my eyes filling with tears. “I could have just found a studio to go to, you know. I didn’t need one in my backyard.”
Gabe leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead. “You could have, but I wanted you to have this instead. A place that belongs to you, that’s all your own. I know that the circumstances were beyond both of our controls, and we’re moving forward together, and I’m wildly grateful for that. But ten years ago, what happened to us took dance away from you. I want to give it back.”
I close my eyes, leaning my forehead against his chest, trying to get myself under control. “Fuck, Gabe. I love you so fucking much. This is just…” I stand straight and look around again, shaking my head in disbelief before meeting his eyes. “This is incredible. It’s beautiful and perfect. I love it so much.”
He smiles softly. “I’m really glad. There’s a little more.”
He takes my hand, leading me to the smaller room that turns out to be an office. A beautiful desk sits in one corner, and bookshelves line one wall. A pink area rug covers the floor, there’s a comfortable looking chair in another corner, and a big pink neon Molly sign hangs on the wall behind the desk. It’s warm, cozy, and fun—the most me office that there ever was. Gabe gives me a second to take it all in and then turns me to face him.
“I thought you might want a home office too. I have one, and I want you to have a place to work at home if you ever need to, or just a place to sit and dream up whatever project you want to take on next. Everything you do is amazing, and I want you to have a place to do all of it.”
I take a deep breath, and it’s shaky when I let it out because what a gift it is to be known and understood so well and loved so deeply. I take both of Gabe’s hands in mine and lock eyes with him. “You are the most amazing man I have ever known, and everything about this is perfect. I love it so much, and I can’t wait to do all the things here.”
Gabe winks at me and leads me back out into the studio, gesturing to the barre. “There are toe shoes tied to the end of the barre over there.”
I snort out a laugh because indeed there are. “I’m a little old and rusty to be dancing on pointe, but I wouldn’t say no to being tied up with ribbons again, if that’s what you mean.”
He gives me a wicked grin. “Oh, that’s definitely what I mean, but we can do that later. I have one more thing.”
“Jesus, the dance studio and most perfect home office ever to exist aren’t enough?”
“Rory baby, nothing with you will ever be enough.” He digs into his pocket and pulls something out, dropping to one knee in front of me, and I swear I black out for a second.
“Oh, holy Jesus Christ.” I follow him down to the floor, my knees no longer interested in holding me up.
He gives me a look of dismay. “I’m supposed to be the one on my knee. You know, kneeling before you and all that, while I ask you to marry me for real.”
“Gabe, everything about us is unconventional. If you’re asking me to marry you for real, I want to look you in your eyes while you do. I don’t need you to kneel before me. I just need you.”
Gabe’s eyes darken with emotion, and he takes one of my hands in his. “I just need you too. Rory, I have never loved anyone in my life the way I love you. I’ve loved you since we were eighteen, and even when we were apart, my heart always belonged to you. And now that I have you back, I want everything with you. Movie nights on the couch and late-night pancakes and peppermint mochas in the morning. Family nights with our friends and trips to Boston and D.C. to see my sisters and plane rides to California to see your family and revisit all our favorite places. Whispering secrets in the dark of night and waking up too early in the morning because I can’t go too many hours without looking at you. I want to keep making this home with you and build an entire life together because every part of my future belongs to you. I love you, Rory. No one will ever love you the way I do. Be my fiancée for real. Marry me. Be my family. Let’s be each other’s forever.”
He holds up a ring and I do a double take, looking down at the finger still wearing my fake engagement ring and then back up at his hand. “You…bought the same ring twice?”
Gabe smiles. “You love this ring.”
“Of course I love this ring. This is the most perfect engagement ring that there ever was.”
“When I saw it, I knew it was the only one I ever wanted you to wear. But a couple months ago when I put it on your finger, I did it because we had to pretend. Nothing about how I feel for you is fake, and I’m asking you to marry me for real, so I want you to have a brand-new ring.”
I blow out a breath and shake my head, even though my stomach is alive with butterflies, and all I feel is excitement and love, right down to my very core. But I’m me, no matter what, so I can’t resist messing with him a little. “Billionaires really are a different breed, aren’t they?”
Gabe shrugs and grins. “I’m not a normal billionaire. I’m the kind of billionaire who falls in love at eighteen and stays in love for the rest of his life. If it takes two rings to finally make it forever, then that’s what it takes.”
I huff out a laugh. “What are you going to do with the other ring?”
“I thought I’d take it to the jeweler Rachel Parker recommended to me and have the stones set in a bracelet. You can add it to your stack. Our first engagement might have been fake, but it’s part of our story now.”
His smile is so earnest and so adorable, I can’t help but lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck, holding tightly, soaking in this moment and committing it to memory. I don’t want to forget a single second. “That sounds like an excellent idea. I think I’m going to like being married to you.”
Gabe kisses the side of my head, tightening his arms around my waist. “Um, I didn’t hear you say yes. I’ve waited a really long time to ask you to marry me, and I really want to hear you say it.”
With my arms still around his neck, I lean back so I can look him in the eyes. “Absolutely, yes. I love you so much, Gabe. We are going to have such a good life together.”
Gabe’s eyes go stormy with emotion, and he leans in and covers my mouth with his. The kiss is long and deep, full of hunger and love and all the promises that we are making to each other in this moment. When we break apart, Gabe takes my left hand, slipping off the fake engagement ring and replacing it with the real one. Then he lifts my hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my fingers just below the ring.
“Perfect,” he murmurs.
With the ring in place, I curl into Gabe’s lap, and he wraps his arms around me. On the floor of the dance studio he built me, we sit, tangled up in each other. We breathe each other in and whisper secrets and wishes and dreams for our future. We are steeped in gratitude for everything that brought us to this moment and anticipation for the life we’ll build, and a deep, enduring, forever kind of love.
We belong to each other. Tied together by our past and the future that stretches ahead. And it is more than I ever could have dreamed.