Chapter Twenty-Three #3
Exactly what she deserves.
I know we’ve only officially been together for a matter of hours, but I need Indi to understand something very clearly.
She will never have to question how loved she is again.
I’ve loved her for too long to half-ass this now that I finally have her.
Maybe I am a secret romantic beneath the leather jackets and tattoos. It probably explains why every song I write revolves around her in some way. Every lyric, every melody, every emotion I pour into music somehow leads back to Indi.
So naturally, I want to give her the kind of romance I sing about. I want her to know I’ll stop at nothing to make her feel cherished every single day.
“Caleb, you spoil me,” she whispers.
My eyes immediately drop to her mouth as she licks melted chocolate from her pinky finger after dessert, and fuck me, that simple movement nearly kills me.
“I’ll spoil you every day if you let me,” I reply honestly.
She giggles softly and places her spoon into the empty dessert bowl. “This was unbelievable. Seriously perfect and completely unexpected.” Her expression softens as she looks around the candlelit restaurant. “But you don’t have to flash money around to show me you care, you know?”
I lean back slightly in my chair, suddenly unsure. “You don’t like it?”
Her eyes widen instantly. “Oh no, Caleb, that’s not what I meant at all.
” She reaches across the table toward me.
“I love this. I honestly do. It’s beautiful.
I’m just… not used to extravagance like this.
I’m a pretty simple girl.” Relief immediately loosens the tightness in my chest. “But don’t misunderstand me,” she adds quickly. “I love all of this. It’s incredible.”
I sit forward again, resting my forearms on the table before taking both of her hands in mine. “Indi, I know you want us to take things slowly, and we will. But I need to be honest with you about something.”
Her expression turns cautious but attentive.
“Okay…”
I take a steadying breath. “I want to marry you.” Her eyes bulge so wide I almost laugh immediately. “Not now,” I say quickly with a chuckle. “Jesus, don’t panic.”
She exhales shakily while pressing her hand to her chest.
“But that’s where I see us heading,” I continue softly.
“I’ve wanted to be with you my entire life.
And these last twelve hours of officially having you beside me have been the happiest twelve hours I’ve ever had.
” I squeeze her hands gently. “Every second I spent without you felt empty. Like I was existing but not really living. There was this constant void inside me because you weren’t there.
” Emotion thickens my throat, but I force myself to keep going because she deserves complete honesty from me.
“I know this probably sounds intense. I know you want slow, and I’m not trying to pressure you.
I’m not proposing tonight.” I smile softly at her stunned expression.
“I just need you to know that when I picture my future, it’s always you standing beside me.
Always.” Tears begin filling her eyes. “It doesn’t have to happen tomorrow or next year.
Hell, I don’t care if it takes ten years.
I’ll wait however long you need. I just…
” My chest tightens painfully. “I just need to know you can see it too.” A tear slips down her cheek. “Can you see it, Indi?” I ask quietly.
For a second, I genuinely stop breathing because if she says no, I honestly think it’ll destroy me.
She smiles through her tears and nods slowly. “I can see it,” she whispers emotionally. “Just… not yet, Caleb. Slow, okay?”
Pure fucking happiness explodes inside my chest so hard I can barely contain it. Laughing breathlessly, I shove back my chair and hurry around the table toward her. She rises to meet me, and the second she’s standing, I pull her into me so hard our bodies collide together.
My hands cup her cheeks, forcing her to look at me.
Her eyes are wet.
Mine probably are too.
“I love you,” she whispers shakily.
“I fucking love you,” I breathe before crashing my mouth onto hers.
The kiss is messy, emotional, desperate, full of every single thing we’ve held back from each other for years. I pull her hands around my neck while the quartet continues playing softly behind us, and slowly we begin swaying together in the middle of the empty restaurant.
Dancing, kissing, and holding onto each other like we’re terrified to let go.
My heart feels too full for my chest while my stomach flips violently with happiness.
She sees it too.
She sees forever with me.
Maybe life does throw punches. Maybe sometimes it knocks you flat on your ass over and over again until you’re convinced you’ll never get back up. But eventually, after enough misses, enough heartbreak, enough bad timing and pain, you finally land the perfect hit.
And that’s what this feels like.
Like after years of swinging and missing, I finally hit the ball straight out of the fucking park.
Because Indi isn’t just the love of my life.
She is my home.