Page 77 of Sticks and Stones

“The man I love,” she whispered, covering his chest with her hands.

“There’s no way I’d be where I am today if I’d grown up in the slums with her, living off social assistance, living hand to mouth. I’d have probably ended up just like her. I would’ve thought that’s what people do. There’d have been no way out for me. At least in foster care, I got to see how other people lived. A few of the families I lived with had it pretty good, and I knew I wanted a taste of that too. A better life. So I decided that’s what I would have. A better life.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she said, thinking of how hard he’d had to work to make his dreams come true.

He smiled. “You know what else I wanted way back then?”

“What?”

“A family. Of my own.”

A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of their daughters and how much they loved him. He may not have always been there, but their hearts had always been with him, wherever he went. She was so glad she’d been able to give him that gift. Their girls.

“Now I have that,” he whispered fiercely. “I finally have that. And I’m not letting it slip away again, Gi. Not ever again.” His grip on her tightened, his fingertips biting into the back of her head. “I need you. You’re my… my best friend.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she didn’t care. “You’re my best friend too, Gunnar.”

“I can’t promise you I’ll always get it right.” He smirked. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll screw up. A lot. But I need you there to reel me back in, put me in my place when I step out of line.”

“Gladly.”

He laughed. “Gianna, it doesn’t get any better than what we have. I know it doesn’t. When you were gone, out of my life, I was so empty. So wrecked.”

“I felt the same way,” she whispered, hoping he knew how hard it had been for her to try to move on without him.

“It’s been better though, right? Since I came here and we reconnected, it’s felt better, hasn’t it? For you too?”

“Of course it has.” How could he even doubt that?

“Good, because I need you to be happy. This isn’t just about what makes me happy, ’cause I swear to God, Gi, if I thought for a second I couldn’t make you happy, I’d never ask you this.”

“Ask me what?”

He’d danced around it, but she needed to hear the words.

“Be my wife?”

She closed her eyes and let those long-awaited words sink in.

“Please don’t say no.”

Her eyes flew open and she could have laughed at the sheer terror in his eyes. “Never.” She grabbed his face, kissing him repeatedly on the lips. “I could never ever say no to you, Hollywood.”

“Then you’ll marry me?” he asked, picking her up.

“Um, let me think about that.” She touched her finger to her lip, giggling when he spun her around, making her dizzy. “Okay, yes. Yes! I’ll marry you!”