Page 120 of Let's Be Forever

“Anna,meu bem, the stupidest thing I’ve ever done is let you go,” he starts. Inching closer to me, he takes my hand inhis. Rosie is in a world of her own, unaware of what’s going on. “I promised myself if the universe ever let me find you again, I’d work endlessly to win you back. Now that you’re here, I’m never letting go. I know it’s too soon, but sometimes things are out of our control. And sometimes the universe sends us signals. Maybe this is one. I’m not sure. All I know is that I need to ask you now.”

I’m trying to hold it in, but he’s staring at me like I’m the center of his universe. The tears I was trying to hold back roll down my cheeks.

“Why are you crying? I haven’t even asked you yet?” He smiles sweetly at me. His voice is playful, but his eyes are glistening.

“I really can’t stand you.” I wipe them away, my cheeks aching from how big I’m grinning.

He rubs the pad of his thumb over my knuckle. “I know, but you love me anyway.”

“Of course I do. I always have, and I’ll never stop.”

“Thank you for loving me. I know I was difficult to like and even more difficult to love. I know?—”

“You’re not difficult to love. Loving you has been many things, but difficult was never one of them.”

His parents made him feel that way. I know it’s why he second-guesses himself. Why he doesn’t feel like he’s doing enough, but I’m never going to stop reminding him that he is and showing him how much I feel for him.

He shrugs, suddenly bashful. “You’ve put up with me, and I know it’s not been easy. After everything you’ve been through, you could have walked away, but you’re here. I love you with all my might, with everything in me. I?—”

Rosie stands between us, trying to sit on Sylas’s lap. We laugh as he helps her up on her knee. “I love you and want to spend forever with you. Will you marry me, Anna?”

I don’t know why the question makes me cry harder, but it does. I can’t stop. My vision is blurry, and my cheeks are wet from the tears. “Yes” is all I can manage to say.

Sylas slips the ring on my finger before he stands, hugging Rosie and me.

He’s right. Maybe this is too soon, but nothing has ever felt more right.

SYLAS

THREE YEARS LATER

“You know the rule.Breakfast first then we’ll go to the rink, okay?” I tell Rosie as I flip the bacon over.

My almost six-year-old pouts. “But Daddy, I’m ready.” She waves her hand over her clothes. “Can we eat breakfast later?”

“We’re eating first and then we’ll leave.” I smile but get a frown in return.

She groans, stomping her foot. “I’m not even hungry.”

But not a second later, her stomach grumbles. I arch a brow. “We have all day, stop being so impatient.”

She approaches me, puffing out a resigned breath. “But what if my friends leave?”

“I promise they’ll be there.” I break off a piece of bacon and hand it to her.

A good friend of mine is visiting from Canada with his family. They’re here not only visiting us, but one of their friends, and a few more from out of state made the trip with their kids. We’ve all been hanging out and taking the little ones to the rink. Rosie knows they won’t be here long, so every day she’s been waking up extra early, hustling us out the door.

She begrudgingly takes it but perks up when Sesame, our dog, comes trotting into the kitchen close to my wife. She’s a three-year-old beagle mix we adopted last year for Rosie’s birthday.

Ses—what Ro calls her—is usually our daughter’s shadow, but lately she’s been hovering by Anna. Even when it’s time to go to bed, she’s desperate to be next to her.

“Morning.” Anna ambles into the kitchen, instantly rolling her lips then raising her shirt to cover her nose. “Oh God, that smells…” A divot appear between her brows before she shudders, gags, then squeezes her eyes shut. “That smells so— I think I’m going to throw up.”

She spins and takes off for the nearest bathroom.

I’ve already moved the pan, turned off the burner, and am following behind her. “Stay here, Ro.”

I rush into the bathroom and find her kneeled over the toilet, dry heaving. I grab her hair and gingerly sweep it away from her face, crouching behind her.