Page 122 of Yours, Forever

Max parked the car outside the iron gate just as I finished the story.

"That's when you came," I said. "So now you know."

"I'm convinced. He has nothing to use against me."

"What does this mean to the deal, to his attempts at getting you out of the company?"

We exited the car and met again at the gate.

He took the keys out of his pocket and opened it for us. "Basically, nothing. If anything, it will delegitimizehimwith the Board. Unless you divorce me, I suppose."

"Hmm. Did you hear? I told your dad I wouldn't."

He took my hand and led me through the veranda to the back patio. He placed us on top of a big, flat stone at the edge of it, which created a tiny balcony from which you could look down at the beach. The sunset had happened already, tinging the skies in pinks and purples. Endless waves crashed below, and their deep rumble reached us in a soft breeze.

The lights in the house were off, but I could see him in the remnants of sunlight. Inside the house was a renovation battleground, anyway. In the light of the evening, I could pretend this was a few years down the road, where we stood here watching the town, and sharing a private cozy moment for no reason other than we wanted to.

"Darling. I have a question for you. When you told my dad you wouldn't divorce me… what time frame were you thinking of?"

"I… What I said…"

Telling the story, I had conveniently skipped the part where I said I would never divorce Max. His words to his dad had become part of me, and I believed we had a future ahead of us. All we had to do was promise it to each other. I had wanted to wait until we could share a real moment together. Maybe it was time.

My hesitation drew a smile out of my husband. As always, I didn't need to say much; he saw right through me.

"You asked me to give us enough time to fall in love," I finally said. "Right before you left."

"Well, shucks. I messed up the schedule."

My eyebrows quivered in confusion. He dug into his waistcoat pocket and took out a folded… paper napkin?

He offered it to me between index and middle finger.

I'm going to love her

In his script, in a napkin with the same logo as the one where our prenup had been written.

The puzzle pieces clicked together; the memory of the video where I'd watched him write this message clearly stamped in my brain. I gasped.

"I've been falling in love with you since I met you, Eva. I knew I'd love you since I met you."

"Max…" I held the napkin in my hands but I gazed at him, searching for answers, for a declaration, for the promises I wanted to give back to him.

"I can't lose you," Max said. "Please love me like I love you. Stay with me forever."

"What did you say?" I breathed.

For the fifth or tenth time that night, he cradled my face in his hands. "Let me make a home here with you. In this house, in this town. No deadlines. You and me."

"Say you love me again." My voice was nothing but a whisper. "Promise me forever, Max."

He pressed his lips to mine. "I love you, darling. I promise you forever, if you'll love me back."

When my heart exploded in joy and it escaped through my chest toward the moon, I didn't try to hold it back. This time, I let it fly away to the stars, no heavy weights holding it back.

All I did was smile, fold the napkin, and put it back in Max's pocket.

"Well, you see," I said, "it seems it's too late. I also messed up the schedule."