Page 88 of Worth the Risk

Taylor lets out a soft laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Focused on whether or not I was making a huge mistake, probably.”

I raise an eyebrow, grinning. “You were sure I was about to pitch you a scam, weren’t you?”

She tilts her head playfully, bumping me lightly with her shoulder. “Or murder me. What kind of guy just starts chatting up a single woman on an empty train?”

“This guy,” I say with a grin, pointing at myself.

She narrows her eyes at me, her lips twitching in amusement. “Mmm, I was thinking more along the lines of a sociopath.”

The teasing lilt in her voice brings me right back to that first conversation, where we exchanged witty barbs and jokes, the tension between us building in a way I didn’t fully understand at the time. But it’s still there now, the same spark. I look at her, and my heart hammers against my ribs with the realization of how far we’ve come. Taylor isn’t just the woman I fell for that day. She’s my partner and my confidante, and together, we’ve built something extraordinary. Not just our business, though that’s part of it, but this—us.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that day,” I say quietly, my voice steady as I hold back a tear. “About how I was this messof a guy—someone who had no idea what was about to happen when I stood next to you.”

Taylor tilts her head slightly, her brows drawing together as she listens. I smile, feeling the nostalgia wash over me.

“I remember you were scrolling through your phone,” I continue, trying to suppress a grin. “You were watching videos of…what was it? A cooking tutorial? Or shirtless guys dancing?”

She bursts out laughing, her blue eyes lighting up with the memory. “Neither! It was an adorable little kitten with its mom or something.”

I shrug, unable to hide my amusement. “You were charming even then, though.”

Taylor raises an eyebrow, her smile widening. “Charming? I thought I came across as a little standoffish.”

“Not to me,” I reply, glancing out the window as the city rushes by, just like it did on that first day. “To me, everything changed the moment I spoke to you. It sounds crazy, but I just knew. I didn’t want to admit it back then, but deep down, I knew my life was never going to be the same. And it hasn’t been.”

Her expression softens, and she leans in a little, her curiosity piqued. I can tell she’s wondering where I’m going with this, but she doesn’t interrupt. My hand slips into my pocket again, and my fingers brush against the small velvet box as I pull it out and feel the weight of what I’m about to do. When I place it on the seat between us, Taylor’s eyes widen, her breath catching in her throat.

“Austin,” she whispers, her voice trembling.

I take a deep breath, my heart still pounding so hard that I’m sure she can hear it. “I don’t want to imagine my life without you,” I begin, the words catching in my throat. “Taylor, you are my everything. We met here, on this train, when both of us were at a crossroads. And now…I’m standing at another one.”

I flip the box open, revealing the ring inside—a simple yet elegant piece that I chose because it reminded me of her. Taylor’s hands fly to her mouth, and I can see the tears welling up in her eyes as she stares at the ring in disbelief. I slowly sink down to one knee.

“Taylor,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Will you marry me?”

For a moment, everything feels suspended in time. The train’s steady hum fades into the background, and all I can hear is the sound of my own breath, waiting—hoping—for her response. My mind is racing with every possible outcome, but all I can focus on is her and the look in her eyes.

And then, she nods, slowly at first, but then more emphatically after, a soft sob escaping her lips as she steps closer and pulls me up from my seat and into her arms. “Yes,” she whispers into my ear, her voice shaking with emotion. “Yes, of course.”

Relief washes over me so intensely that my knees almost buckle as I stand back up, but I manage to keep it together long enough to slide the ring onto her finger. My hands tremble as I do, the weight of the moment hitting me all at once. When I finally look up, Taylor is smiling through her tears, her eyes shining with a happiness I never knew I could bring to someone else. It’s overwhelming, this sense of completeness.

The train rattles on beneath us, but at this moment, everything else feels still—like the world has paused just for us. Nothing else matters. I lean in and kiss her softly, tasting the salt of her tears on my lips. Then, I whisper against her skin, “I love you.”

Taylor smiles, her forehead resting against mine as she breathes out the words I’ve come to cherish more than anything. “I love you too.”

Five years ago, I couldn’t have imagined where this journey would lead, but now, standing here on this train with Taylor in my arms, I know one thing for certain: I’d risk it all for her.

CHAPTER 27

Taylor

Itake a deep breath and curl my fingers around the warm coffee mug, letting the steam rise to my face as I gaze out the kitchen window. The morning light feels different today, softer somehow, or maybe that’s just how it feels when you wake up the day after getting engaged.

Engaged.

I still can’t believe it. The ring sits snugly on my finger, catching the light every now and then and sending shivers of excitement through me.

It’s surreal, really. The whole thing—Austin’s proposal last night, the quiet “yes” that slipped from my lips, and the way he wrapped me up in his arms like he never wanted to let go. I smile to myself, lost in the moment for just a second longer before the familiar ping from my phone pulls me back.

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