Page 93 of Accidental Fiancé

I smiled, the answer easily coming to me. “Because Maggie is the only woman I’ve ever wanted to give that ring to.”

Yaya tilted her head, studying me. Her lips quirked into a smile. “You swore off marriage after your divorce if I recall correctly. Said it wasn't worth the trouble.”

I let out a small laugh. “I'm allowed to change my mind, right?”

“Hmm.” She mused, taking another drag from her cigar. “That's why your mother and I have been pestering you about finding a new mother for Piper rather than a wife for yourself.You were so adamant about it, saying you'd never give your heart away again.”

I glanced down, the memory of those dark days after my divorce tugging at the edges of my mind. I had never been so sure. I never wanted to find love again, never wanted to open myself up to that kind of vulnerability.

But Maggie changed me. She changed everything.

“I was wrong,” I admitted, meeting her gaze. “Maggie will take care of my heart. I'm not scared to give it to her. I want to. No. Ineedto.”

Yaya watched me for a long moment, her expression unreadable, but then she smiled. A real smile, not the mischievous one she often used when she was teasing me. She slowly nodded as if coming to a decision. “Alright, Julian, if you're sure about this, then I'll give you the ring.”

My heart leaped in my chest, but I kept my composure, nodding in gratitude. “I'm sure, Yaya. I've never been surer about anything.”

She reached into the pocket of her cardigan, pulling out a small velvet box. I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that she'd been carrying it around this whole time. “You have it on you?”

“Once I met the girl, I had a feeling you’d be needing it sooner or later this week. Thought I should keep it handy. Here,” she said, handing it to me. “It's yours. Take care of it and take care of her.”

I took the box, my fingers brushing over the soft velvet, my heart swelling with a mixture of excitement and nerves. I had thought about this moment for years, ever since I had met Maggie. But now that the ring was in my hand, it felt real in a way that nothing else ever had. “Thank you.”

“You didn’t keep mine on you, did you, Yaya?” Marcus asked.

She sighed, setting her cigar onto the ashtray and taking his hand in hers. “No, baby. I didn’t.”

“You knew Chloe wasn’t the one for me.”

She gently shook her head. “That girl could never deserve you.”

Her words gave weight to the air between them. He took a breath of that truth and let it out slowly before a wry smile split his face. “Next time you see me with a girl, can you tell me ahead of time, so I don’t get my hopes up?”

“Like a warning system? You think I’m an alarm for you to use with girls?” she teased.

“Well, yeah.” He chuckled. “You’re smarter than all of us on this sh?—"

She arched a brow.

“Stuff.”

She grinned at him. “You’re right, I am, and if you bring any more bitches around, I’ll let you know.”

“Yaya! Language!” he teased.

She laughed and waved her hand dismissively, but there was a softness in her eyes as she turned to me. “Just make sure you do it right, Julian. Don't rush. Maggie is a special woman.”

“That's why I want to give her the ring,” I said, tucking the box into my pocket. As I left the lounge and made my way back upstairs, a sense of peace settled over me. This was it, the future I had dreamed of for over a decade. It was within my grasp. All I had to do was get her to say yes.

When I returned to the room, Maggie was still asleep. She had curled up under the blankets, her breathing steady and soft. I stood at the foot of the bed for a moment, just watching her. My heart swelled with so much love that it hurt, and I never wanted that kind of pain to stop.

Carefully, I slipped back under the covers, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her close. She stirred slightly, murmuring something unintelligible in her sleep, before settling back into me.

I closed my eyes, the feeling of her warmth grounding me in a way I’d never felt before. Tomorrow, I'd figure out the perfect way to ask her to marry me, but for tonight, I just wanted to hold her, to soak in the quiet moments that made me fall in love with her all over again. Maggie had always been more than I deserved, and now she was everything I wanted. Soon, she would be mine forever.

Chapter 35

Maggie

---