Page 77 of Thanks for Coming Along

“How... how did BNN allow you to show that? I thought they hated us together,” she asked, her eyes locking onto his, her heart pounding in her ears.

“Well, it turns out my boss is a hopeless romantic,” Ronan said with a small smile. “When I showed him the second edit, he cried. Then he went to bat for us with the board. Plus, I sweetened the deal with a spreadsheet showing the potential revenue from two documentaries. Once BNN saw the internet buzzing about us and realized the profit potential, they changed their tune,” he explained with a hint of distaste, shaking his head.

"They even offered me a position in Los Angeles," Ronan added, his gaze fixed on Eden, searching for her reaction. Her nod was numb, still processing the information.

"I hope it's alright that I shared our relationship with the world," he said, his voice carrying a bit of uncertainty. "After the song you performed, I figured you'd be okay with it. I wanted to surprise you, just like you surprised me." He paused, waiting for her to say something.

"I’m more than okay with it. Honestly, words can’t even describe how beautiful that was, Ronan," she whispered, a smile forming on her lips. Her voice wavered with emotion as she added, "I’ve got so much to say, but let me start with, I’m so sorry, Ro." He nodded, a fleeting look in his eyes that she couldn't quite read.

"I was worried that my reputation would ruin your career," Eden admitted, her voice filled with regret. "And on top of that, I thought you were leaving again, going back overseas. I should've talked to you about it, but I didn't want you to have to choose between your job and me. I would never forgive myself if you gave up your career for me, especially after everything you've worked for."

“But Sadie kind of kicked my ass and made me realize what an idiot I was being," Eden paused. "And I really love your sister, by the way." she added, managing a watery smile. Ronan’s lips curled with a small smile in response.

She stepped closer to him, closing the distance that had separated them. Her hands were shaking, desperate to touch him.

"You know, my childhood has always stuck with me, and it's still something I carry with me. Love always felt... fragile to me. Like something you had to earn, but could be taken away in an instant. Inherently temporary." Eden placed her hands over her chest, her eyes threatening to overflow with tears. Ronan moved closer, gently placing his hands over hers. It was enough to give her the courage to keep going.

"Then, my first real relationship just confirmed what I already knew—love doesn’t last. It left me with wounds that healed, but the scars are still there," she said, forcing a sad smile. Ronan's brow furrowed, his eyes laced with pain.

"But then I met you," Eden's voice broke, emotion clogging her throat. Ronan squeezed her hands reassuringly. "You were patient, kind—everything a person should be. You're radiant, Ronan, and I wanted to bask in your warmth. I wanted to feel that light. But I wasn’t prepared for how mesmerizing that light would be." Eden moved her hands from his, cupping his face lightly, her thumbs brushing against his cheeks.

“I knew working together had a deadline, another impermanent situation. So I tried with everything in me to not fall in love with you. But here we are," she confessed, tears trailing down her face. "I'm completely, hopelessly in love with you." The words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. Her voice quivered as she continued, the weight of her confession pressing on her chest.

"I was scared, Ronan. Scared of what this love meant, of how it could upend everything I'd known. A million fears raced through my mind, and there was this constant voice warning me of the inevitable pain that would follow when, like everyone else, you decided to leave." She paused, taking a shaky breath as she battled her tears.

"So, I chose to protect myself," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I thought that maybe I could leave you and salvage what was left of this mangled heart. But, Ronan, being without you... it made me realize, there's nothing left to salvage because you already have my heart." His hand, trembling with emotion, reached out to cup her cheek, gently brushing away her tears.

"It is an honor to love you, Eden," he whispered, his voice filled with reverence, his eyes locked onto hers with unwavering sincerity. His thumb brushed away a tear that clung to her cheek. "I would promise to protect your heart, but I would rather prove it to you every day for the rest of our lives." She leaned into his touch, her heart seeming to bind together with that one sentence. Forever didn’t sound so scary, as long as Ronan was by her side.

Ronan lowered his head, his fingers sliding into her hair. Their lips met, and Eden leaned into the kiss with relief. It felt like coming home, finally. She was safe now, wrapped in his arms.

In that instant, she realized that her true home wasn't a place; it was the person holding her. His lips melded to hers with urgency, causing her to melt into his embrace. Her arms found their way around his neck while his hand trailed down her back, pulling her body closer until it was sealed against his own. Eden could feel the steady rhythm of his heart within his chest, a perfect echo of her own heartbeat.

“Eden,” he whispered, like a prayer on her lips. His grip tightened on her hair, anchoring her to him, as they both surrendered. And they were bound. If she had her way, they would be bound endlessly.

EPILOGUE

TEN MONTHS LATER

Eden

“Well, my friends, by the power vested in me, the King,” the Elvis impersonator declared dramatically, winking over his oversized sunglasses. His white bedazzled jumpsuit glinted under the gaudy chandeliers. “I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

Ronan swept Eden into his arms, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a passionate kiss as the people who meant the most to them erupted in applause. Eden felt an exhilarating rush like she had felt on that carnival ride, her stomach fluttering as if she were free-falling. Her heart threatened to burst through her chest, it felt so full that it might just punch out of her ribs. Her heart was still racing as she placed one more tender kiss on Ronan's lips before pulling away.

Eden gazed into Ronan's eyes, witnessing a look of wonder within those mossy green depths. A tear of pure happiness traced a path down her cheek, only to be gently caught by Ronan's thumb. Leaning closer, he brought her in, and she melted into his arms.

"A chuisle mo chroí," he whispered in her ear, the Irish words sending a shiver down her spine. "You are the pulse of my heart," he translated, his voice soft and filled with deep affection. Eden's face broke into a wide smile, her eyes still glistening with tears.

In less than a year, Ronan had become her entire world. They had just married in Las Vegas with an Elvis impersonator, just like they had jokily imagined in his childhood bedroom all those months ago.

"I love you so damn much," Eden whispered, her voice filled with emotion. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his, savoring the moment. Her fingers traced the contours of his jaw, reassuring herself that he was real, thatthiswas real.

The last ten months had been a pure slice of heaven for her. Ronan had gradually moved into her house, his belongings slowly accumulating in her place week by week until it reached the point where she'd had to tell him to stop dragging his feet and officially move in.

He had moved in with her six months ago, and by the time he had been living with her for three of those months, he had proposed. Ronan had prepared a special dinner, handcrafting pizzas from scratch. He spelled out "Marry me?" in cheese. Cheese was the only thing she loved almost as much as Ronan. It was perfect.

Getting married after just a year of dating might sound insane to some people, and her younger self definitely would’ve thought so. She'd always heard the saying, "When you know, you just know," and now, she really got it. She knew, without a doubt, that she wanted to spend her life with Ronan, so why wait?

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