Page 21 of When Love Changes Everything

Her gaze drops to the ring, and when her eyes meet mine again, they’re searching, raw and vulnerable. "Why?" she breathes. "Why me?"

"Because I could spend the rest of my life gazing into your eyes, losing myself in them every single day. I could spend every day listening to that laugh of yours, the one that makes everything else fade away, as if nothing else matters but you. I could spend each day trying—probably failing—to keep up with your quick wit. And I could spend every night holding you close, whispering your real name until you learn to love it again. Holding you so close that our hearts would beat as one."

"Mateo, I—"

I close the distance between us, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close until our lips almost touch. “Marry me, Annalisa,” I say, my voice raw, thick with all the years of longing I can no longer hide. Four years—four endless years—of knowing it could only ever be her.

“Mateo…” she whispers, her gaze soft and penetrating.

"Let me love you,hermosa," I whisper in a hushed tone.

Her breath hitches, and for a moment, everything stills. “I want to trust you, Mateo,” she says, her words touching the deepest, most guarded part of me—my heart. "But if you hurt me, I'll never forgive you."

I look into her eyes until her blue gaze pierces through me, "I will never hurt you," I whisper.

"I believe you," she smiles, and with those three words, she gives me permission to love her.

“Can I take you out to dinner tonight?” I ask, my voice calm, though my chest feels anything but.

Her gaze meets mine, and in that moment, every ounce of hope I’ve dared to carry hangs on her reply.

She raises an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to make me dinner here?" she teases. That familiar sparkle in her eye is back—warm, playful, and so distinctly her. It eases the tension knotting in my chest, quietly reassuring me that things between us are back on track.

"If we don’t leave this house, we might end up having dinner with your dad," I laugh. "But if I'm being completely honest, I just want you to myself."

"Speaking of," she says, crossing her arms, "if Dad is staying in the guesthouse... where am I staying?"

"With me, of course!" I tease, enjoying the way her eyes go wide in disbelief. Before she can launch into a protest, I hold up a hand and add, "Relax. You can have the room downstairs."

"And what about you?" she asks, narrowing her eyes, her suspicion evident.

"I’ll be upstairs," I reply, my voice dipping low. "In case you ever need anything, or you feel the need to throttle me, you’ll know exactly where to find me."

Her lips twitch, but she fights the smile threatening to break through. "Do you realize how wildly inappropriate that is?" she quips, tilting her head in mock disapproval.

"We’re engaged, remember?" I counter smoothly, leaning in just enough to watch her cheeks flush. "I promise you'll enjoy me talking dirty to you."

The blush deepens, and for a moment, she looks torn between laughing and scolding me. But then she breaks into a laugh, shaking her head. "You’re absolutely incorrigible."

"But lovable?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She rolls her eyes, but her smile is genuine. "Yeah," she admits, her voice softening. "But lovable."

***

The restaurant we choose is alive with the energy of the evening crowd, laughter, and the clinking of glasses filling the air. Yet somehow, we’re lucky enough to get a cozy table by the expansive windows that look out over the park and the river shimmering in the twilight.

After we’re handed our menus, Lisa glances around with a mischievous smile. “So… should I be worried about any of your old girlfriends working here?” she asks, her tone filled with curiosity.

I chuckle, leaning forward in my chair. “Unless we’re counting the chef,” I say with a grin, “I think we’re safe. Most of the staff here are men.”

Her laugh rings out, warm and contagious, but then her gaze shifts toward the front of the restaurant, and her smile fades just a touch. “Don’t look now,” she says, lowering her voice, “but Meredith just walked in. Maybe she won’t spot us—oh, never mind.” Her eyes narrow, and she glances back at me. “She just saw us and… yep, she’s making a beeline over here.”

"Mateo?" Her unmistakable, swoony voice reaches us before she does, and I feel Lisa’s curious gaze flick over to me. Meredith appears a second later. "I didn’t know you were in town!"

“Hi, Meredith,” I reply, standing to greet her with a quick hug, feeling Lisa’s eyes on us. "Just here for a short trip."

I release Meredith and sit back down, catching Lisa’s faintly raised eyebrow and a hint of amusement in her expression.

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