Page 6 of Pulling Heartstrings

Once I’m out of my clothes I used to set up, I change into my dark suit and red tie. I check my watch and then glance out the back window, seeing Star and Astrid pull up right on time.

There’s a small room in the back we use for private dining on occasion, and I wait there for Astrid. My heart is in my throat, but I know that today is the day I come clean. It’s been a week of me desperately holding on by a thread as I wait for today, and now that it’s here, I’m not sure I’ll survive.

“I’ll meet you out front,” Star says as Astrid walks into the room. Star winks at me as she closes the door, leaving Astrid and me alone.

“Um, what's going on? Everything is ready, but Star said you wanted to see me?”

“You look so beautiful.” Her floor-length gown is strapless and pale pink with some kind of sparkles all over it.

“It’s not too much, is it?” Her cheeks redden, and I can’t stand the distance between us anymore.

“No, it’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

“Star made me dress up for tonight.” She’s sheepish like she’s embarrassed, but she looks flawless.

Taking her hands in mine, I let out a deep breath and begin. “I need to talk to you about something, Astrid.”

“Is there a problem with the cake?” Her eyes widen, and I shake my head.

“No, it's beautiful. It was delivered perfectly and is waiting in the kitchen.”

She looks down at our joined hands, and I feel her fingers nervously wrap around mine. “When you look at me, sweets, do you feel something for me?”

Her eyes snap up to mine and widen a fraction. “What do you mean?”

“Is it familiar? Is there a stirring in your stomach like this is right where you’re meant to be?”

“It’s complicated.” Her voice is soft, but I know she’s holding back.

“The guy you said was your boyfriend, is his name Cupid? Is that the person you feel something for?”

She bites her bottom lip and shakes her head, but then stops and nods it slightly. “I’m not sure. We’ve been friends for so long, but I’m not sure what it is. How do you know his name?”

“And you said I remind you of someone from a long time ago?” I keep going as I reach up and touch her cheek, letting my fingers trace over her soft skin.

“Yes.” She leans into my touch, and it encourages me to keep going.

“What if it’s me?” When her expression changes to confusion, I push on. “What if the man you think of as your boyfriend and the boy you cared for a long time ago are the same?” She swallows hard, and her breath catches as I wrap my other hand around her waist. “What if I’m Cupid, sweets? What if I’m Austin too?”

“What did you say?” Her voice is barely above a whisper as I pull her flush against me.

“I’ve waited on you long enough, Astrid. My whole life I’ve waited and saved myself for you. I created the blog for you, I bought the restaurants for you, I built this world for you, sweets. All of it.”

“It can’t be,” she breathes, touching my face like I might not be real.

“It’s real and it’s true. I’m sorry for the deception with Cupid, but that’s my real name and why everyone calls me Q. After I moved away, you were all I could think about. By the time I found Nick again, you’d already left for college. I knew that was your dream, and I couldn’t stop it. But what I could do was make the rest of it come true.”

“You did all this for me?” There are unshed tears in her eyes, and I nod.

“I love you, Astrid. I’ve loved you since I was fifteen years old, and I’ve never even looked at another woman since. You’re all I’ve ever wanted, and I waited for this moment, for this day.”

“I can’t believe this. I can’t believe you’re Austin.”

“I am, and after all this time, I need you to do something for me.” I take a deep breath and then slowly kneel down in front of her. When I take the box out of my pocket, she covers her mouth in shock. “I need you to marry me, sweets. Let me keep on loving you as my wife for the rest of my life. Don’t make me wait another day to have you as mine.”

“This is insane.” She lets me take her hand as I open the ring box and take out the gigantic diamond cut in the shape of a heart.

“It is, but you once told me that magic happens when you least expect it.” I slide the ring on her finger and look up into her eyes. “Marry me, Astrid.”

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