Page 101 of Single Chance

Chance lowered himself to the mattress next to me. He pulled one of his legs up to pivot and face me from the side. “Will you look at me?”

I heard a hint of vulnerability in his question, so I mirrored his position and faced him in the moonlit room.

“Rowan, I’m sorry. I screwed up utterly and completely the other night.”

I met his gaze. His eyes shone with regret and humility as he took my hand in his and settled our entwined hands on his knee.

“You were right,” he said. “When you told me you loved me, I freaked out. Those three words sent me into what I now know was an anxiety attack.” He averted his gaze and swallowed hard before making eye contact again. “That’s no excuse. I just want you to know that’s how much the idea of a real, feelings-involved relationship scared me.”

Any irritation and disappointment I might’ve been feeling slipped away. My heart went out to him. “I get it, Chance. Caring about someone is scary. The idea of possibly losing someone is horrible. The absolute worst, no matter how you lose them…”

“I know. I know that’s a fresh wound for you with your Gram.” He squeezed his eyes closed momentarily. “And I pushed you away when you were still recovering from her loss… Fuck, Rowan, I’m so sorry.”

It wasn’t okay; I still wasn’t okay, but I nodded to let him know I could forgive him.

“My daughter called me on my bullshit,” he said.

“Sam? What did she say?”

He let out a humorless chuckle. “She called me out for letting fear prevent me from living the life I want.”

“That can happen.”

“She got that from me.” He shook his head. “I can’t describe to you how it feels to have your teenage daughter come back at you with your own words. Particularly when she’s right, because she was. I was letting fear hold me back from what I wanted.Want. You. A family. A real family. Love.” He moved closer to me, our knees butting against each other. When he sought out my gaze again, the look in his eyes was fervent, impassioned, determined. “I love you, Rowan.”

I stared at him, afraid to breathe. Afraid he’d realize what he’d said and take it back.

“I think I was halfway in love with you before the end of New Year’s Eve,” he continued. “There was a pull between us even then like nothing I’ve ever felt. I couldn’t let myself go there though because…”

“Scared,” I whispered.

“Scared,” he repeated. “But I’m tired of letting fear win. Am I still scared? Hell yes. But I’m doing this anyway. I love you, Rowan Andrews.”

Before I could say anything back, he slid off the edge of the bed to the floor. He got down on one knee, dug something out of his pocket, then held up a small velvet box.

I caught my breath, my heart thundering in a different way.

His eyes skipped up to meet mine as he opened the box and took out a stunning, sparkling ring. Holding it with one hand, he took my hand in his other. I could feel him shaking—or maybe that was me.

I pressed my lips together, trying to keep my emotions in so I wouldn’t miss a second. To make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding this, wasn’t dreaming it up.

“I want to be a real family with you. Partners in every way. Parents of Sam and Bean there, co-chefs of our kitchen, dance partners for life. Will you marry me, Rowan?”

“Oh, my God.” I looked into his beautiful, love-filled eyes, seeing the truth there. He’d decided to move forward, to leave his fear in the dust. “I love you, Chance. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Cook with you, parent with you, dance with you. Yes, I’ll marry you.” I laughed as he stood and tugged me up with him, pulling me into his strong, loving arms.

He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead as I breathed him in, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. Joyful tears. He cradled my face in his palm as he peered down at me with so much love and affection in his eyes, then leaned lower and kissed my lips, slowly, deliberately, as if he had the rest of his life to stand there and let me know how he felt.

I felt the exact same way.

As I pressed my body into his, his phone sounded with an alert I recognized as being from Sam.

Still kissing me, Chance laughed, then ended the kiss, pulled out his phone, and read his daughter’s message. He laughed again and held it up for me to read.

Sam:Well?

I tilted my head, trying to figure out what I was missing. “Well what?”

Grinning, he typed something in, hit send, then showed me.

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