Page 114 of Loving Taylor
It was nearly time. The only person missing was my mom but I was planning on taking Taylor to visit her the next day. The first time Taylor had met my mother it had been a tense and uncomfortable meeting. I think it was because Taylor still had some resentment for the woman who had failed me in so many ways. Their second meeting had gone slightly better, giving me hope that one day they would get along.
"You will have to ask your guy that question," Connor revealed, shaking my hand.
There wasn't much traditional about me but I had felt compelled to ask him for his permission to made my relationship with Taylor official.
He had been hesitant but after I had given him a speech about how much she had changed me for the better he had given me his blessing.
Connor sat down as Taylor turned to me for answers.
Now with all the attention on me, I felt a flutter of nervousness. With Taylor looking at me with a questioning gaze I took her hands into mine and squeezed them gently.
All my planning had led up to this moment.
"I have no idea if I'm doing this right or not," I admitted. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were going to change my life. I just had no idea how much."
I swallowed nervously, dropping my eyes to her smaller hands in mine.
"From the word go, I cared for you, but up until now I haven't been able to say the words to express just how much you mean to me." She had assured me it hadn't mattered.
She shook her head. "I don't need you to say the words. You make me feel loved."
I let out a deep breath, building myself up as I lifted my gaze to meet hers. Although we were surrounded by people, it felt like it was just the two of us in that moment.
"I love you." It had just taken me a little longer to realize it.
Her eyes widened slightly and her mouth opened. The familiar warmth that spread through my chest was the love I felt for her. Now I understood that.
"I love you." She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips to mine.
We kissed for a moment before I stopped. We weren't finished yet.
"There's more."
We weren’t done yet. I was taking the biggest gamble of my life. She had no idea what was coming.
"I wanted to make sure our friends shared in the moment." Her eyes questioned mine.
"Realizing just how much you mean to me made the next step so much simpler," I explained, reaching for the small box in the pocket of my jeans. Her eyes followed my action but I could tell she still hadn't figured it out.
I bet she thought the guy who couldn't admit he loved her would never be able to give her more. Despite that, she had been content and happy.
I opened the box to her and her eyes focused on the beautiful ring I had picked out for her. It was simple but beautiful. I watched an array of emotions cross over her features. I saw the exact moment she realized what I was going to do and she gulped.
"I know exactly how I feel about you and I know you are it for me," I said to her as her eyes began to water. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes," she answered, no hesitation.
Feeling complete, like we had everything, I slid the ring onto her finger.
"I love you," she murmured to me when I pulled her close.
"I love you too," I whispered back, feeling freer than I ever had before.
I would make sure I told her every day how much she meant to me.
Then our bubble broke when our friends began to congratulate us. She glowed with happiness and I knew I had made the right decision for the both of us.
We didn't feel compelled to live our lives by the expectations of others. We lived our lives by our own needs and choices.
"I love you," I whispered to her, loving the way it made me feel when her eyes lit up when I said those three little words.
"I love you too."
My heart no longer beat in my chest. It belonged to her. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
