Page 146 of Every Broken Promise
I lowered myself on one knee and took in every reaction on her beautiful face. I couldn’t have picked a better time if I had planned it. The sun was starting to set, casting a golden halo around her.
“It might not be the most romantic proposal, but this place is where I once gave you a part of me, and now I want you to have all of me. Astrid Hart, will you marry me?”
The words were barely out of my mouth when she was throwing herself at me. I felt her body shake as I awkwardly got up, still holding on to her.
“Is that a yes, beautiful?” I attempted to joke.
She pulled back with tears in her eyes. “I love you, and this is perfect.” Astrid handed me her left hand, and nothing in the world felt as right as the way my mother’s ring looked on herfinger. I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed her right on the ring.
“This was my mother’s ring,” I let her know.
Her eyes softened, and more tears silently fell.
“Ty,” she breathed.
It wasn’t a question, but I knew my girl enough that she was wondering if I was sure about giving her this ring.
“This ring was always meant to be yours, beautiful. Mom loved you, she knew you, and Dad said it’s what she’d have wanted.”
“I love you so much,” she cried.
“Good, because I promise to love you even more,” I stated.
Before she could protest, I cupped her cheeks, looked into her teary eyes, then kissed her. If I could go back in time, I would congratulate my five-year-old self for taking Astrid’s hand that day.
Despite every broken promise along the way, we still ended up right here with each other, where we belonged.
EPILOGUE
Tyler Kane had puta ring on my finger.
I was grinning like an idiot as I stared at my left hand. My makeup was ruined from all the happy tears, but I didn’t care. As soon as Ty started driving, he grabbed my hand and kept kissing my ring finger.
“Ty, before we go to family dinner, can we stop by my place?” I asked him.
He didn’t question it and quickly changed directions.
He parked in front of my parents’ house. Then my eyes made their way to the house next door. My house.
“Come with me?” I asked shyly.
Instead of leading Ty to my parents’ house, I led him to my new place. He whistled as he took in the place.
“It’s cute, but it’s not you.” He was telling me what I already knew.
I took his hand and led him to the kitchen, where the lone espresso machine stood. I could see it now. This could be our home. Sitting here drinking coffee in the morning before we leave for work.
It was all so attainable now.
There was only one thing left to do.
“Move in with me?”
His eyes became molten and intense. He put one hand on the counter, the other holding on to the back of my head.
“We can get another place, and you can rent this house out. It’s yours, Astrid, not mine.”
I scrunched my nose in annoyance at his pride.
