Page 91 of One Little Kiss
“H-Have you been here before?” Nervously, she brings her wineglass to her lips, transfixing me as I answer.
“Yes, actually. It’s one of the last outings we all had together before my father passed away.”
Her quick intake of air has her chest heaving. “I’m so sorry.”
I smile sadly, remembering that night we took over the entire top floor. “Don’t be. It’s a wonderful memory.”
“Will you tell me about it?”
My palm sweats in her hand. It’s not that I don’t like talking about it, but it won’t set the tone I’m looking for. Still, if I want her to trust me and my plan, I can’t hold anything back. “My dad decided he wanted to hit up all the baseball stadiums on the East Coast before Preston went back to college. We’d just come from a Red Sox game, so we really weren’t dressed appropriately. But one of the things my dad did well was cater to my mom. She’s a romantic. She didn’t care about fancy, though. It was more about the experience, and this was a place they hadn’t been to, but heard about often. Sadly, it’ll be closing soon, so I wanted to make one more memory here before it does.”
Winnie’s eyes mist, but she holds back the tears.
“You’re always so strong for everyone else, CC. You don’t have to be with me. I’ll always catch you.”
She blinks nervously. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
“With all my heart.” Her free hand fiddles with her silverware, but I see her mind working.
“You said one of the things your dad did well? What else did he do?”
Warmth shows in my smile as I gaze at her. “He chose love every day, and he went full steam ahead with every decision he ever made. He always knew exactly what he wanted, and he made it happen. When he started The Westbrook Group, his family had cut him off for marrying my mom. Everyone he grew up with shut him out and made no secret of their skepticism that he could make it work.”
“But he did.”
My gaze finds hers, and my heart pounds in my chest. “He did. He always followed through. Even if it seemed like a rash decision to everyone else, he always had a plan. He never backed down from a challenge.”
“You’re like him.” It isn’t a question, but it feels like progress.
“I am. We all are in different ways, and we’ve all carried him with us after he passed. Preston and Ash write in journals. Easton builds things. Halton draws. Though my dad didn’t do it much as we got older, he was always doodling on his desk calendar.”
“And you?” She’s staring at me like I’m a puzzle to solve. But there’s no solving me yet. She’s my missing piece and I know I won’t be complete until she’s mine.
“Practical jokes. Quick decisions. After he died, things were really heavy in my family for a long time. My brothers may not remember it, but my dad had the best sense of humor. He was constantly jumping around corners, scaring the shit out of my mom. He loved to make people laugh.” I drift off as I hear his laughter for the first time in years, making my spine tingle. “Anyway,” I surreptitiously take a glance around, half expecting to see a ghost, “he was a great man.”
“So are you, Colton. You’ve shown Wes an example of what a good man is. Even though he’s so young, I hope he’ll always remember that.”
I’ve hit my breaking point with her. “You say that as though I won’t always be around.” My voice is husky but calm even as my insides quiver in fear of her response.
Her hands shake visibly as she sets down her glass. I wonder briefly if she’s nervous since she always seems to hold something in her free hand. “Colton.” Her tone makes my jaw flex.
“Winnie.”
On a heavy sigh, she tugs her hand free. “I don’t know what you expect of me, Colton. This has all happened so fast, and what happens when you go back to your real life? What if my dad actually gets custody of Wes? What if—”
“What if I make you both mine permanently?”
She splutters, but no words actually form. Her chest heaves as she glances between my eyes, but I’m deadly serious.
“I don’t plan to go anywhere. Ever, Winnie. I think I’ve known that since the second you took my breath away at Logan International Airport.”
Shaking her head, she finds her words. “You mean Miami.”
“No, I mean Logan. I first saw you in Boston and you scared the hell out of me. I ran away like a child. But when I saw you again in Miami, I knew it was time to man up. Something in my gut told me you were worth growing up for before I ever said hello. Call it love at first sight. Call it kismet. Call it whatever you need to make that pretty little head of yours understand. I love you, Winnie Darling. I love Weston. And that will never change.”
I’ve heard some men say they were nervous before proposing. That their hands shake, or their pits sweat. I have nothing but certainty as I stand, then drop to one knee in front of her. Winnie’s gaze goes wild as she frantically searches the small space. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the ring. Her entire body trembles as she gives in to the tears.
“You can’t be serious, Colton? It’s been weeks.”
