“Perfect,” she finished for him. “It’s perfect and all I could ever want. You’re all I ever wanted. I don’t need another ring, Connor. That’s not what it’s about.”
He slid the ring on her finger and sighed. “I know it’s not, but you deserve something better. Something more.” He squeezed her hand. “I want to give you the world because that’s how much you mean to me.”
“I can’t believe you held on to this all these years…”
He shrugged. “It was all I had left of us and it was small enough that I could keep it with me always.” Pausing, he leaned in and kissed her hand. “I never forgot you. Forgot us. Thank you for rescuing me that night in the park and for giving me a second chance.”
Ivy felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. “We rescued each other. I felt lost and unsure of what I really wanted to do with my life, and then there you were. I love you, Connor. Always.”
“I love you too.”
The meal was great, the conversation flowed, but more than anything, it was the perfect night because it was the first big step toward their future.