“I do, but I love you, Sofia, and Mateo. I want to live with you and love you and take care of you both. I want you to be able to decorate our house and finally make it a home. I want you to go to school and do anything you want. But more than anything, I want you to have the security you’ve never had before, and by making you the co-owner of our house, if anything ever happens to us, which it won’t, you’d have a financial cushion. I have some debt on the house that I used to start my business, but I’m paying that down every month. All of this to say, will you please marry me and spend your life with me and let me spend mine with you and Mateo and the other kids we’ll have together?” He takes my hand and kisses the back of it. “I want everything with you, if you’ll have me.”
I use my napkin to wipe the tears off my face. He’s totally overwhelmed me with everything he said, which proves he sees me and understands me like no one else ever has.
“I should also add that I asked your dad for his blessing, and he said it was up to you, but he approves of me for you.”
“Anyone would. You’re amazing.”
“I’ve never been more amazing than I am with you. You and Mateo… You guys make me want to be the best version of myself so I deserve you.”
“I said I’d never get married again after… Well, you know.”
“Yes, I do, and I’m hoping you’ll reconsider, because I’ve never wanted anyone to be my wife before, and now no one else will do. It has to be you. And Mateo. Maybe I could adopt him at some point if his father is out of the picture indefinitely.”
“You’re making it very hard for me to say anything other than…” I take a deep breath and let it out.
“Jump, sweet Sofia. I’ll always catch you. Always.”
“Yes.”
He hugs me so tightly, it almost hurts, but in the best possible way. When he pulls back, we’re both in tears.
“Thank you,” he says, kissing me softly.
“Thank you. For everything.”
“Wait! I forgot the best part.” He reaches into his pocket and withdraws a ring that he slides onto my finger. “This belonged to my great-grandmother, and my dad saved it for me. He joked that he thought I was never going to need it, but as soon as he saw me with you, he decided to have it cleaned. He said he had a feeling you might be the one for me, and he was right.”
The ring is a gorgeous round diamond in a nest of brown stones.
“Those are tiger’s-eye stones. My great-grandfather supposedly told my great-grandmother the color reminded him of her eyes. They remind me of yours, too, which means you’re meant for me.”
“It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen, and that it was your great-grandmother’s means so much to me.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it, but there’s one thing…”
“What’s that?”
I push the paper across the table to him. “As much as I appreciate the gesture, I won’t accept this.”
“Why?”
“That house is yours. I wouldn’t feel right.”
“What if we sold it and bought something else together?”
“That would be foolish. Your house is beautiful. It has everything we’ll ever need and then some.”
He shrugs. “Either you accept this,” he says, pushing the paper back to me, “or we sell it and buy something together.”
“You’re being stubborn.”
“I want my wife to feel safe and secure—in every possible way, including financially. I respect what it took you to leave him and get your own place and start over. That must’ve been so hard for you, but you did it, and you made a beautiful home for yourself and Mateo. If the need ever arises again for you to start over, I want you to always know you could, while hoping you’ll never want or need to.”
Every word he says goes straight to my heart. This man. This wonderful, beautiful, sweet, caring man…
“You really want to do this?” I ask him.