“It’s never too late. Itcan’tbe. I’m not going to let this chance get away from me. From us.” He grips my hand more firmly now. “I’ve been holding back Lace, and I realize that I’ve been an idiot. I ignored the signs that were right in front of me. The signs that said what was between us was,is, real. So, I can’t leave this unsaid…” Everything is suddenly quiet, my breath catches in my throat, and his eyes soften. “I love you, Lace. I’velovedyou.” The words rush out of him now, like he’s finally gotten over the nerves he was feeling, and he’s bearing his heart to me. “If there’s any chance, any hope, that you feel the same way…” His voice trails off as his eyes search my face.
I feel my cheeks flush as I stare at him, mute with shock.I love you. My heart pounds at the words.
“I love you and I want to be with you,” Ben goes on in a rush, “I mean reallybewith you. Here. At Rose Manor.”
He gestures to the house as he speaks. The words snap me back to reality, to the harsh reality that makes it easy to dismiss Ben’s confession now.
“Well, then you’re definitely too late. Rose Manor has sold.”
I tried to deliver the news with an edge, but my voice sounds hollow and sad.
“Yeah, I know,” Ben says with shy smile. “Because I’m the one who bought it.”
“What?” My brain can’t comprehend what he’s saying.
“I bought Rose Manor. For us. For our future. That is, if you want a future with me.”
I stare at him, my brain buzzing with thoughts. My heart races, and I can feel my cheeks turn bright red. My stomach flutters with excitement at the thought of this—of a future, here, with Ben. But then my brain reminds me of the issues we had before I left. There are still logical, sound reasons why Ben and I just wouldn’t work out.
“But what about your reputation?” I ask, my voice cool.
“Fuck that. It’ll blow over. Maybe I’ll lose some fans. But that doesn’t matter to me. Not anymore. As long as I don’t loseyou. I want to be with you, Lace,reallybe with you. And I want the whole world to know. I’m ready to shout our love from the rooftops. But the question is, do you love me too?”
He looks anxious as he scans my face, his eyes looking for the reply. I know the answer my heart wants to give. And I know the answer my brain wants to give. Is it really safe to trust Ben again?
“You really bought Rose Manor, for us?” I ask tentatively, my voice soft with disbelief.
“Yes. This is where our love story started. And this is where I want it to continue, if you’ll agree. I’m sorry, Lace. And I’m sorry it took me until now to do this, to apologize. I knew I needed something big. I couldn’tjustsay sorry. And I was still figuring some things out on my side. I realized I want to focus on our relationship. I don’t believe in a lot of things in this world. Before you, I wasn’t even sure I believed in love. But I believe inus, Lace. We’re so good together. Not just as a creative team. As a team in life. I’d been left so many times before in my life, I’d gotten used to relying on the love of my fans. It was some weird, sick replacement for real love. But I know that the adoration of fans isn’t genuine love. Genuine love is what we had here, at Rose Manor, together.”
He finally ceases talking, pausing the stream of words, and glances at me nervously. He steps closer to me, so that we’re only inches apart, and I can feel the heat of him as close as he is to me.
“So, what do you say?” He asks, finally. “Can you forgive me? Do you want to do this thing?”
I stare at him, biting my lip. Is he really ready to change? I mean, he bought the house. If ever I needed proof that Ben is ready to give up his rock star partying lifestyle—that’s pretty good proof. But I have to say something of my own first.
“I’m sorry too,” I murmur.
“What are you sorry for?” Ben looks at me in shock.
“For leaving like that. I don’t know. I was embarrassed about my feelings. I didn’t want to admit you’d hurt me. I didn’t want to admit that I loved you. It was easier to walk out. I didn’t think of how it would impact you, given your past. It was just self-preservation.”
A wry smile shows on Ben’s face. “I know. We were both pretty intent on self-preservation, I think.”
“Yeah.”
“But that still doesn’t answer my question. Do you want to start a life here, with me, at Rose Manor?”
I look down briefly before glancing back up at Ben, a huge smile spreading across my face. “I can’t think of anything better,” I say simply.
Relief washes over Ben’s face as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a kiss. I sigh happily as I melt into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck.
I kiss him, long and deep, as the smell of the roses wafts around us, and the birds chirp in the trees above us.
Like a fairytale.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Benjamin