Her head bobs up and down. “I know.”
“What I did was wrong,” I say, emotion lacing my tone. “I should have explained things to you. I should have told you how I felt.”
She tugs the white cardigan she’s wearing closer around her body. The white T-shirt underneath disappears from view. “I know, Harry.”
“Asking for your forgiveness is a lot, but if you give me a chance to explain now, I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“I know,” she repeats for the third time. “I know you have MS.”
Tears fall from her eyes onto her cheeks. It slays me to see that.
“Ava.” My voice cracks.
“Roxy told me,” she explains, even though, I don’t care who the fuck told her. I was about to do it myself.
She turns the phone in her hand to show me the screen. “She told me just now. She invited me to the party for your MS.”
A soft smile coasts over her lips.
“A party for my MS?” My brow furrows. “I don’t understand.”
“The gala.” She tilts her head. “She said your friends come to it and that she’s going this year. She told me you aren’t going to die.”
“I’m not,” I say assuredly. “If fate sees fit, I plan on living a very long time. I’m doing everything in my power to handle having MS the best way I know how. So far, I’m doing well. I have minimal symptoms at the moment.”
“I’m glad.”
“It won’t always be that way, but…”
“But that’s just one part of your journey,” she interrupts.
“Yes,” I acknowledge with a brisk nod of my chin.
She gestures toward the couch. “Do you want to sit?”
I look in that direction, but my gaze darts back to her. Even though she’s been crying, she is so fucking beautiful. “I want to say something to you, Ava.”
“What?” Her finger skims the skin beneath her left eye even though tears are still gathered in the corners of her eyes. “What is it?”
I step closer, unsure of how she’ll take this, but I’ll never know what could have been if I don’t hand my heart to her.
Her gaze locks on mine. “Tell me what it is, Harry.”
“I love you.” I swallow hard. “I’m so in love with you, and I know I’m coming at you with a hell of a lot of baggage, but Ava, these past two weeks have been hard. I haven’t slept or eaten. I can’t think straight.”
She stares at me with her bottom lip trembling. “I love you too.”
I reach out a hand to her. “Ava.”
She closes the distance between us, grabbing my hand to hold it next to her chest. “You left me because of it, didn’t you? You left because you have MS.”
I nod. “Yes.”
“I’m strong,” She smiles. “Much stronger than you know, and you need to trust in that, Harry. You have to trust me in the good and bad times.”
“I will,” I promise her.
Her gaze meets mine. “Do you want to be with me?”
“Always,” I answer honestly. “Always, Ava.”
“And forever?”
“Forever,” I repeat. “Until eternity.”
She heaves a sigh. “Were you looking at engagement rings for me?”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Guilty as charged. Who the hell told you that?”
“Ivy Walker,” she admits as she shakes her bracelet. “I was picking up this tonight, and she told me you were studying the rings.”
“I stood there looking at them while I imagined all the what-ifs and what could have been if I didn’t have MS.”
She brings my hand to her lips to drop a soft kiss on my palm. “Let’s start imagining all the what will happens instead, okay? We’ll be together. We’ll have each other every step of the way.”
“Together,” I repeat.
Her hand darts to my chin. “Promise me that you’ll share all your secrets with me. I promise I’ll do the same.”
“Promise.” I smile. “Do you have secrets, London?”
Her index finger darts in the air. “Just one.”
“Tell me,” I playfully demand. “Tell me what it is.”
“I want to make love with the man who loves me,” she whispers. “With the man I love.”
I tug on the front of her sweater. “Now?”
“Now.” She nods. “I’m supposed to leave for London in the morning. I’ll be gone for one semester, and then I’ll be back here with you forever.”
“I’m going with you,” I say, knowing I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.
My organization has skilled people who can handle the daily tasks at Food Harmony, and my sister will be there to guide them. As for my other endeavors, I’ll rely more heavily on the people I’ve assigned senior positions to, and I can work remotely. All I know is that I’m not wasting another second being away from this woman.
She strokes my cheek. “School doesn’t start for another couple of weeks, so I’ll change my flight. In the meantime, we can tell everyone about us.”