“What about Owen?”
She sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I had this misplaced sense of guilt and responsibility when I heard his diagnosis. And I felt like I needed to take care of him.”
“And now?”
“Now you’re my priority. Not that we’re abandoning Owen, but if we see him, we’ll do it together, provided you agree with that. Since he’s our friend. But I can’t make this about Owen anymore. I need this to be about you and me. Just you and me from now on. I’m sorry I didn’t do it much sooner.”
Relief flooded him as her words sunk in. Relief, and a whole lot of love for this woman. He scooped his arm around her waist and tugged her closer. “That’s okay. You can spend a lifetime making it up to me.”
“Yeah? How will I do that?”
“Just love me.” He kissed her, telling her with his kiss how much he’d missed her, how much he needed her. He deepened the kiss to tell her how much he loved her.
The door opened and Casey, his tech, came in. “Dr. Callum, do you need—”
He pulled away and turned to Casey. “Busy here kissing the woman I love. I think I’ve got this.”
Casey grinned. “I can see that. Sorry, Doc.”
She inched the door closed and Erin laughed, tangling her fingers in his hair. “So that’s a ‘Yes, I forgive you’?”
“Yes. I forgive you.”
She laid her head on his chest and just feeling her close to him healed the gaping hole in his heart.
She pulled back and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.
“I had a long talk with Owen. We’re friends. We’ll always be friends. All of us. But there’s nothing between him and me. I need you to know that nothing happened between us after he got back. I just felt a need to help him and I had some momentary confusion about what that was all about.”
“I believe you. And I understand. You went through hell with all of that. It’s understandable you’d be confused. But let’s make something clear. In the future, when you’re confused about your feelings on things? You talk to me. I’m always going to be here to help you.”
She laid her head on his chest. “I love you, Jason.”
He wasn’t sure his heart could contain all the emotion he felt for Erin. But he sure as hell was gonna try. “I love you, too, Erin. Now I need you to do two more things for me.”
She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “What’s that?”
“Pack up your things—and Agatha—and come live with me. Because I don’t want to go another day without you. And marry me. Because I’ve waited long enough for you.”
She sucked in a deep breath, and he saw the shimmer of tears. “Yes.” She let out a soft laugh. “And most definitely yes.”
He kissed her again, and this time Agatha poked her nose in between them to let them know she was part of the family, too. They left the exam room and Puddy made his way to Agatha, the two of them happily greeting each other.
They didn’t say anything to the staff about the engagement. First, he was going to get her a ring. And then they’d tell their families first before anyone else.
He left the office and headed for home, Erin following behind him.
He smiled as he caught sight of her car in his rearview mirror. She was following him home. To their home.
Oh, yeah. This was going to be the start of one hell of a great adventure.