I’d never considered being a namesake. I’d never considered myself worthy of such an honor. But I did like the idea of having a son who carried my name, who carried my legacy, who would be there for Sofia when I was gone. “Yes. I like it.”
“Great.” A beautiful smile came onto her lips. “That was easier than I thought it was going to be.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re so stubborn.”
“I’m stubborn?” I asked incredulously. I pointed my finger into my chest because I couldn’t believe she threw that accusation at me. “Come on, baby. You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”
“Am not.” She grabbed her glass of water and took a drink.
I cocked an eyebrow and gave her an expression full of accusation. She was impossible to tie down because she was ornery like a wild horse. I’d asked her to marry me once, and she’d dumped me in response. When she came to live with me, she wanted her own room. I had to force everything to happen because nothing would’ve transpired if she had it her way.
She avoided my gaze for a few seconds. After pressing her lips together tightly, she finally looked at me again. “Okay…I’m a little stubborn.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but instead, an uncontrollable smile came onto my lips. Sometimes she aroused me, sometimes she impressed me, but during times like these, she made me fall just a little harder. She made me think she was cute, made me appreciate the fact that she was only mine. “Whatever you say, baby.”
We returned home and entered the bedroom. Outside on the terrace, white candles were placed around the stone railing. In the center of the table was a tray of hot coffee along with sugar and cream. Helena had never done anything like this before, and I suspected she did it because she remembered it was my birthday.
Sofia didn’t seem surprised as she walked outside into the freezing cold. She wore her thick coat over her backless dress, and she took a seat in one of the chairs. “You want some coffee?”
“I only drink coffee in the morning.”
“Well, you’re gonna be a father. Time to cut back on the scotch.” She patted the table with her palm, calling me to her like I was a dog.
I obeyed because this woman turned me into a pussy-whipped little bitch. I sat in the chair across from her and took the cup she made for me. I took a drink and let the hot liquid warm my insides.
She held her cup between her hands, like she was using it to keep warm. The lining of her coat wrapped around her neck and protected her from the winter chill. She looked even more beautiful out here than she had in the restaurant. It seemed like she had that pregnant glow, but she wasn’t far enough along to possess the quality. Maybe it was just in my head. Or maybe she always had a glow…to me.
I knew she was cold pretty much all the time. Even in the summer, her skin was cold to the touch in bed. She snuggled into my side and stole all my warmth. “If you’re cold, we can go inside.”
“I like it out here.”
I drank my coffee as I continued to look at her, unable to believe we were in this moment. She used to hate me, but now she was my best friend. I couldn’t divulge every secret that I kept, but she was still the closest person to me. We were partners, we were allies, and like gangsters, I would take a bullet in the chest for her.
“There’s something I want to give you…”
Fuck.
She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. It was wrapped in blue wrapping paper, images of balloons on the surface. There was a black bow on top. It was clearly a birthday present, and now I realized she’d planned this entire evening. It wasn’t a spontaneous date night; it was a celebration. But she didn’t mention that because she knew I didn’t want the attention.
She pushed the box farther toward me. “Open it.”
I was annoyed that she wanted to celebrate a day I didn’t give a damn about. I wanted to interrogate her to know the person who’d given up my secret. But then I remembered it didn’t matter. This was my wife—she deserved to know when my birthday was. And if she wanted to celebrate with me, pick something out for me, I should feel grateful. Truth be told, there was no one else I’d rather spend this day with.
I took the box and ripped off the paper. Inside was a slender black box. I pulled off the top and saw the silver watch inside. It was an Omega, one of the most expensive watches on the market. I knew she had money, but I didn’t want her to spend it on me. But I was so touched by the thoughtful gift that I didn’t dare complain.
I lifted it out of the box to get a better look. My eyes moved up to her face, and I saw the suppressed smile on her lips. There was also emotion in her eyes, like she was about to cry. I looked at the watch again and ran my thumb over the face. “I love it. Thank you.”
“I thought you could add it to your collection.”
There was no collection anymore. This was the only watch I would ever wear. I unclasped the watch on my right wrist and removed it. It was one from the collection in my drawer, something I’d picked out on my own. I was about to slip the new one on when she stopped me.
“It’s engraved.”
I paused before I turned over the watch to read the back. In a feminine script very like her own was the engraving in the metal.
I love you.
I stared at the three words but couldn’t trust the information my eyes were relaying to my brain. It seemed like a dream, a trick my mind played on me. Instead of reading what I was supposed to read, I just pretended it said what I wanted to see. But I read it again.
I love you.
It must’ve been at least ten seconds of me staring. I’d loved this woman for so long, so many years, and I’d abandoned the notion that she could ever feel the same way. Just when I thought I’d broken the curse, the most terrible thing happened to her, and I thought I’d lost my chance forever.
But it looked like I was getting another shot.
It looked like I’d accomplished the impossible. I righted my wrongs, I atoned for my sins, and I became worthy of the woman I loved. I became the man she needed, became the man who was ready to accept his soulmate.
Instead of just feeling unbridled joy, I actually felt pain. It was too good to be true, made me wonder if this was a dream. I wanted this so much, and I couldn’t believe it was happening. All those years of heartache had been worth it. Watching her leave me had been worth it. Everything I did to get here had been worth it.
My hand shook slightly as I held the watch, and I eventually gripped it tightly in my fist. I lifted my gaze to meet hers, to look her in the eye for the first time. But instead of meeting my gaze head on, her eyes were down on her coffee.
The woman who wasn’t afraid of anything…was afraid of me.
She was afraid of my rejection, afraid I wouldn’t feel the same way. Now, she thought she might have sabotaged our relationship, that all the closeness we’d achieved had been destroyed.
How could she be so blind?
How could she not see how much I loved her?
I put the watch on my wrist and clasped it into place. “Look at me.”
She took a deep, audible breath then raised her chin to look me in the eye. She was still scared, afraid of whatever I would say next. Like a prisoner waiting for their verdict from a judge, she could barely keep herself together.