I scan the crowd from my place on the stage, searching for Cara. I know she’s here because I had some people assigned to keeping an eye out for her, instructing them to let me know the minute she arrived. I spotted her a time or two myself, but I’ve made a point of remaining hidden. I have this planned out to the finest detail, and I’d be damned if I ruined it by showing myself too soon.

The lights are bright in my eyes, so I don’t see her, but I know Connor has my back. He’ll make sure she’s here for this.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I say, giving the crowd my most winning smile, “thank you for coming out this evening.”

Light bulbs flash as the media goes crazy at my appearance. I take a slow breath. All these years I’ve worked to keep my secrets, and now I’m standing here in front of the media. Everything I’m about to confess is going to be all over the Internet within minutes.

“I’m sure many of you will recognize a lot of familiar faces tonight. A lot of members of our community who make a point of supporting the same charities. Charities that mean a lot to most of you in attendance tonight. But even more so, charities that mean a lot to me. They mean everything to me, in fact.”

The crowd is hushed, and expectant energy is rising from them as all eyes are on me. This is it. Do or die.

“That’s because all of these charities have something in common. Me.”

A murmur races through the crowd as they try to understand my words. I don’t make them wait to put the pieces together.

“Most of you know who I am.” I grin ironically. “Because I’m featured in the tabloids regularly. But there’s something no one knows. Well, almost no one.”

I look down and see my mother standing in the front of the crowd. Sure my dad is supportive, but this woman would never miss a chance to support me. Her pride and faith in me are unwavering. And she couldn’t be more excited about what I have in store tonight.

I scan the crowd again, and my eyes finally find Cara. She’s standing about halfway back and off to the right of the mass of people gathered in front of the stage. Her eyes are wide. She realized I’m about to come clean about my involvement in the charities. But she has no clue what else I’m going to say. I try to get some kind of indicator from her expression about how she’s feeling toward me, but her face is carefully blank. That sends a wave of nerves skittering through me, but I’ll just have to deal with it. Do or die.

Looking back at the crowd in general, I lean closer to the mic.

“I’m here tonight to come clean. To admit to the public that Liam Donovan is actually the face behind all these charities.”

Another murmur goes through the crowd, and I press on. “They mean everything to me. I’ve devoted my life to working to support veterans and their families because it’s the best way I know to honor one of the most important people in my life. My brother, Lucas Donovan, who died serving his country. I kept myself out of the spotlight with all my charities because I wanted them to thrive on their own merit. They do, and they’ll continue to. But there’s something else I want to do tonight. Something that I want to be public about.”

I glance at my mom again, and she gives me an encouraging smile.

“I want to honor someone else the way I strive to honor my brother. Tate Dawn, the father of the most remarkable woman I’ve ever known. Please consider this gala tonight to be the first official fundraiser for the brand new Dawn Foundation for Cancer Research.”

Now I’m looking only at Cara. No one else in the room exists. It’s like it’s just the two of us. Her hands have come to her chest, and her mouth is slightly open in a shocked little O.

“Cara Dawn means the world to me. She taught me things about myself and showed me things in this world that I’ve been missing, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.” I’m speaking straight to her now. “So tonight, I want to honor her. Her father meant the world to her, and I wish to honor the memory of the man who meant so much to the woman who I hope I’ll have the very real honor of calling my wife.”

Hushed gasps rise up in the crowd, and I glance briefly at my mother as I hop off the stage. She has tears streaming down her face.

I don’t stop. I stride straight to Cara and drop to one knee, taking her hands in mine and looking up at her, letting all the earnest love within me shine through my eyes.

“Cara,” I whisper, because now this is just for her ears. “I love you more than anything. More than I ever thought I could love another person. I can’t spend another day without you. I know our relationship has been unconventional, but if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how perfect you are and how much I love you. “Say you’ll marry me.”