I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous .

I don’t do nervous. Not my style. But there’s so much riding on tonight. I so want to impress Paisley. It’s sad to think that we never even went on a date, and when we finally do, it’s to dedicate a whole building to her. I kept her in a closet like a dirty secret .

But my therapist has said I can’t think of it that way. I must think of it like this: Paisley showed me the kind of man I want to be. Living with her was only the beginning of that process. Now, I’m ready—literally and figuratively .

My tux fits nicely, a tiny bit loose since I’ve lost weight, but no time to tailor it. The kids are mostly ready, and Aunt Viv has agreed to take them down to Battery Park while I go pick up Paisley. Aunt Viv’s heels click-clack along the floor toward me. “My, my. You’ve always looked so handsome in a suit, Logan. Back to breaking-hearts status?” She winks. “Love it .”

Not exactly. My head and heart both know who I belong to. I’m only sorry it took me so long to figure it out .

“Thanks, Aunt Viv. See you there ?”

She nods and kisses my cheek. “Good luck, darling. Come on, kiddos !”

“Bye, Daddy!” Becca and Price look back at me and wave, each of them taking one of Viv’s hands, and skipping out of the house. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they see who I’ve brought to the event .

Not long after that, I’ve made the drive to her apartment .

I knock on the door and wait nervously .

Feet shuffle across the floor on the other side of the door, and I hear the locks open. The apartment door cracks wide… Paisley stands there in a soft yellow dress, her hair loose down her shoulders, like sand molded by waves. “Holy shit.” Not the most gentlemanly thing to say, but… “Holy shit. You look stunning, babe .”

She’s wearing makeup, which is a first. Not heavy makeup, just glowing gold and brown touches that highlight her eyes and make her look like a summery living painting. Paisley has always seemed this way to me—a moving, breathing work of art—only this time, she’s elevated to goddess level .

I can’t believe she’s coming out with me when she has every right to hate me .

“Come in while I finish getting ready?” She kisses me on the cheek, smelling so delectable, the fires inside of me ignite, and points to the roses I got her, now in a glass vase on the kitchen counter. Whew. Thought she might toss them in the garbage, which I totally would’ve deserved .

I close the door and hold back my urges to take her before the event. Not that she’ll let me. Winning her back will be a slow process and there’s no guarantee. But I’m determined, as I’ve always been .

I watch as she puts things inside her small purse—lipstick, a compact, keys. “Do you think I’ll need cash for food and drinks? Since you’re driving, can I pay your parking ?”

“Um, no.” She’s so adorable. How do I tell her I practically own this part of the city without sounding like an egomaniac? “I think I’ve got it covered.” Sadly, I muse how we’ve never been in this position, never gone out together in a couple sort of way. That’s my fault, but it’s also a new beginning .

“Alright, then I guess I’m ready.” Between the dress, the heels, the purse, and the smile she gives me, I have to say this evening will go down in my hall of fame as most memorable. Even if she denies me at the end of this night, even if she never wants to see me again, I can say I got to see her one last time. I got to take her out, show her my love by dedicating the building to her, and die a heartbroken but happy man .

In the car, she nervously wrings her purse with her fingers. “Who’s going to be there ?”

“Everyone.” I laugh, reaching for her hand. She lets me take it a moment before I have to change gears on the transmission .

“What if people recognize me? What if they talk about us ?”

“Of course they will, babe. They know about us, but things are different now. Aren’t they ?”

Light eyes reflecting the setting sun glance at me. “I hope so .”

My head practically spins. Does this mean she’s forgiven me? Has she thought about what I said and agrees to start anew? Because that would be a dream come true for me, the first of many she doesn’t know about yet .

When we arrive, the paparazzi begin with their questions and their cameras and their invasive trickery to get you to look and answer questions. “Don’t talk to anybody,” I mutter in Paisley’s ear. “Just smile and wave. Tonight’s not about them .”

“Mr. Raider, what can you tell us about the building’s design? Is this the woman you had an affair with during the trials ?”

“This is the woman I love,” I give them that and that only, then show Paisley to her seat right as Aunt Viv and the kids are coming down the aisle, looking for their seats next to Paisley .

“Daddy!” Becca runs up to me, and Price follows suit, and they both jump into my arms. I lift them like the 30-pound barbells that they are and kiss them each .

“Hey, guys, look who I brought to see you.” I lower them right in front of Paisley who stands and covers her mouth like she’s about to cry .

“Oh, my God, look at you two! How much you’ve grown!” Her arms open, and the things run right into them, a little fluffy dress and a tiny tuxedo man filling Paisley’s personal bubble .

“PAISY!” They attack her with hugs, while guests and reporters all take photos of them. I stand idly by, holding down a ball in my throat, watching my children reclaim the love they’d thought they’d lost. This is the greatest day of my life and hopefully will get even better during the dedication .

I crouch down to wrap an arm around each Thing. “You guys be good? Daddy has to go onstage and get ready .”

“For the show?” Price asks. Aunt Viv has taken them to so many children’s performances lately, Price thinks the whole world is Kiddie Broadway. Speaking of which, Aunt Viv looks on at the children hugging Paisley with a satisfied look on her face, like she’ll talk to me later. Like she always knew something was going on in my heart .

“Yeah, buddy. For the show.” I kiss the top of his head and wink at Aunt Viv. Then, I take Paisley’s hand and kiss the top of it. “See you later ?”

“Sure.” Her smile could light up the world brighter than that lady standing out in the harbor facing the end of another day .

The stage stands in front of the completed library and arts center. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies are always satisfying, but tonight’s particularly because those edifices are so personal to me. All my blood, sweat, tears, and hopes went into that .

The Major of NYC arrives to cheers, wild applause, and more paparazzi. She steps across the stage, shakes my hand, the hands of all my team members, then takes her position behind the glass podium. The crowd hushes, and the ceremony begins .

“My dear ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to stand up here tonight to honor those who’ve toiled to make this dream a reality…” As she welcomes everyone and thanks each team member personally, introducing them to the crowd, my gaze wanders off to the crowd below where everyone who’s important to me awaits in the first row .

That is the love of my life, I think, watching Paisley interact with the kids, keeping them actively listening and behaved like the perfect nanny she is. But what’s more, she looks like their stepmother, expertly reigning them in, enacting all the tricks that parents and stepparents of toddlers know—the doling out of animal crackers, the pointing out of things to look at. She knows my kids better than anybody, better than their own mother, I’m willing to bet .

“And now, I’d like to introduce the tour de force behind this masterpiece. You know him as a visionary, a modern Michaelangelo…” The Mayor goes on and on. I haven’t prepared anything to say like I usually do, but there’s no need for formal words tonight. Everything I want to say is closely guarded in my heart. “Mr. Logan Raider !”

Thousands of invited folks filling Battery Park cheer wildly, as I take the podium. This is it. I look at Paisley, clapping happily, her cheeks filled with renewed hope but also worry. If it’s because I might mention her by name to the thousands of people here, plus the millions around the world who will watch this dedication remotely, she’s right .

But they need to know her by name, because no man is an island, and she made all of this possible as much as my team did. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight is truly a special night. The blood of these new buildings runs through my veins more than any other project I’ve ever worked on. I’ll be honest—they’re my favorite—but shh, don’t tell my other buildings .”

The audience laughs, as the flashbulbs go off. Behind everyone, the sun is beginning to set, creating the perfect background sky against which these babies will be illuminated .

I go about the usual protocol of thanking my entire team, one by one, making them stand and be recognized for their hard work and unwavering dedication. Even when I throw last-minute surprises at them, like I did for this project, they take those changes and run with them like the professionals they are .

“I know there’s been moments where they’ve wanted to kill me, but I’m grateful to them for not doing that.” I chuckle and listen to my engineers jeer back jokingly, “That’s because you pay us !”

“I’m truly lucky to have them. They are what makes L. R. Group so unique. We’re a family, and families stick together. Families don’t let each other down. Families see through the difficulties and come out the other side no matter what.” I look at Paisley and the kids when I say this. “And that’s why I want to introduce you all to a woman who’s not only inspired me but believed in me at a time when I didn’t believe in myself. She saw the good in me and told the world her truth. You’ll see her in the aesthetic of the design—in the colors reflecting the water, in the beautiful curves of her frame, and in the repeated patterns of frosted glass .”

I look at her and hold out my hand. The guards look at the woman I’m talking about and work quickly to escort her out of her seat and up the stage .

“Paisleys. Hundreds of them. Because Paisley Carrington was on my mind every single day during the planning and development of this arts center. If you’ll look closely, there’s one for every day since the day we met. Some muses come and go, but it’s my hope tonight, as we celebrate and bring this compound to life, that this muse…will stay forever .”

When Paisley arrives on stage to oohs and aah and more photo-taking from the paparazzi and various news stations, she looks mortified. I take her hand, and she mumbles, “What are you doing, Logan? Oh my God, what are you doing …”

“This.” I get down on one knee beside the podium to surprised gasps all around us, echoing their way down the length of the park. The whole of the crowd is abuzz with whispers and excited whistles. “Paisley Carrington, you’ve made me a changed man. I’ve only known you for a year, but it’s felt like a lifetime. Everything about this building, I did for you. I couldn’t get you out of my mind, and it’s because I love you. And I want you to be my wife .”

Her manicured fingertips press against her mouth, and her beautiful eyes fill up with tears. I know she’ll kill me later for ruining her makeup, but I just don’t care. She could have dirt and seaweed all over her face, and she’ll always be beautiful to me .

“I can’t believe this…” She keeps repeating .

Taking out the jewelry box stashed safely inside my jacket pocket, I present it to her, open the box, and watch her face carefully .

I know this is sudden. I know I deeply hurt her in the past, but I hope this makes up for everything. I put the microphone under my arm for this part, since it’s just none of anyone’s business .

“I know you’re still mad at me, Paisley, but please marry me…and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” Taking out the ten-carat diamond solitaire now surrounded by the tinier diamonds my mother used to wear on her wedding ring—another design just for Paisley—I hold her ring finger and look up at her, still debating .

It may have taken me a while. I may have been stupid at times. But I knew what I had to do, and when that clicked, there was no stopping me. Finally, thankfully, she nods and whispers, “Yes. I’ll marry you, Logan .”

The park fills with cheers and joyous applause, as I slide the ring onto her slender finger, rise to my feet, and kiss my fiancée gently. And just like that, my life is complete. The Mayor appears by our side, holding out a pair of huge scissors, indicating it’s time to cut the ribbon, as I slide my hand underneath Paisley’s chin and look into her eyes. “I’ll never let you down again, babe. I promise .”

“You won’t,” she says, reaching for the Mayor’s offering .

“Shit, a woman holding scissors. I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” I smile .

“You have no idea.” She wipes tears from her eyes, makes a snip-snip motion that sets everybody off laughing, and hands them to me .

“No, ma’am,” I say, walking us over to the bright yellow ribbon across the stage wrapping around the entire perimeter of the complex. “You do the honors .”

Paisley takes a deep breath, uses both hands to slice down the middle of the ribbon, and the coils fall away. The lights of the building go on, and the park erupts in applause at the spectacle. The paisleys glow in multiple colors. In the distance, the Statue of Liberty’s lights go on in matching colors in celebration, and I’m the happiest man in the world. For months, only the first building had its basic flood lights on, but no one has seen it with its accent outline lighting to match the arts center, and together they make a beautiful collaboration. Just like me and Paisley, just like Becca and Price .

Just like the amazing family we’re going to make soon .

Very soon .