Tyler

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I stand in my doorway, waiting for the sound of the elevator. A few seconds later, a soft whoosh tells me it’s here. When the brass door slides open, I expect her to be sad. Crying. Distraught. But she’s none of those. Instead, she walks down the hallway with purpose. She wears yoga pants, sneakers, and a black V-neck T-shirt—her work attire. Her hair is pulled high in a ponytail.

“Hey,” I say softly, when she reaches the doorway. The damn organ in my chest hammers hard against my ribcage, thumping like it’s trying to escape. I’m fucking nervous and excited all at once. And I’m hopeful, too. “I’m glad you’re here.” I hold the door wide open, and she comes in. “Tell me what you found out. I want to help you. Like I told you I would.”

She stops, licks her lips, and says, “I know you do. But as I was walking over here, I realized something important.” She gestures from me to her. “That I want to talk about us first.”

The word reverberates. I have no fucking clue what us is. I have no idea if I messed up us completely. But she came to me. That’s a step, and steps are what I need to take, not leaps. “Talk to me.”

The door falls shut, but we don’t move. We stand in the entryway, not far from where I proposed this morning.

Her features are soft as she speaks. “I wasn’t leaving this morning. I know it might have seemed that way, but I was just going to work. I was thrown for a loop, though. I felt like a prize, like just your next victory.”

I jump in. “You’re not. I swear you’re not. I wanted to show you that you’re so much more.”

“I get that, but at the time that’s all it seemed like. It seemed impulsive and unplanned.” She runs her hand lightly down my arm. “But I understand now that it came from the best intentions. And I love the sentiment.”

“It was impulsive,” I admit, with a you-know-me expression. “I’ll probably always be a little impulsive. But I also want you to have faith in me.”

“But you see, I already do, Tyler,” she says, her eyes fixed on me, her voice steady and sure. “You don’t need to prove yourself. You don’t need to come to my place of work and strip for me again, or jump through any more hoops.”

I wiggle an eyebrow. “But you do want me to strip for you again?”

She nibbles on the corner of her lips. “I absolutely do.”

“Good. Because I’ve got some new moves.”

She smiles. “I look forward to the next show. And that’s because you’ve already earned your way back in. Let’s just move forward now.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. Us. There’s still an us. But it never hurts to confirm. “So we’re doing this? You want me, impulsive side and circumspect one both?”

She flashes a flirty smile and slugs my arm. “Yes. I like all your sides, both the naked and the clothed, too. And even though we might argue, I’m not breaking up because you proposed.” She rolls her eyes.

I grab her hand and squeeze hard. “You’ve got to know why I did it. I fucking love you, and I wanted to give you security,” I say, needing to explain my actions, needing her to understand. “I couldn’t give that to you before, and I want to do it now.”

She places a palm on my chest. “I know now that security isn’t something I can find from you.” She lets go and taps her breastbone. “It’s in me. It’s right here. I have my inner strength. I’ve learned. I’ve grown. I have great friends, an amazing business, and this sexy, smart, and sweet guy who’s back in my life,” she says, and I mouth you do have all that. She gives me a smile, then her voice goes serious again. “All I want is for us to take it day by day. Let’s just keep being in love every day.”

I smile because that’s the easiest thing in the world. “That’s not a problem at all. That’s like breathing, Delaney.”

She smiles softly. “And someday, maybe someday soon, when it feels right to both of us, ask me again. For now, let’s just go to parties, and meet for lunch, and kiss on street corners, and make love all night long.”

My heart dances a jig. This is the true second chance. Not the one I leaped too hard at this morning. But a real one—a do-over that’s not about fixing the past, or erasing mistakes, but one that’s about forgiveness and moving on.

I dust a soft kiss on her forehead. Relief floods me as she sways closer to me. But then I wrench back because there are things I still need to say. “I’m sorry I was pushy this morning. I’ve got an asshole in me, and I’m trying to keep him down, but sometimes he crops up.” She chuckles, but I’m not done. “I’m especially sorry for what I said about intimacy and challenges. That was unfair. So fucking unfair.”

“I was reactive, too. I got angry, and I don’t like that side of myself. So let’s put it behind us and just be a couple, and see where we go.”

“I like the sound of that. I realized this afternoon that I need to just take things as they come and not try to jump fifty feet ahead too soon. My niece actually helped me realize that.”

She smiles. “She did? Carly?”

“I’m not sure it was intentional, but sometimes that kid has the wisest observations. The things she says about life and school and whatnot make me realize I need to slow down and take my time, especially when it’s something as important as you.”

“I like having time with you,” Delaney says softly.

“And I like having this second chance with you.”

I kiss her. It’s soft, but insistent. A kiss that promises we’ll make mistakes, but we’ll learn from them. A kiss that says we’ll try our best not to hurt each other, but when we do we’ll work on forgiveness.

When we separate, I look her in the eyes. “I want you to know I’m not going anywhere. Maybe it was crazy to ask you to marry me after a week. But I know in my heart and soul, whether it's this week or next week or next year, you and I can have an amazing future together.”

“Me, too,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I believe that, too.”

I cup her cheek. “Just let me love you. Let me take care of you.”

She smiles as she ropes her hands around my neck. “That sounds perfect to me. And by the way, the ring was gorgeous. You picked perfectly.”

A burst of pride spreads through me. “Glad I did that right. And that ring is safe and sound inside my signed Los Angeles Dodgers baseball plexiglass holder for that sometime when you’re ready for me to ask again.”

“That ring is keeping good company, then.”

“You know it.” I take her hand, guide her to the couch, and adopt a more serious tone. “Tell me what you learned about your dad,” I say, since her message said she’d heard from the detective and wanted to talk to me.

She draws a deep breath. “I did want to talk to you about him.”

I furrow my brow. “You don’t now?”

She nods, then shakes her head, then laughs. “I do, but I don’t.”

“Dude, I’m confused now.”

More laughter comes from Delaney. “As I was walking over here, thinking about calling him and emailing him, something hit me. I don’t need to know what he’s doing in order to put that bit of the past behind me. Some pieces of the past just need to stay there. And some pieces can become your future.” She runs her fingers along my stubbled jaw. “Like you.”

I swallow roughly, absorbing the enormity of her words. “You and me, angel,” I scratch out, then I press a kiss to her forehead because words fucking fail me sometimes.

She swipes her finger across her phone screen triumphantly. “It’s archived. I don’t need to save his info, but it’ll be there if I need it.”

“It will be there. And I’ll be here for you.”

“I know that. I believe that.”

I raise a hand and run my fingers across her silky hair. “Hey. I’m proud of you for this. What you did—tracking him down, then deciding you didn’t need it. You did all that on your own. That takes serious cojones.”

She wriggles her eyebrows. “Sort of like showing up naked at your ex-girlfriend’s place of work to show how much you want her back.”

I laugh deeply. “She’s not my ex-girlfriend anymore.”

Delaney moves in even closer. “No, she’s not your ex at all.”

I hold up a finger. “And since she’s not my ex, and since I want to prove to her I listened, I got her a gift.”

My lovely, sexy once-and-present girlfriend arches an eyebrow. “Oh, you did now?”

I straighten my shoulders. “I sure did. To show you I want us to move together at a normal pace.”

I take a beat, making her wait for it. She bounces a bit on the cushion. “What is it?” she asks.

I buff my nails on my shirt then blow on them. “You said you wanted a cat, and that I should start with a cat.”

Her jaw crashes to the ground. “You got a cat?”

I shift my palm like a seesaw. “That would be impulsive, and I’m trying to take my time and not cut corners. So rather than getting you a cat, I found you one. And I put money down to adopt him from a cat rescue.” I hold up both hands, a gesture of surrender should I need to. “If you’re not ready for him, the money can go to the rescue in your name. But I do think you’ll like him.”

A grin spreads across her face as I grab my phone, swipe it open, and find a picture. “I believe this pussycat fits your specs.” I clear my throat and read his description. “They call me Mr. Cuddles. I will curl up next to you, snuggle on the pillow, and sleep in your arms. I’ll also rub against you, purr, and even open the door.”

She shoves my chest. “Get out of here.”

I pretend she slammed me into the armrest. “Polydactyl, baby. Mr. Cuddles has six toes.”

She jumps up from the couch and presses her palms together plaintively. “I want him. I want him now.”

The woman is literally buzzing with glee. It’s amazing to watch her excitement. “You don’t want to see him first before you decide?”

She shakes her head. “I’m committing to him. Just like I’m committing to you.” She stands up and heads to the door then glances back at me. “Funny. Even though you don’t have six toes, I like you just fine.”

I raise my right hand, wiggle my fingers, and then stick out my tongue.