Standing at the front of his office has me nervous, more nervous than I’ve ever been in my life. What do I do? I think about turning away, and not even going through with it, but then I would regret it. It’s a real estate office. My father owns it, so the paperwork says.

Walking in, the office lady smiles at me and asks how she can help me. I give her his name. She stands, walks off, then comes back to tell me to follow her. His head is down when she opens the door, his face concentrating on his pen and paper as he writes with the phone glued to his ear. She directs me to a seat, then walks out, leaving me sitting here watching him. I knew most of my looks come from my mother because we look so much alike it’s scary. But I can see pieces of me in him too, his hairline, which is a love heart shape the same as mine, and the nose to the lips. When he looks up, I’m still watching him. He looks at me, the pen from his hand drops, then the cell he was talking on falls from his shoulder as he straightens up his head.

“Hi.”

“She told me you died.” He stands like he can’t believe his eyes.

“Sorry?”

“Milanka?” he asks, and I nod my head. “She told me you had died, just after you were born. I named you, then she said you had died.”

That explains a lot—why I never knew about him, or him of me.

“She died.”

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, was she… well… was she… sober?”

Raising my eyebrow at him, he explains. His voice is so deep, he seems to actually care. How has he been hidden from me for so long? Should I have looked into things more?

“Taryn was addicted… to so many things. I’d had enough. I planned to take you after you were born. But when she came home, she knew. She didn’t have you with her, so when she told me you’d died, I believed her.”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Because you look exactly like her. A beauty like hers was impossible to turn away from.”

“I’ve been told that,” I say more to myself, thinking of the way Derrick described me as an obsession instead of a person.

“Did she raise you well? I mean you look well. Sorry… too many questions.” He runs his hand through his hair, standing, and turning to the window.

“She didn’t, but I have someone now that treats me really well.”

He steps toward me, places his hand on my shoulder. “I would love to meet him, and hopefully get to spend more time with you?”

“Did you marry? Have any more kids?” I ask.

He pulls back and shakes his head. “No, not after… well, I was a mess after that. To lose a child is the hardest thing you could possibly imagine going through. I literally held you the day before, then the next day… yeah, that affected my relationships. I never wanted any kids after that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I have you now.” He leans forward to touch me. “Can I hug you?”

I nod my head and the minute his arms close around me it feels like that hole that was gaping is now filled. When we pull away, I see him quickly wipe his cheek, getting rid of a loose tear.

“Thank you for meeting me today. Can we… maybe have lunch this week?”

He nods his head and gives me his cell number.

I walk out feeling good, renewed, and wanting Connick more than ever right now.

* * *

Connick’s home when I get back. Sitting on the couch, typing away on his laptop.

He stops when he sees me, closing it. “Why are you smiling?”

“I met him today, I like him a lot.”

His forehead scrunches then it straightens. “You did?”

“I know I said I would wait for you, but I had to do it alone.”

“He was great?”

A smile takes over and I can’t help it. He smirks, standing up and walking into the kitchen, I follow him as we start to cook. Well, I heat up the water for the pasta. My back is to him, but I can feel his stare watching me. Is he waiting for to me to freak out?

“Marry me.”

“What?” I answer him in shock, not believing his words. Turning to him, I see that he’s watching me and his eyes are trained on mine.

“I asked you to marry me, woman. What is your answer?” He looks at me so seriously, like he doesn’t believe the words have left his mouth.

“You want to marry me?”

“I don’t know why I said that.” He turns back around, then slams his hands on the counter. “Yes, I do. Now put me out of my misery, woman, and tell me you will marry me.”

“I mean, I guess I will have to think on it.” My finger taps my chin, but he gets to me before I can run away.

“Marry me.”

I nod my head and he squeezes my ass. “Of course I will, who else would have me?” I laugh.

“Don’t say that.” He kisses me, then pulls back, and from his pocket he pulls out a box. My heart beats fast as he pulls it open and inside is a ring. It’s a heart-shaped pink diamond. The most beautiful piece of jewelry I’ve ever seen.

“I didn’t want to do the ring, but Harlin threatened my manhood if I didn’t.”

Of course, she would.

“I love it.” I really do. It’s perfect. “Take me to bed, now.”

He nips at my ear. “How much I want to do that, but I can’t, the girls will be here soon. How did I end up being surrounded by women again?”

I laugh at him. “You’re just lucky I guess.”

As soon as he pulls away, he starts cooking while I stare at my hand, my finger to be precise. It fits perfectly, and it’s one of the prettiest rings I’ve ever seen.

We eat dinner with me hardly paying any attention at all, and the door bursts open with all the girls.

“Show me the bling, bitch.”

Holding my hand out, they all congregate around us.

“How did he ask you?”

“He demanded.” I laugh.

Connick slides in behind me, wrapping his hands around me.

“Can I start planning? Oh, let me plan it all,” Cherry asks.

“Fuck no,” Connick says, making her turn up her lip to him.

“We might just go to Vegas, Cherry.”

“You can’t do that.”

“We can,” Connick says, he’s on the same side as me. “Now fuck off so I can fuck my fiancé.”

I giggle, but Serena and Cherry gush while Harlin says words that are not appropriate. As soon as they leave, he carries me to our room, making me promise to be entirely moved out of my house before the weekend. Then he touches me, igniting me with his caress. Something that will never change. Even now I look forward to it, every touch and every single moment we get. Because you never know when the last touch will come.

Connick came into my life in a disturbing way.

He implanted himself there without my consent.

Then he stole my heart with a single look.

Connick made me do things I never would have done when I met him. He took my hand and guided me to his darkness, but what a beautiful place that is to live.

Even with our sins, even with my demons…

I will love him.

As he will love me.

Because that’s what love is about.

The unexpected.

Grab it. Take it. And don’t let it hold you back.

Unless you are Derrick.

Then you are fucked.