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“It’s… it’s mine?” I say in surprise.

“Sure is. You have your boyfriend here to thank for that.” I don’t correct her, and neither does Brad. She walks past him andtaps his arm. “You’re a lucky man. Look after her. She’s a good one.” Paula vanishes out of sight, leaving only me and Brad and a palpable tension that swirls between us.

“Oh, I know I am.” His eyes darken as he scans my body. He takes a step towards me, and I swallow hard. “You look fucking incredible.”

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, and my cheeks warm.

“Thank you. This was amazing, and far too much. You didn’t need to do this.”

“It was nothing.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“The thousand-dollar shoes I’m standing in would suggest it was something,” I say, gesturing to the black heels with the YSL symbol in the heel.

“I just wanted you to feel good and feel seen.” I almost melt on the spot.

“Well, mission accomplished.” I press a kiss to his cheek, but as I pull back, he cups my face and brings his lips to mine. It’s soft and tender and I fall into him, allowing him to take control. I could get lost in it, never coming up for air.

Our mouths part, and he tilts my face to look at him.

“I have something else for you.” It’s then I notice the red bag he’s holding with wordsCartierin gold across the center.

“Brad, you shouldn’t have,” I stammer.

“Open it.”

I take the bag and set it down on the table beside me. Reaching inside, I pull out a small box. My heart hammers wildly as I open the oyster clasp and gasp in surprise when a beautiful gold signature bangle sits on a white silk pillow.

I remove it with a shaky hand as he takes the box from me. It’s then I notice words engraved on the inside of the bangle.

More than enough

“Oh my god, Brad, this is stunning.” I sniff. He lifts my wrist, the one I am forever pinging a band against when I am nervousor uncomfortable, and it’s only now I wonder if he has noticed me doing it.

I hold out the bangle and he uses a tiny gold screwdriver to loosen the screw. When it opens, he hooks it around my wrist and fastens it together again. “Whenever you are doubting yourself, or on the days you don’t feel good enough, or anxious, or you just need a reminder, I want you to look down at this and remember you are more than enough, just as you are.”

I fight to keep the tears back that threatened to fall. This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.

“Thank you,” is all I manage to say, my voice thick with emotion.

“I mean it. You don’t need to change yourself to please others, Gabriella. You are perfect as you are.”

He presses a light kiss to my forehead.

There are a thousand things I want to say but am unable to right now. But I hope he knows just how much this, what today has meant to me.

“And I’m taking you to dinner. Heels like that should be taken out.”

“Just say where, and I’m all yours…”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Gabriella

I definitely should have stopped drinking two drinks ago. Brad took me out for dinner as promised, and I ate the best steak I’ve ever tasted and drank pink champagne like it's water. I’m not drunk, but I’m nearly there. “Come on, have one with me,” I plead, pulling a new bottle of pink champagne from the refrigerator and walking over to the white couch that faces the open doors that look over the valley and sit beside him. I’m going to miss watching the sunset and doing my morning workout on the patio.

Brad shakes his head and sips on the whiskey he’s been nursing since we got back.

“Can I ask why? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk.” It’s a personal question; one I have no business asking. I go to apologize, but he offers me his reasons.