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Wolfe shot me an unreadable look, his eyebrows raised just a fraction before he smiled. “Sure you can.” We followed him through the bustling open office area, workers glancing up in curiosity as we passed.
Then, in Wolfe’s spacious office, the kids were instantly drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows, their faces plastered against the glass as they gazed down at the dizzying view below. Ariel turned around, her expression serious, and asked, “Do you have vending machines here?”
Both Wolfe and I blinked at her, surprised by the random question. “Uh, yeah, down by the break room,” Wolfe answered.
“Can we get some snacks?” Her eyes were darting between Wolfe and me, a knowing glint in them. I nodded, because suddenly, I didn’t seem able to speak.
Wolfe pulled out his wallet, handing Ariel a few bills with a wink. “Get something good, and don’t tell Esme if you sneak in some candy,” he teased. Then, with a quick tap on his phone, he called his assistant.
She came in half a minute later, a lively woman in her late twenties with bright red hair and a friendly smile, dressed in a stylish blue skirt suit. “Hi, I’m Melissa! Ready for some snacks?” she chirped, her brown eyes twinkling. The kids nodded eagerly, their faces lighting up. “And after that,” she added, glancing at Wolfe for approval, “how about a trip to the rooftop garden? The view’s amazing!” Wolfe nodded, and the kids cheered, following her out the door, their voices fading into the distance as the door swung shut behind them.
The silence of the office wrapped around us like a thick blanket, and I stared at Wolfe. It was like I’d been holding my breath, and now, in this stillness, the walls I’d built up around my heart finally gave way. The love I’d been fighting against flowed through me, a warmth spreading from my chest, filling me with a sense of lightness and joy I hadn’t known I was capable of feeling. It was as if I’d been released from some heavy burden, set free to finally accept what had been growing between us all along.
I felt myself drifting towards him, as if pulled by an unseen force, and his eyes remained locked on mine, wide and unblinking. I stood before him. “Esme,” he whispered my name, his voice soft and reverent, like a prayer.
As tears welled in my eyes, I reached up to cup his face, needing to feel the realness of him. Standing there, looking into his deep, soulful eyes, I finally spoke the words that had been building inside me, breaking free in a rush of emotion. “I love you. Oh god, I love you so much.” The words poured out, unfiltered, raw, and beautiful. Everything else fell away, leaving just the two of us suspended in a moment that felt like destiny.
Emotions stormed into Wolfe’s eyes as my words sank in, and he dropped his forehead to mine, a shudder moving through him. “I love you, too, Esme. So very much,” His voice thick with emotion, then his arms were around me, pulling me in close, holding me so tight it felt like he was trying to merge us into one. He buried his face in my hair, breathing me in like I was his lifeline. I could feel the steady beat of his heart, a rhythm that seemed to sync with my own.
Pulling back, tears of joy streamed down my face. I looked into Wolfe’s eyes, my heart filled with so much happiness. But there was something I had to say. “I’m so sorry it took me this long to realize, to really understand what I was feeling,” I stammered, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I feel like I’ve been stringing you along all this time, and I never meant to do that. Never.” My voice broke.
He gently wiped the tears from my face, his eyes warm, a soft smile on his lips. “Don’t be sorry. You had every reason to be cautious, to protect yourself and the kids. It’s part of what makes you so special. And let’s be honest, I wasn’t exactly the responsible adult you needed in your life, was I? But know this: I love you with every molecule in my body. I waited because you were worth waiting for. Now that we’re here, all that matters is our future together. Us and the kids.”
Then he kissed me, and the world seemed to melt away. There was nothing but the taste of him. The feeling of his tongue tangling with mine. The undeniable rush of heat and that familiar spark that always ignited between us. When we finally pulled apart, gasping for air, with smiles on our faces, I said, “I can’t wait to tell the kids. They’ll be so excited.”
Wolfe grinned and kissed me again. “How about we go up there right now and tell them?”
“Yes!”
We headed towards the door, but Wolfe suddenly stopped. “One sec,” he said, darting back to his desk. I waited, curious but patient, and when he came back over, he was smiling, a light in his eyes I couldn’t quite read. He took my hand, pressed a kiss to my palm, and we continued on our way.
Moments later, the elevator doors slid open, revealing the lush oasis of the rooftop garden, a vibrant array of colors and scents under the city sky. The kids were scattered around. Belle was knee deep in the flowerbeds, her face full of wonder, while Tiana and Florian were laughing at something Melissa was saying. Ariel, however, was perched on a bench, her eyes sharp and observant. The moment she spotted our joined hands, a knowing smile played at her lips.
Wolfe cleared his throat, drawing the attention of our lively bunch. “Come over here, all of you,” he called, his voice warm and rich with emotion. As they gathered around us, Melissa discreetly slipped away, leaving us with our little family.
“You kids,” Wolfe began, his voice thick, “have changed my life in ways I never thought possible. When I first met you all, I was lost. I didn’t know what family meant, what love really was. But each one of you taught me something invaluable. You’ve shown me trust, honesty, joy, and unfiltered love. I can’t imagine my life without you all in it. Now, there’s something very important I want to ask your sister.”
The world seemed to stand still as Wolfe reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet ring box. My heart was in my throat, my eyes wide as I realized what was happening.
He opened the box, revealing a beautiful ring, and looked into my eyes, his own filled with love and hope. “Esme, will you be my queen for the rest of our lives? Will you marry me?”
My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it. I stared at Wolfe, my eyes locked with his, seeing the love, the hope, and the future we could have together. The ring sparkled, a brilliant diamond solitaire, almost as bright as the tears brimming in my eyes.
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Yes, Wolfe, a thousand times yes!”
He jumped to his feet and pulled me against him, kissing me soundly. I was half laughing, half crying, when the kids rushed forward to hug us both. We shared a tight group hug, then Wolfe pulled back just enough to slip the ring on my finger.
“Does that mean you’re going to come and live with us?” Florian asked.
Winking at me, Wolfe turned to him. “Well, I could, but you might all be happier living with me,” he waited a beat before finishing, “in Esperance.”
The kids clapped and cheered again, and with Wolfe’s arms still around me, I rested my head on his shoulder, felt the light kiss he pressed into my hair. “I love you.” I’d never get sick of saying it. Never.
With his finger under my chin, he tilted my face up to his. “I love you, too, Esme.”
Or get sick of hearing him say it back, with just that tone in his voice that hit me right in the heart. And that light in his eyes, just for me.
It was a perfect moment, one I knew I would cherish for the rest of my life. When everything fell into place, and I knew with absolute certainty that we were meant to be together. Forever.