Page 202 of With a Cherry On Top

I take it out of the box, then gently hold her hand and look into her eyes. I guess I’ve already delivered my speech, but there’s so much more I could say. So much more I want to say. I understand her feeling—it’s overwhelming.

“Charlotte, when I met you, I had a very clear picture of what happiness meant to me. Working in a kitchen, being close to my family, having a healthy, happy daughter.”

I glance at our friends, watching us in complete silence.

“I was tirelessly working toward those goals when you showed up. And I thought...” I shake my head. “I thought you’d wipe all my efforts away like the most beautiful tornado. But it turns out...I would have never gotten any of it if it wasn’t for you.”

Charlotte’s fingers trace my jaw. “That’s not true, Chef.Youdid it.”

“Wedid it.” I slide the ring on her finger, her hand immediately clenching around mine. It looks so good I could die. “And it turns out you were what was missing from my plans. What I needed for everything else to make sense.”

When she lets out a strangled sob, I kiss the tip of her nose.

“You’re the cherry on top.”

THE END