Page 64 of Echo, the Sniper (Men of PSI #2)
“I’m never going to be okay with you being in danger, and we both know that running a battered women’s shelter is just about as dangerous as it gets,” came the honest reply.
“But this is something you’ve wanted to do since forever, because you know what it’s like to live in a warzone with no protection.
As much as I hate the danger that’s involved in running a business like this, I love your valiant heart for needing to do it even more.
You’re so brave, baby girl, and so damn compassionate.
It’s my job to dig deep and match that bravery so I don’t stand in the way of your dreams.”
My eyes filled with moved tears. “Echo.”
“What I will do is make you as safe as possible, which I believe I’ve done. Also, it helps that I’m less than five minutes away in case you need me. So, yeah. It’s time for all your dreams to be made into reality, because having all your dreams come true is what you deserve.”
Oh, how I loved this man. “What about your dreams? How can I help to make sure all your dreams come true?”
“They already have.” He gave me a meaningful squeeze. “Well, almost all of them. Let’s get dressed and join the party, yeah? That’s another one of my dreams—seeing the woman I love being loved and valued and celebrated by everyone she knows.”
Seriously, my man was the freaking best .
Twenty minutes later—peppered with lots of good-natured ribbing on how long it took for Echo and me to change my shoes—I found myself surrounded by friends and loved ones.
No longer was I that isolated, broken woman filled with hopelessness.
I could barely even remember who that woman was, though I would never forget the strength it took to get where I was now.
I had gone through hell to discover my confidence, my worth, and Echo had been instrumental in that discovery.
Not only did he complete me by becoming my other half, he’d helped me understand what it was to become whole .
“I want you all to thank me, because I’m not going to sing ‘For She’s A Jolly Good Fellow,’” Echo called out as he and his grandmother wheeled out a shockingly large, four-tiered cake that would have done any wedding proud.
It was white with maroon fondant flowers trailing down the side, a fondant mortarboard complete with tassel on the top, and maroon icing that spelled out, “ Congratulations, Rory! Summa Cum Laude ” on the lowest tier.
The sight of it almost made me burst into tears, and while our guests applauded and thanked Echo for not singing—no joke, the man could do a lot, but carry a tune wasn’t one of them—all I could do was stare helplessly at my beautiful man.
Every day and in countless ways, he showed me how much he loved me, and I adored him for it.
“What’s more, I know a lot of you are going to want to plow into this cake, because Mary Jane didn’t bring enough eclairs for the rest of the class,” Echo went on, slanting a grin toward my best friend, who rolled her eyes magnificently.
“It’s not my fault those three boxes of eclairs got sucked up while the two of you were, um, changing Rory’s shoes,” she shot back with a snort.
I felt my cheeks heat while everyone laughed.
“I swear I tried to save at least one éclair for my bestie, but you all took way too long doing... whatever it was you were doing.”
“Changing shoes, knocking boots—same thing,” Rosalia cackled while her daughter Inez facepalmed. “Lighten up, they’re young. They can eat eclairs anytime they want. But changing shoes? When the mood hits, you’ve just gotta go with the flow. In the end, this is how baby shoes are made.”
“And this is why we can’t take you anywhere, Mama,” Inez sighed while another wave of laughter hit.
“As much fun as it is watching Rory change all the shades of red over there,” Echo cut in, and he had my eternal gratitude for that, “there’s just one last order of business I need to get to. Ready, Abuela?”
“You betcha.” With a gleeful look my way, Rosalia and Echo turned the cake’s cart around so I could see the other side of it.
An excited murmur rippled through the crowd as I saw that the other side of the cake was decorated completely differently—still a white background, but instead of flowers, deep red hearts cascaded along the sides to frame interlocked rings in gold fondant, with the words “ Will You Marry Me?” scrawled on the lowest tier.
The words burned in my brain, and the tears I’d barely held back burst through the dam at last. He hadn’t forgotten. Oh thank God, he hadn’t forgotten.
“I’m going to pretend the tears are a good sign.
” Somehow all I heard was Echo’s voice even though everyone around us was catcalling and cheering him on.
He came to me, his hands reaching out to cup my face, his thumbs brushing away my tears.
“But just in case they’re not happy tears and you think I’ve somehow messed up this proposal.
..” He bent and brushed my lips with his before backing away and taking my hand in his.
Then he shocked the crap out of me by sinking down onto one knee.
Oh my God, I was even being graced with the legendary down-on-one-knee moment.
I so loved this man.
“I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, and I’ve been falling ever since.
” He spoke as though we were totally alone and every word carried the weight of our shared world.
Maybe that was how he needed it to be; as a loner, this sort of scene didn’t come naturally to him.
But as I looked into his eyes I saw the pride in declaring his love for me in front of the whole world, and that made me adore him even more.
“Every day proves that I’m the luckiest man alive to have found you, my other half.
I love you, Rory—today, tomorrow, and all the days I have left.
Please make me the happiest man on earth and marry me. ”
I was crying so hard I could barely see as he opened a black velvet box with a diamond ring nestled inside.
“Echo.” My tears splashed down on him as he slid the ring in place. “My Echo, yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”
The crowd whooped, and to my surprise suddenly all our friends and family had confetti to toss on us like we’d just won the World Series.
Echo surged up and slammed his mouth on mine, kissing me so deeply it was like he was trying to forever brand that moment on his memory.
That was certainly what he did with me as he lifted his head just far enough to gaze into my eyes like I was his absolute everything.
“I love you,” he whispered, while his friends slapped him on the back in congratulations.
Smiling, I leaned into him and knew I was home. “I love you, too.”