I lift a brow. “And if he doesn’t approve?”
“Then I’ll handle it,” he says. “I can’t promise that my uncle will welcome you to the family tomorrow. He’s not my mother.” He strokes his thumb over my hand slowly. “But his opinion of the woman I love is not something I’m willing to negotiate on.”
The wordlovelands in a soft spot in my chest, like a tiny dandelion seed.
But that doesn’t change the fact that Rafael Marco has been the thing between me and Brendan for a long time. Brendan can say his uncle’s approval doesn’t change his mind, and I believe him. I just don’t want to imagine what happens if Rafael makes things difficult for him.
“What about Eli?” I ask, because if Rafael is one problem between us, my brother is another, just in a different way. “I know he’s not exactly thrilled that we’re dating.”
“No, he’s not.” Brendan looks down at our joined hands. “Eli and I have unfinished business. But that’s between him and me.”
“He’s my brother, Brendan. He’s all I’ll have when my parents are gone. And the last few years have been hard.” I bite my lip. “When Dad got sick and I was managing the cafe myself, I needed him. And he just wasn’t there. He pulled away from all of us when we needed him most, and I’ve been carrying everything alone ever since.”
“I’m sorry, Scarlett,” Brendan whispers as he strokes my hair.
“I know Eli was hurting too. That’s why he pulled away. He felt like our parents never believed in him the way he needed. But it’s hard to forgive someone for leaving you alone in the middle of a crisis, even when you understand why they did it.”
His fingers stop moving. “Eli’s feelings about me are something he and I need to work through.” He looks down at me. “At some point, you have to put your worries down and just trust me on this.”
He tugs me closer, his breath brushing my hair. “Here’s what I can tell you. I can’t fix things overnight, but I’m willing to try, because he matters to you.” He strokes my hair, tucking it over myear the way my dad used to. “What I’m asking you right now isn’t to have all the answers, but to stop letting everyone else’s doubts become your own.”
I close my eyes, and don’t say anything.
“Can you do that, Scarlett?” he says against my hair. “For us?”
The way he saysusmakes tears well up in my eyes. “Yes,” I whisper.
“Was that too much, Scarlett?” He pauses. “Could you please…say something? I feel like I just gave you my full coach’s speech, and now you’re crying or something.”
I lift my head to look at him. “What you said is exactly what I need right now.”
His brows rise. “So you’re not annoyed?”
“Haven’t I told you?” I settle my chin on his chest, looking up at him. “I like a man who knows what he wants.”
His eyes darken. “Oh, I know exactly what I want.” He reaches down and pulls me up in one smooth motion, and suddenly I’m hovering over him, hands braced on either side of his face, my hair falling around us like a curtain closing out everything else. All I can do is marvel at this man who tattooed the date of our first kiss on his arm and wears matching heart pajamas without complaint.
All my fears about not being enough feel very far away right now.
“I love you,” I whisper, pressing my forehead against his. “So much, Brendan Marco.”
The smile that spreads across his face is like the sunrise over water. “Say it again.”
“I love you,” I say again.
“One more time. I’m still a little deaf from last night.”
I laugh, dropping my head in the curve of his neck before I meet his eyes. “I love you, you impossible man.”
“Twelve years,” he murmurs, his hands sliding up my back to frame my face. “I’ve waited to hear you say that.”
“Was it worth the wait?”
“Yes.” He pulls me down until his lips brush mine. “But don’t make me wait another twelve years.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Brendan