She watched him, hearing him sing her a song with her name in it. An upbeat tune that lifted her spirits, through the lyrics of which he begged and cajoled her to smile again. He donned a sheepish grin at the part where the singer admitted to not knowing how to sing, yet doing it for the sake of the person they wanted to make happy.
Though it was a song well known to many, when Rian was crooning it, watching her the way he was, it felt like every word was written for her.
She was dreaming with her eyes wide open.
But what a beautiful dream this was, she accepted, gulping as he got closer.
“Hey Aditi,” he finished melodiously, sighing as if the rest of the lines were too heartfelt to repeat anymore. He kneeled at her feet.He dropped the mic on the table next to him before presenting the bouquet to her.
The music faded to a close, the refrain from the song still playing in her mind. The air around them was silent, gentle murmurs rising from interested spectators.
Neither Rian nor Aditi could find it in themselves to acknowledge anyone else at this time.
“Hey, Doc,” he whispered.
She had to suppress the shiver that travelled down her spine at his husky voice.
“Hi. What are you doing here?”
His lips tipped up gently. “I missed you. You look exquisite.”
Her expression softened, and Rian was hard pressed to stop himself from reaching out and touching her.
“You sang in public.”
A statement and a question, rolled into one.
“Yeah. It’s the big gesture,” he explained. “Like in those books you read. Took me a while to get through one but I did.”
Her brows shot up.
“You read for me?” she asked, knowing that if she hadn’t been already sitting down, this would have done it. Her insides felt like jelly.
“There was no audiobook. I had to read.”
“Why?”
He shrugged, a look of discomfort rushing across his handsome face. “I didn’t want you to change your mind about marrying me.”
“Rian.”
“You can,” he interrupted quickly, looking like it took a lot out of him to say that. His lips thinned, brows drawing low. “I deserve it for the crap I said. You can one hundred percent reject me in public, in front of your family and friends.” He slowed down with each word as realisation hit. “Wow. I didn’t plan this well at all, did I?”
She shook her head, biting the inside of her lips to stop herself from smiling.
“The anniversary party date slipped my mind,” he admitted, looking like a little boy caught having forgotten his homework. “I did not imagine doing this in front of an audience.”
“Why didn’t you wait?”
“Because,” he stressed, unable to stop himself from clasping her hands in his. He shifted closer so that her knees were against his chest. “I don’t know how to live without you anymore. I probably can’t get more pathetic than this, but I don’t care. I’d crawl through broken glass if that means you’ll forgive me.”
Her lips trembled, torn between wanting to throw herself at him and staying firm. “I want you to stop hurting yourself.”
“I understand, Sunshine. Sometimes, I might need a reminder. Just another reason why I need you. But you need me too.”
“I do?”
He nodded, the glint in his eye familiar and soothing, like a balm over her wounds. “You need me because I will always laugh at your puns—even the bad ones. I constantly dream about your perfect eyes. I am obsessed with your radiant smile and in awe of your wild and untamed heart. I will never want you to be anything other than who you are.”