Page 139 of Fake Out Hearts

“What about you? How have you been?”

He grimaces but wipes it off his face quickly. “Not good,” he admits, his hand squeezing the steering wheel. He sighs and looks me in the eye. “I miss you so much it’s been hard to breathe, much less do anything else.”

Tears instantly well in the corners of my eyes because I feel the exact same way, but knowing I hurt him that way makes my heart ache so badly that it feels like it’s bruised. But he doesn’t say anything more, instead letting silence fall between us again as we keep driving.

Eventually, we end up in downtown Denver, and I start to recognize the area. We’re near the hotel where we went for the gala a while back. It looks different now in the daylight and without the snow, but it’s still beautiful.

A few minutes later, Theo parks on the curb outside of a nondescript building, and I turn to look at him, confused. If he wanted to talk, why bring me here of all places? I thought we’d go to a park or somewhere a bit quieter and more private.

“What are we doing?” I ask.

“Look closer,” Theo says, pointing beyond me at the building to my side. As I’m craning my neck to look up at it, he climbs out of the car and walks around to open my door. He offers me a hand to help me to my feet, and as I’m standing, everything clicks.

I recognize this building. It’s the one I noticed in my drunken haze as we walked the streets of Denver in the snow, the one I said would make a perfect building for a dance studio—although I never dared to dream it would actually be possible.

My eyes shoot to his, my heart skipping a beat. “Theo…”

He says nothing, just leads me by the hand through the front doors of the building. I’m not sure at first why the doors are open for us because the building seems to be empty, but it’s hard to focus on that when the raw beauty of the space strikes me.

It’s open and spacious, with large windows that allow so much light to pour into the area that it makes the room feel almost spiritual, like an altar. Specks of dust twinkle in the light like stars, and the beams bounce off the incredible stained hardwood floors that look like they date back all the way to the original construction. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors line one wall, and a balance bar is built into it as well.

Visions flash through my mind of the room filled with students. When we first saw this building weeks ago, without ever seeing the inside, somehow I knew it would be perfect as a dance studio. But seeing the interior now makes me realize it’s so much more perfect than I ever could’ve imagined.

“It’s beautiful,” I stammer, because I’m at a loss for any other words.

Theo flashes me a warm smile. “I’m glad you like it—because it’s yours.”

My heart stutters. “What?”

“It’s all yours, princess. The renovations to turn it into a proper studio aren’t done yet, but we’ll get there,” Theo clarifies, but I can’t process his words. “I bought this building for you instead of a house. Because you deserve to have your school and not be beholden to your past with Shawn. You shouldn’t have to wait for someone else to decide if you’re good enough to teach. Because I know you are.”

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out the divorce papers, holding them up.

“I won’t sign these—not until the time is up and your residency is permanent. Because you deserve to live your dreams, even if it’s not with me. Even if you never want to see me again.”

I can’t stop the tears streaming down my face, and I wouldn’t even if I could. I can’t believe he’s willing to do all of this for me, even if we split. It’s too much. But the thought of actually divorcing him tears at my heart, and just thinking about it makes the tears fall harder.

But when he sinks down to one knee, still clutching my hand, my heart stutters. I can barely breathe.

What is he doing?

“Becca… I know you thought we couldn’t be together because I didn’t know the truth about you going into it. But now I do. I know you can’t have kids, and I don’t care. All I want is to be with you,” he says.

A lump builds in my throat, the tears blurring my vision before I blink them away.

“I didn’t break up with Valerie over the kids issue.” Theo shakes his head, his eyes shining intently. “If she made you think that, she’s wrong. It was because we weren’t right for each other. In so many ways. And I know that better than ever now, because I realize that every beat of my heart wasn’t for her—it was foryou. So I want to ask you again, for real this time. Will you marry me?”

I stare down at him, speechless. I want to say yes with all my heart, but I’m scared. No, more than scared—I’m terrified I’ll disappoint him again, that at some point down the line he’ll realize he does want kids and that he made a mistake giving me this second chance. Because there’s no “fixing” this thing about me. It’s permanent. So I have to make sure he really understands what he’s asking.

“Theo, I’ll never be able to give you a family. Not now, not ever. Are you sure you can live with that for the rest of your life?”

He rises to his feet, taking both my hands in his, and squeezes them hard as he gazes directly in my eyes.

“I know. But I don’t care. Because there issomuch more to you than that. I won’t let you talk about yourself like that’s the only value you have.”

More tears stream down my face, and not just because of the words themselves—but because I can tell he means them. He’s not just saying this. He believes it. And that means more to me than anything he or anyone else could ever say.

“You’re an amazing woman, with an equally amazing future ahead of you, and I want to be part of that future,” he continues. “So as long as I’m around, I won’t let anyone talk or think badly about the woman I love with all my heart. And I’m damn sure not going to let anyone say she’s not worthy of that love—not even you. Because youareworthy. You don’t have to say yes, but I want you to know that I love you with my whole heart, and I always will. Even if it’s from a distance, if that’s how it has to be. I couldn’t stop even if I tried, princess. I honestly don’t know how tonotlove you.”

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