But it’s not just the words themselves—it’s the fact that he took the time to write them. Levi, who has always been about grand gestures and sweeping statements, chose something intimate, something raw and real.

It feels... different. It feels genuine.

I fold the letter carefully, slipping it back into the envelope as a strange mix of emotions swirls inside me. Fear, doubt, hope—they all fight for space, and for the first time in a long time, hope seems to win.

As I sitin my apartment, the letter resting on the coffee table, I can’t stop thinking about Levi’s words. About the way he’s been trying, the way he’s opened up to me in ways I never thought he could.

I pick up the letter again, my fingers tracing the edges of the paper. The tears I’ve been holding back finally spill over, a mix of relief and frustration washing over me.

“Why do you always have to make things so complicated?” I whisper to the empty room, my voice breaking.

But deep down, I know the answer. Levi has never been simple, and neither has what I feel for him. And maybe that’s what makes it real.

Chapter Thirty

Levi

The lights in the restaurant are dim, casting a warm glow over the tables set with white linens and flickering candles. The scent of fresh flowers mingles with the faint hum of conversation, and for a moment, I’m back to the beginning—our first date. The night I knew Tania Caldwell was someone I’d never be able to forget.

I’ve spent the last few days planning every detail, making sure this night feels like the first time all over again. The same restaurant, the same table in the corner near the window, even the same wine we shared that night. It’s a grand gesture, sure, but it’s also a piece of us—a memory I want to remind her of.

When she walks in, my breath catches. She’s wearing a soft blue dress that flows around her like water, her hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. Her eyes sweep the room before landing on me, and for a moment, her expression softens.

“Tania,” I say, standing as she approaches. “You look stunning.”

She raises an eyebrow, though there’s a faint smile playing on her lips. “This is... familiar.”

“That’s the idea,” I reply, pulling out her chair. “I wanted to take you back to where it all started.”

She hesitates for a moment before sitting, her hands smoothing over her dress. “You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”

“Only for you,” I say, my voice low but steady. “Always for you.”

The dinner beginswith cautious conversation, a dance of words that feels both familiar and new. We talk about work, the city, the restaurant itself. But as the night goes on, the walls between us begin to crumble.

“Do you remember the first time we came here?” I ask, swirling my glass of wine. “You ordered the salmon, and I couldn’t stop staring at you the entire time.”

She laughs softly, shaking her head. “You were so nervous. I think you dropped your fork twice.”

“Three times,” I admit with a grin. “I was trying to impress you, and I was terrified I’d screw it up.”

“You didn’t,” she says quietly, her eyes meeting mine. “That night was... perfect.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I lean forward, my voice softening. “I want to give you that again, Tania. Not just tonight, but every night. I want to show you that I can be the man you deserve.”

Her smile falters slightly, her gaze dropping to the table. “Levi, I don’t know if it’s that simple.”

“It’s not,” I say, reaching across the table to take her hand. “But nothing worth having ever is.”

The driveback to the penthouse is quiet, the air between us heavy with unspoken tension. When we step inside, I lead her to the living room, where soft music plays and the faint scent of vanilla lingers in the air.

“You planned all of this?” she asks, glancing around.

“I wanted it to be perfect,” I say, stepping closer. “For you.”

Her eyes flicker with something I can’t quite name—hope, maybe, or uncertainty. “Levi, I don’t know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything,” I reply, my voice low. “Just let me show you how much you mean to me.”