Page 106 of Man Seeking Woman

“Go or I'll call cops.”

Pushing up on my elbow, I looked over at the front door. Kayla was pushing against the door, using her shoulder as leverage. “What's going on?” I asked, swinging my feet around and planting them on the floor.

“Ella! I need to talk to you, please, let me explain!” August popped his head over Kayla's shoulder, but she shoved him back into the hall.

“I told you to go, she's already upset enough, she doesn't need you here making it worse.”

“It's alright, Kay, let him in.” Folding my arms over my chest, I took in a big breath.

“El—”

“Really, let him in.”

Kayla glanced at me over her shoulder, then turned back to August. “You upset her or make her angry, that's it, you're fucking out of here.” Twisting to give him room to come in, she watched him with a glare in her eyes.

“Ella,” August said as his long legs brought him to my side. Touching my arm, I jerked away, taking a step back. “I'm sorry.” Holding up his hands, he nodded with understanding.

“What do you want?”

“Last night—”

“Last night you lied to me. You weren't out having dinner with a potential client, it was your ex.”

“I know, I should have told you, but I didn't think it would turn into this.”

“You didn't think?It looks to me like you thought you wouldn't get caught. How many times have you lied to me and gone to meet her?”

“None. I know what it looked like, but I swear to you, it really was just a business dinner. My mother set it up, she found out about her family buying a restaurant chain, and she used that to get us to have dinner. I didn't know it would be her, I had no clue she was the person I'd be meeting. But that was it, it was just dinner. And at the end of the night I told her no. No, I wouldn't be working with her and supplying her restaurants.”

“Don't bullshit me, August, I'm not fucking stupid—“ Cutting myself off, I smiled with razor thin lips. “No, I am that fucking stupid. I let myself fall for you and I shouldn't have. It's wrong for me to even be upset, because we'renota couple. None of this was supposed to happen. I don't even know why I'm mad to begin with, you made it clear, we aren't together.”

“Ella, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have feelings for you.” Taking a small step forward, his eyes steadied on mine. “And you're right, none of this was supposed to happen—but it did. I didn't expect it, I didn't ask for it, but I'm fucking glad it happened. I don't give a shit about the will or the money or any of that. I'd trade it all if it meant I could still have you.”

“August, just stop. I don't need you to play pretend because I'm pregnant and you feel bad for making a pregnant girl cry. I knew what this was the entire time, it's my fault I let my feelings get out of control.”

“That's not it at all. I spent months in the beginning trying to figure out why my father would do this to me. Why he would make me do something I never planned on doing. And then I met you and it hit me—he wanted me to have the one and only thing he ever cared about. Me, a child, someone who I could love unconditionally. My father, through all his failed relationships, he died alone.”

August let out a heavy sigh, his gaze glossing over. “But, there was one person who was always by his side—me.”August licked his lips, running a hand over his head as he went on. “He wanted me to feel what he felt. He knew that even without the love of a woman, he had a different love with me. But I don't think this was in his plan. I don't think he expected me to fall in love with an incredible woman.”

Titling my head, I stayed quiet, letting him unleash his soul with words. He looked like he grew taller, broader, thicker as he exploded with emotions.

“I love you, I've loved you since day one, and I'm sorry it took me this long to tell you.”

“You really mean that?” I asked, dropping my arms to my side as he slowly chipped away at the wall I was trying desperately to build. I didn't want to feel this pile of rocks in my stomach or the weight on my chest.

Dropping to one knee, August pulled a small box out of his pocket and held it up. “Ella Day, there's nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life watching you smile, listening to your giggle, hearing your music and what you did that day. I want to wake up with you, I want to fall asleep with you, I want to fill my head with memories of all the small moments we share together.”

“What are you doing?” I asked, my eyes bubbling with tears.

“Ella Day, will you marry me?”

Sniffling, I lifted my head up to see Kayla crying and smiling, shaking her head for me to say yes. August reached up and took my hand, pulling it to his face and kissing the back of my palm.

Blinking, tears began to roll down my cheeks as August ran his thumb across my knuckles and stared at me with fear in his eyes. He was waiting for an answer, waiting to know if we had a future together. And not knowing was killing him.

Biting my bottom lip, I couldn't stop the smile from exploding ear to ear.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, angling his head as he shifted on his knee.

---