Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 123579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 618(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 618(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
“Yes, it’s for you.” I stretch my arm up over my head, putting it out of her reach. “But you have to sit down first. I have this whole thing worked out.”
“You have a thing?” She sits on the edge of the bed, head titled and eyes glued to the black box. “Well, do your thing, Mr. Bishop.”
I squat down in front of her, placing the jewelry box on the floor and taking her hands in mine. My heart sprints in my chest. It feels like I have a plastic bag over my head every time I try to breathe. My fucking fingers are actually shaking a little. But I’m doing this.
She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Sometimes she smiles, and my heart stops in my chest, awed by it. It seems to me that the more she learns about herself, about who she is beneath the beauty the world can’t get past, the more beautiful she becomes. Her beauty isn’t a flimsy thing, but it’s girded by character and strength.
I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want her for myself.
“Sofie, have you ever wondered what would have happened if we’d met at Princeton?”
Her eyes fly to my face, wide, somehow surprised.
“Um, yeah.” She drops her eyes to the hands in her lap. “I’ve thought about it a few times. I wish we had.”
“I’m kind of glad we didn’t.” I smile when she shoots me an uncertain glance. “What I mean is that I know it would have been wrong then. I needed all these years to become the man who could handle you. You needed that time to experience the hard things, the things that made you strong. Frankly, beautiful or not, I wouldn’t have looked twice at you then. I was too young to see beyond my assumptions to your potential. We found each other when we were supposed to.”
And I have no plans of ever letting go.
I pick up the jewelry box. She clasps her hands together, grinning and tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth. She takes the box and stares at it for a moment.
“What is it?”
“I think that’s why people open gifts, Sof.”
She rolls her eyes, mouth tilting to the side as she carefully lifts the lid, her eyes lighting up when she sees what’s embedded in the plane of dark velvet.
It’s a seed. It’s been in my suitcase ever since I got back from my last trip. I wasn’t sure when…or how…or why I wanted to give this to her, but now I know.
“Do you remember the Ugandan proverb?” I curve one palm around her face, tilting it up so I can see her eyes. “From my office?”
“Sow seeds.” She caresses the small seed with one finger. “Wait and see what comes with the rain.”
“The seed, everything you see on the outside, is a hard coat. A protective shell.” I trail my finger over her hand holding the jewelry box. “The plant is under the shell and has to be awakened, and all of what we see on the outside has to fall away.”
She nods, her eyes locked with mine. Her expression intent, absorbed.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten to see you in this process.” I grab the hand resting in her lap, twisting my fingers around hers so she can’t ever let go.
“You’ve discarded the trappings, the outside, and have awakened the part of you that is really alive. Germination is a kind of death, and it’s painful.” I pull her close enough to kiss her lips, but I don’t allow myself that just yet. “You’ve experienced that pain, and you’ve had a lot of rain fall in your life. And now we see what has come after the rain.”
I trace one high cheekbone with my thumb.
“I want you to know it’s beautiful to me. Your passion, your courage and strength, all while being absolutely, unequivocally yourself. Flaws and all.” I pause, staring at our clasped hands for a moment. “I don’t know that we would have seen all of that without the pain. Without the rain.”
Tears cling to her lashes, falling as she blinks.
“You’ve been with me through all the rain, Bishop.” She raises her eyes to my face. “Most wouldn’t have stood with me when there were no guarantees that I’d win against Kyle.”
But she will. Now with her story, and the undeniable proof Tanya has provided, Kyle arrested and awaiting trial, she will. Even if that wasn’t assured, I wouldn’t want to wait.
“Sofie, I know there are still things that have to happen.” Something that’s half a grimace, half a grin shapes my mouth. “But let’s not wait.”
Sofie’s brows knit over the confusion of her eyes.
“Wait for what? What do you mean?”
“You remember I told you how my father felt about my mom? That it was urgent?” I wait for her to nod before pressing forward. “That’s how I feel about you. About us. I wanted to take everything slow, Sof, and we did, but I’m past slow. It’s urgent to me that you know today what I want.”