Page 142 of Lease to Love

That was it. Whatever little bit of composure I'd been holding onto disappeared.

I threw myself into his arms, sobbing against his chest.

He caught me easily, wrapping both arms around me while I cried.

Part grief.

Part gratitude.

All love.

For him.

For Autumn.

For the girl she'd been and the woman she never got the chance to become.

For every young Black kid who might walk through those doors someday carrying a dream that would've otherwise stayed trapped inside their head.

And for the fact that somehow, the little girl who'd once dreamed alongside her best friend was standing here watching that dream become something bigger than either of them could've imagined.

My arms were still wrapped around Roman when I remembered something.

“You said you made two promises.”

He pulled back enough to look at me.

I sniffled. “What was the second one?”

His expression changed.

The smile softened.

And the look in his eyes was so full of love that my chest actually hurt.

“To take care of you.”

A watery laugh escaped me. “You made good on that one already too.”

He shook his head.

“Not quite.”

He reached into the pocket of his jacket.

My breath caught.

“Not fully.”

He pulled out a small black ring box.

I stared at it. “No.”

His mouth twitched. “Yes.”

He opened it.

The ring caught the streetlight and practically blinded me.