Page 87 of Their Stormy Reunion

“The long and short of it is, the night before the wedding, I set things up so Fallon would see me kissing Lindsay Marx and going into her house with her. I made it look like I would be spending the night with her.”

“I don’t understand,” Isla said.

“You did what?” Bob asked loudly.

“You’re catching on, Bob. I arranged it so Fallon would see something that would guarantee she would dump me and call off the wedding.”

“What the fuck?” Bob stood up, and for a moment he looked like his old self as his fists clenched beside him. “You destroyed my baby’s dreams?”

I nodded.

“You bastard,” Isla chimed in. “How could you do that to Fallon?”

I turned to look at Fallon.

“You know why I did it. You say you understand, and I thank God for your understanding.” I went to the couch and knelt in front of her. “But what I haven’t said to you, is just how fucking sorry I am for having done something so utterly harmful and mean. If I could, I would rip my heart out of my bloody chest and hand it to you to show you how sorry I truly am.”

She stared at me, silent, her gaze unreadable. I swallowed and pressed on.

"I figured out what I was doing, deep down inside. I thought I was doing you a favor by making you hate me, so you could have somebody better in your life. Deep down I was convinced I was a monster just like my real father.

"I know you said we could move forward at one point, but until this chapter is well and truly closed, I just don’t think we can. I’m begging for your forgiveness. Do you think you have it in you to give it to me? I’ll make it up to you every single day if you let me. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving I’ll never push you away again."

Her eyes softened, and she let out a breath. “Michael, do you understand that not only are you not a monster, you’re actually a hero?”

I leaned back, studying her eyes.

She cupped my cheeks. “You’re my hero.” She placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

I stood up and held out my hand to her so she could stand up as well. I turned to look at Bob. “Mr. Vickers, I would like your blessing to marry your daughter. Will you give it to me?”

Bob looked over at Fallon. “Fallon, do you want me to give my blessing?”

I was shocked. What had happened to Bob Vickers? I was going to have to ask Fallon in private later. As long as she said yes to my proposal.

“Yes, Dad, I would love it if both you… and Mom, gave us your blessing.”

Bob stepped forward and kissed Fallon’s cheek. Then he turned to me and shook my hand. “You have my blessing, Michael.”

Isla got up from the couch and kissed Fallon’s cheek, then rested her hand on my chest. “You have my blessing as well, Michael.”

With that, I knelt down on one knee and opened up a black box. I presented Fallon with a ring that was completely different from the diamond solitaire I had proposed to her with before.

It was a sizeable emerald flanked by a diamond on either side. “The emerald is to represent you, Fallon, and the diamonds represent me always at your side, supporting you, no matter what.”

“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed.

“Will you marry me and give me the chance to spend forever making things right?"

She sniffed, blinking rapidly. Then, with a watery smile, she nodded. “Yes, you idiot. Yes.”

Relief crashed over me and I surged to my feet. I swept her into my arms and kissed her deep and sure.

My Fallon had said yes. There was just one last thing that needed to be done.

Epilogue

Six Weeks Later