Page 161 of Keeping Score

Her breath hitched.

“I love you, Maggie,” I said, imploring her to understand it. “Only ever you.”

“Me?”

“If it’s not you, it’s not anyone,” I answered with devastating honesty.

And then she flung herself at me once more. I felt my body move of its own accord to catch her, as if it were second nature to have her in my arms. I gripped her so tightly so that she might never slip away from me again.

“Even though I put you through the ringer?” her voice was muffled as she spoke against my chest.

I inhaled the scent of her—argan oil and jasmine—as I laughed into her hair, resting my cheek atop her head.

“I like jumping through your hoops. It kept me in shape.”

She sniffled, eyes wetting my shirt as she let out the emotion she’d tried to keep buried for so long.

All I could think was, finally.

Finally you’re letting me see you.

And I loved her more in that moment than I ever had in my life because I felt the change in her. She was trusting me, lowering her guard. Letting go. Finally and completely giving me her heart in a way I’d never realized she’d been too afraid to do before.

“I know I’ve been a shitty girlfriend,” she said, sniffling, “but I think if you gave me another chance, I could end up being a pretty decent wife.”

I stilled. “What are you saying?”

“I want to marry you. I always wanted to marry you, Brody. Always. I was just scared that I was going to be too much for you. And I was afraid of what would happen when you eventually realized it.”

“How could you possibly think that, babe?” I let out the softest of laughs, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. I couldn’t believe she was here in front of me, saying all this. I couldn’t believe I was touching her again.

“I was scared that if I didn’t have my life together, you wouldn’t see any reason worth staying. That I wouldn’t be able to offer you as much as you’ve always given me.”

How could she think that? So little of herself when she had always been everything to me from the very first night in the locker room. Since the moment I saw her, I was done for. My hands were tied, fate sealed.

It was Maggie Brynn from that day forward, and I knew then—just like I knew now—that’s how it would be forever.

“Don’t you get it, Maggie?” I held her face in my hands. “Relationships aren’t about keeping score. It’s just about loving each other, through whatever shit comes our way.”

Her green eyes brimmed with tears and she nodded, as if urging me to continue. To give her the words—the reassurance she never dared ask for before.

“It’s you and me, Mags. I’m not going anywhere. If there’s a problem you’re facing, then guess what? It’s our problem, because I love you, Maggie. And that’s what love is. If you think I’m going to walk away because life gets messy, then I’ll be happy to prove you wrong over and over and over again.”

“Shut up,” she pushed at me playfully, but I held tight. “You’re literally the definition of a man written by a woman.”

“And you’re literally a raccoon,” I cooed back, brushing my thumb under her makeup-stained eyes.

“Hey,” she swatted at me.

“But hands down the most beautiful raccoon I’ve ever seen—smudged eyeliner and all.”

She opened her mouth, no doubt ready with another smart-ass comment, but I leaned forward to capture her lips with mine. There would be plenty of time for banter later. For now, we had other business to catch up on.

I pulled away from her grasp, watching her eyes widen in confusion as I took a step back from her.

“What are you—” she started, but I was already down on one knee in front of her.

“Let’s hope this goes better the second time around. Maggie Brynn, will you—”