Della smiled and held out her hand to show him her tremor. They smiled at each other as they dropped their hands. “You love me?” she asked softly.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I do. I’ve loved you for a long time. Since before the whole wingman thing. I was just in denial and then too chickenshit to admit it in case you didn’t reciprocate.”

“I’m not an easy person to love. I have issues…baggage. I honestly understand why and frankly couldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to take that on.”

“The lights?”

She nodded. “I don’t know if that will ever get any better. I mean, I’ve come a long way on lots of fronts, but that… I just don’t know. It’s not conducive to a harmonious life, and I’ve mostly come to terms with it.”

“Is that why you’ve set out this course where you stay footloose and fancy free? Because you’re afraid no one can accept you as you are?”

“It’s a big ask. They shouldn’t have to.”

“Della.” His voice was almost a croon when he reached for her cheek and cupped it. She rubbed her cheek into his palm because she couldn’t have stopped herself even if she’d tried. “People make all kinds of allowances for the people they love. Would you reject me if I needed the same considerations?”

She shook her head. “Of course not.” Of course she wouldn’t.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Right.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She rolled her eyes.

“I love you, Della. All of you. Your past and your present. I’m sorry that I’m not guy number twenty or whatever the magical number might be, and I understand if you want to keep going until you meet him. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I hate number twenty with the fire of a thousand suns, but I understand. I love you enough to let you go. But I needed to let you know how I felt first. I know it might not be smooth sailing, but I don’t care. I’m in. I’m all the way in.”

Della’s heart swelled. “You love me.”

“Yeah.”

“I love you, too.”

His face lit up, slowly at first, but by the time his dimples were on full flash it was like a beam of sunlight had him in its shaft. “Yeah? You love me, too?”

“Yeah,” Della whispered, her pulse tripping. “You didn’t know?”

He shrugged. “I—didn’t dare hope.”

She looked at him for the longest time. “I don’t need number twenty. And I definitely can’t promise you smooth sailing. But there’s no one I’d rather have by my side. In stormy waters and in calm. I’m in, too. All the way in.”