She was sure she’d misheard. His touch had distracted her. She went very still. “Excuse me?”

He leaned closer, tipping his forehead to hers. “I love you. I didn’t know how much I was denying letting myself feel that way until—” He shook his head. “I’m sorry that I didn’t see it before. That I didn’t know it six years ago, because it was a mistake to let you go then, too.”

She couldn’t quite follow all the nuances of what he was saying, but the “I love you” had been as clear and plain as she could ever ask for. It cut through everything else to soothe her heart and assure her this could all work out.

“I love you, too, Gage.” She lifted up on her toes to kiss the corner of his lips where he’d been frowning. “It’s okay that you didn’t know then. As long as you feel sure now.”

“Sweetheart, I’m so sure.” His New Zealand accent was thick as butter, making her smile even as it tantalized her. “I let my past do a number on me and I knew that was true on a lot of levels, but I didn’t realize until just now that I let it rob me of the future I want with you, too.”

“How so?” Now that he seemed as relieved as she felt to recognize that what they had was too special to let go, she couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t seen that sooner.

“The role modeling for love in my family—” He shook his head. “Well, you’ve seen what that looks like. But it didn’t matter as a kid once I found friends. Solid, meaningful friendships that were better than any family as far as I was concerned.”

Shadows moved through his eyes.

“And then Zach died.” She was so grateful he’d shared his past with her, offering her a window of insight she’d been missing six years ago.

“Losing him made it tough for me to let good things into my life. But I know that was wrong of me.” He skimmed a touch along her shoulders before tracing the path of her hair down her back. “I should be honoring his memory by living life to the fullest—the way he always did.”

“I know what’s between us is right.” She’d tried loving someone else and the results had been painful for them both.

“I do, too. And I know we’d be damned fools to let go of it again.”

“I don’t want to be a fool.” A laugh bubbled up in her throat, a new happiness crowding her chest. “I feel so lucky to have a second chance.”

Hope filled her heart.