She shook her head, unsure how to respond to that. A twitter of anticipation whispered through the room.

“Oh my gosh, this is just like Jerry Maguire,” the soon-to-be-grandmother said excitedly. “Are you going to tell her she completes you?”

Gabe darted a glance at the older woman with her bottle-blond hair pulled back in a poufy chignon.

“No.” A ripple of disappointment seemed to dash across the baby shower partygoers.

“Although she does,” he quickly added, then looked at Angi helplessly. “You do. Complete me. If you want to. I want you to.”

“Tom Cruise said it better,” someone called out.

“Zip it,” Mariella commanded the guest. Emma rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure he did,” Gabe agreed. “I should have prepared more. I did prepare. Rehearsed all the way from Tennessee to here.” He winced. “It seems I forgot most of it because I’m scared as hell right now.”

“Scared of what?” Angi asked, tucking her hair behind one ear and then clasping her hand close when she realized it was trembling.

“That I messed up so badly you won’t give me another chance and I’m going to spend the rest of my life with a hole in my heart because you’re not there to fill it. To complete me.”

“Much better,” the mom-to-be said on a sigh.

Angi’s attention was fixed on Gabe. “Was that rehearsed?”

“No.” He took a step closer. “Just me telling you how I feel, something I should have done long before now. I love you, Angi. I love your fierce spirit and the tenderness you try so hard to hide. I love the way you love your son and how you want to do the right thing for everyone around you and—” he gestured around the room “—that you’re making your dreams a priority, too. I didn’t think I deserved someone as amazing as you. There was no way you could truly love me when you’re this bright light and I’ve hidden in the shadows for so long.”

“I do love you,” she whispered, unable to help herself. “But you hurt me, Gabe. A lot.”

“I know, and I’ll never forgive myself that.” He moved nearer again, or maybe she stepped toward him.

Either way, they were close enough that she could feel the heat from his body and smell the scent of his soap and the minty gum he liked. Her knees went weak with longing.

“If you can find a way to forgive me,” Gabe told her, “I promise I’ll learn to be brave like you. Before I came back to Magnolia, I wasn’t even sure I knew how to love. You showed me, and I love you so damn much. Please give me a chance to show you how much.”

She pressed her hands to her cheeks, unsurprised to find them wet with tears.

“If you don’t take him back, can I have him?” one of the guests called to Angi.

“He’s mine,” Angi said quietly, then lifted onto her toes to press a kiss to Gabe’s mouth. “You’re mine.”