Lauren held up a hand. “That right there? I’m not doing that. I’m choosing you as you are, unknowns and all. I meant what I said, that I don’t need you, Andrew. I don’t need a man to provide for me. It’s not your responsibility to give me a certain kind of life—I can do it on my own. I already am. I want you for no other reason than because I love you. Just being with you makes my life better. So please, let that go. I won’t accept the thought that you’ll try to push me away again—”

“I wasn’t the only one pushing,” he interrupted, but she shook her head and kept going.

“I’m in this because I love you, and we’re great together. I want to be with you whether you’re rich or poor, healthy or sick, happy or sad. You make me happier than I’ve ever been. I’ve never known you without cancer, do you realize that? That’s part of the Andrew Bishop package I chose from the start, and I’d do it all over again. Every time.”

A genuine smile had formed on his lips as she spoke, but at the end an ornery gleam entered his eye. “You still haven’t seen the whole package, you know. You might change your mind…or be the happiest woman on the planet. You sure you want to take that risk?”

“Andrew. Be serious.” Besides, she had some idea what she was dealing with, and she didn’t think he’d disappoint.

He sobered. “I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you.” He broke his own rule and scooted closer to her, gently cupping a hand around the back of her neck. “But what I felt, just now? When you told me about Jasmine? It was terrible. And I know she’s going in the backpack category for me, because she’ll stay with me, in whatever small part, forever. And if the pain you’d be in, if I lose this battle, is like you say and will be so much worse than that? I…” He gripped her neck tighter. “I don’t know if I can bear doing that to you.”

She gazed at him sadly, tenderly. “Even if you walked away right now, and we never spoke again, I’d feel that way. It’s too late, don’t you see that? It’s too late for me to ever think of you as anything other than the love of my life. We both have to let go of the things we can’t control, and hold on to the things we can. Like being together right now. I’ll choose these moments over any alternative, no matter how this ends.”