I took a step back.

His scowl grew dark as it snapped to my feet.

It a flash, it snapped back to me.

“Now what?” he clipped.

“You’ve had a lot on your mind,” I noted.

“Uh…yeah,” he replied sarcastically.

“Why didn’t you share any of it with me?” I asked.

“Like you shared that with me?” He again threw out a hand to the paper from Hillingham.

“Mickey, as dire as it sounded, it didn’t mean anything.”

“Well, you’re fuckin’ tidy,” he shot back strangely. “Had shit to put away in your bathroom and so it wouldn’t crawl up your ass I fucked that up, I opened a drawer, saw that, figured you were hidin’ it from a variety of people, one of them me. And it bein’ worthy of hidin’, I couldn’t know it didn’t mean anything.”

“Well it doesn’t, but you could have shared you found it before you went off and took your inheritance,” I returned. “And in so doing, got stuck in your head about a lot of stuff that was clearly weighing on you that you didn’t share with me.”

“Fucks with the grand announcement I wanted to lay on you when I got it sorted and to a place I could tell you I could take care of you.”

That was sweet but I felt it necessary to reiterate, “You were already taking care of me.”

“In the way you’re used to, Amy,” he returned heatedly.

“Yes, to repeat, you’re already taking care of me in the way I’m used to, Mickey. The only way I need it to be.”

“Right, so that shit happens,” again with flipping his hand to the letter, “and you got a wild hair to buy a Rover and you gotta wait to save for it, if you can get it at all, rather than headin’ out and buyin’ it with cash, that’s not gonna bother you?”

God, why was he not getting this?

“Mickey, I love you!” I was now yelling.

“And I love you,” he ground out. “Since that’s the case, I want you to have it all.”

I threw up my hands. “I have all I need.”

“I want you to have,” he planted his hands on his hips and leaned toward me ominously, “it all.”

“Why?” I asked shrilly. “When I have everything I need.”

“Because you’re worth it.”

I snapped my mouth shut.

Do what I gotta do.

Oh my God.

Because you’re worth it.

Oh. My. God.

“No comeback?” he taunted.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I know that,” he returned. “That all you got?”

“No,” I replied. “That’s it. Just I love you.”

Mickey shut his mouth.

I stared at him and it was a surprise when I felt the tear slide down my cheek.

“All my life,” I whispered, “I was the girl who everyone thought had everything or could get it. But the only thing I ever wanted was a man like you. You’re the best man I’ve ever met, Mickey Donovan.” I felt another tear and the words trembled when I finished, “And you’re mine.”