“I had to see you,” she said.

“Why?”

All the words she’d planned in the car scattered like startled gulls. Pam’s call had changed everything. She was no longer sure of anything, least of all, Lucas’s feelings.

“I saw the interview.” Was it all a ruse, or did you mean it?

“I was hoping you’d watch.” He tilted his head. “Are you angry?”

He was remembering the voice mail she’d left. Her anger had drained away with his proclamation of love. “No.” The wind kicked up, and she pulled her sweater tighter. She had to settle this before her heart jumped through her rib cage. “Pam called.”

He tucked his hands in his pockets. “She told you, then?”

Suddenly, Kate realized it didn’t matter why Lucas had done the interview or what plan Pam had been talking about. She’d come to tell Lucas how she felt, to try and save her marriage, and she was going to do it.

“She didn’t tell me anything.” Kate gathered her courage and drew a shaky breath. “I realized something last night while I watched you on TV.” “I love her. I have for a long time, and I always will.” His words were a pedestal for her courage.

“What’s that?”

Kate swallowed the fear and took a step closer. The wind ruffled his hair, and she smoothed it from his face, then trailed her fingertips down the rough plane of his jaw. “I love you.”

She ignored the burning in her eyes and plunged forward, a sailboat into the wind. “I don’t know when it started or how it happened. I only know that you captured my heart, and I don’t want it back. I want to stay here forever. I want to wake up to your stubbly, scratchy face and lie next to you in bed, even if you snore loudly enough to peel the paint off the walls. I want to—

Lucas broke off her words with his kiss. Kate felt his fingers sliding into her hair, knocking her cap to the ground. She relished the tenderness in his touch, and as he claimed her, she gave herself fully to him.

When she finally pulled away, it was only to look him in the eyes. “Did you really—love me from the beginning?” She had to know if it was true. Had to see him face-to-face when he said it.

One corner of his lip drew up. “Yeah.”

She let it soak in. “And that’s why you took me as your bride?”

He cupped her chin. “The only reason.”

Kate released her pent-up breath. It was true, then. Everything he’d said, everything that mattered, was true.

Lucas reached into his pocket and withdrew something. He took her hand and opened his palm.

“My wedding band,” Kate said.