The next picture was of a house surrounded by greenery. “I bought this ranch just outside town. It won’t be much more of a commute than I’m doing now. It means I don’t really need the fence at my old house, but this one sits on twenty acres. It has a barn and a lot of pens. It’s the perfect place for an animal rescue, don’t you think? If I can find someone who would want to marry me and live there with me. And have babies, both the fur and human kind.”

Joy engulfed my heart. “Oh, Noah.” I was choked up, and my chin was trembling. That was my dream. He had bought my dream.

He put his phone down. “Juliet, I told you I’d always have your back, and I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

I wanted to throw my arms around his neck, but it was difficult to reach him with this armrest between us. “You have nothing to apologize for. I know why you were upset. You were protecting yourself.”

He leaned in to kiss me on the tip of my nose, in that way that I now recognized as a signal to me of how much he cared. “I should have been protecting you. I promise you that I’ll try not to fall into that overly-sensitive-artist stereotype and will talk to you about everything. I will always give you the benefit of the doubt, because I know how much you love me. You’re my whole world and it’s like . . . everything is just gray without you.”

“I know exactly what you mean. I swear I won’t ever keep anything from you again. I will be better about communicating my feelings, even though that’s not really my primary skill set.” I sighed; my fears and sadness had all been washed away. “You really forgive me, though?”

“I do.” Then he made an X across his heart, and I laugh-cried. He added, “My job is different and my life is demanding and hard and we’ll have to give up some of our privacy. I know it’s a lot to ask, but if Covington manages it, anybody can.”

Now I truly understood exactly what Zoe had meant. “I’ve thought about that. And I would make those sacrifices if it meant I got to be with you. You’re worth whatever hardship we might have to put up with. But I need you to remember that I’m not perfect and I will make mistakes again.”

“So will I. And I will do my best to always be patient and understanding if you promise to do the same. But if we both swear to love each other and always fight for us, how can we go wrong?”

He leaned his forehead against mine, our breaths mingling, and I had never imagined that this kind of happiness was possible.