I gasp, and my heart thuds in my chest. What is he doing here? “Dean, I’m not—”

“Let him speak, Solange,” Brandon says, his eyes glinting with mischief. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t hear what he has to say.”

Honestly, I wish I had some popcorn. Because this? This is riveting. I’m tempted to launch myself into Dean’s arms, but I resist the urge, partly because I don’t know exactly why he’s here. Still, something tells me he wouldn’t have traveled across the country to reiterate that we’re never going to be a couple.

So I just stare at him and wait. God, he’s a sight for my lovesick eyes. His hair’s a glorious mess, and the faded jeans he’s wearing sit perfectly on his hips. My instinct isn’t to look at him and say Mine, mine, mine. All I can think is, Baby, I’m yours, yours, yours.

Dean takes small steps down the aisle and stops a foot away from me. He looks at Brandon, his expression somber. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but this needs to be said.”

Brandon gestures as if he’s giving Dean the floor. “Go right ahead. I want her to be absolutely certain about this.”

Dean returns his gaze to me, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“For years, I’ve clung to a view about love that boils down to this: It isn’t worth it. I never doubted that it existed or that people experienced it. But I regarded it as a weakness. One that would leave me vulnerable and insecure. I need stability, I told myself. And giving my heart over to someone would make me weak, would surrender my future to their whims, would only leave me disappointed. So I focused on securing all the trappings of stability I could think of: a well-paying job, a home, a partner with the same ambitions as mine. And I was fine.”

I take a step in his direction, a glimmer of hope propelling me forward. “Until?”

He takes a deep breath and expels it slowly. “Until you.”

Oh God. I’m giddy and weightless, and I may never return to earth. So this is what euphoria feels like.

Dean’s not done, though.