“To hell with work,” Ethan snapped, passion flashing through his calm. “To hell with worlds. My world was empty until you walked in with that worn folder and your dignity intact. You filled spaces I didn’t even know were hollow. I don’t care what people say. I care about you.”
Jasmine’s tears finally spilled. It felt like an impossible dream made real—yet fear still crouched in the shadows.
“I’m scared,” she admitted. “Scared you’ll realize I don’t fit in your life.”
“Then let me prove you do,” Ethan said softly. “Let me into your life. Invite me to dinner—here, now. I want to know your world. The real one. I want to meet the woman who raised you to be this extraordinary.”
Jasmine studied him, searching for any hint of doubt or cruelty.
She found only love and determination.
She smiled through tears and nodded. “Okay. But I’m warning you—my mom asks a lot of questions. And dinner is beans and tortillas.”
“That sounds like the best feast of my life,” Ethan said, grinning like a boy.
They climbed the stairs together, his hand holding hers tightly.