Penelope's POV

The words hit too close to home.

"I'm working on it," I whisper, touching the necklace with trembling fingers. "Believing I deserve this. Deserve you."

"You deserve everything," he murmurs, kissing my forehead with such tenderness it makes my chest ache. "And I'm going to spend every day proving it."

His phone buzzes against his hip. He glances at it and frowns, his expression darkening.

"What's wrong?" I ask, studying the hard line of his jaw.

"Nothing," he says quickly, typing ...