"Yeah," he mumbles around the food in his mouth, and he hopes that his swallowing isn't as loud as it seems to him because he's suddenly so nervous. His eyes are probably way too wide because they're starting to sting from not blinking and his throat feels too constricted because the words are stuck in his throat, trying desperately to come out but to no avail. It's like their first date all over again except he hadn't quite known what to expect then, definitely hadn't expected to fall in love with someone in the span of two months but who ever said love has a time frame?

He wishes there was more he could for her than just a dinner and finding a little flamingo and setting up some flowers. If he'd had more resources at his disposal, he could have figured something out, but then, they probably wouldn't even be here anyway and that's just a miserable thought. He realizes she's waiting for him to speak and when he opens his mouth, he's got nothing but a a hoarse wheeze. "Um," he tries again, clearing his throat and reaching for his champagne because obviously the best way to get his voice back is to drink alcohol. "There's like, your friends, y'know? And your dog, she definitely loves you." He stabs at his chicken because wow, yeah, this is going so well. "And uh, I... I mean, it's a thing for-- ah, shit."

He looks up, making firm eye contact because this is happening, he's done dicking around because if he doesn't say it now, that's one more day she'll go without knowing and he's not okay with that anymore. "I'm kind of in love with you. Not kind of, actually, I'm in love with you. Pure and simple. I love you." It's like a weight's been lifted off his shoulders, and he breathes a sigh of relief, leaning back in his chair as if he's just come down from a runner's high. He's said it and it doesn't even matter to him how she responds right now--okay, it matters a little--because at least she knows.