“I really, really hope I never break your heart, but if I do, I want you to know that loving you made my life whole. We’re just getting started, but I already know that everything before this was leading me to you.”
“I love you so much,” I whisper. “I never knew things like this could happen, and then there you were at my cousin’s wedding, too handsome to be believed. You have no idea what it meant to me that day to have a guy like you paying attention to me after what I’d been through. You lifted me so high.”
“You dazzled me at the wedding. I felt like a tongue-tied teenager around you.”
“No way.”
“I swear! I was tripping over myself to keep you talking to me and dancing with me.”
“I would never have known that if you hadn’t told me. I was in a horrible place that day, and you made everything better.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He runs his hand up and down my back, making soothing circles. “Do I need to thank your ex for that first night we spent together?”
“How do you mean?”
“If he hadn’t put out the word that he regretted what he did and wanted you back, do you think you would’ve had your first one-night stand after the wedding?”
I think about that for a minute before I speak. “That might’ve had a tiny bit to do with loosening my inhibitions, but I can assure you, it never would’ve happened if I hadn’t felt a connection to you.” With my hand on his chest, I look into his eyes. “And if you hadn’t kept texting me, none of the rest of this would’ve happened. Every time I heard from you after our night together, I got the same lift you gave me at the wedding. Your texts made me so happy during a rough time with my mom. I started to look forward to them.”
“I was like an eighth-grader with a new cell phone waiting for you to reply to me. I was checking it obsessively, every chance I got. One of my surgical nurses asked me one day if I had a girlfriend, and that shocked me.” He mocks a shocked expression. “That was how I looked at her.”
“What did you say?” I ask him, laughing.
“I told her I didn’t have a girlfriend, but for the first time in my life, I thought I might want one. She said, ‘Ah, so you’ve met the one, have you?’ I had no idea what to say to that. It was the first time I understood that maybe you were my one, and after that, all I could think about was getting back to Miami as fast as I could. And then the very next day, Jason called to tell me about the opening at Miami-Dade. He made a joke of it, saying if only I were interested in moving, we could work together again. I took that as a sign from the universe and asked him to send me the info on how to apply, even as I told myself to stay away from you because it wouldn’t be fair. I just couldn’t stay away.”
“That’s amazing. I loved getting your texts, but I had no idea you were thinking of me so much.”
“I thought about you all the time. I’ve never thought of anyone more than I’ve thought of you.”
“I’m thrilled you came back to Miami.”
“So am I.”
“The bad stuff from before I met you seems like a lifetime ago as if it happened to someone else. It doesn’t even matter anymore.”
“It still matters because it’s part of your story, but I’m glad I could help you move on from something that caused you so much pain.”
“You did help. I thought I was doing so great moving on from it until that night of Carmen’s bachelorette, and suddenly, I was right back at day one.”
“That must’ve been an awful feeling.”
“It was! I was home for a happy occasion. My beloved cousin, who’d been through so much after losing her first husband, was getting married again to a great guy. I was ready to celebrate, and then I heard what Marcus had been saying.” I blow out a deep breath. “It just sucked the life out of me to hear that about him.”
“Did you think about seeing him or getting back together with him?”
“God, no. Never. My love for him shriveled up and died the second I heard he married someone else. But the hurt… That took a lot longer to go away. The rough part was thinking I was over it and had moved on, only to be right back in that painful space the second they told me what he was saying. That was the same weekend we found out my mom was sick, too.”
“That’s a lot all at once.”
“It was, but I shouldn’t be talking about him with you.”
“Why’s that?”
Smiling, I tell him, “I know this is your first official relationship, so you may not know that talking about your ex to the new guy is frowned upon.”
“You can talk about anything with me, even him. He doesn’t threaten me. At least I don’t think I need to be threatened.” He gives me a playful side-eye. “Right?”
“You don’t need to be threatened by anyone. You’re in a class all by yourself.”
He kisses me, and as all kisses with him seem to do, one thing leads quickly to another, and he’s on top of me, pushing into me, making me crazy the way only he can. At times like these, when he’s so vital and alive, I find it easy to forget about the threat to his health that’ll be part of our life together.
I don’t want to think about that or anything else coming between us, not when everything about this feels so damned good.
Chapter 25
WYATT
The movers are quick and efficient and have the truck packed by noon. After we close on our house in Miami, they’ll deliver the furniture from my house. Dee packed up everything in my kitchen, calling it our starter kit. I’m not much of a cook, but she says we can get the rest of what we’ll need when we’re ready.
This is really happening.
I’m leaving Phoenix to make a life with Dee in Miami.
A few weeks ago, none of that would’ve seemed feasible to me, but now she’s shown me anything is possible. All I have to do is believe it. Maybe we’re both being naïve and unrealistic about what’s probably ahead for me—and us—but I’ll be damned if I can find the wherewithal to care inside the happy bubble with her.
My parents surprise us with lunch. They both hug Dee, which helps to repair the damage they did the other night. My sweet girl is so forgiving, so loving. She treats them like old friends, even after the way they behaved at their first meeting.
“Did you guys leave work to bring us lunch?” I ask as we stand around the kitchen island to eat the salads they brought.
“We did,” Dad says. “We wanted to see you before you left.”
“I’m glad you did.”
Mom gets a little emotional at the sight of my empty living room. “Wow, you’re really moving.”
“I’m really moving, and I can’t wait until you guys can come to Miami and meet Dee’s awesome family and eat at their restaurant. It’s the best food you’ve ever had anywhere. And wait until you see the house Dee found for us. It has a second master suite that’s all yours anytime you want to come to visit.”
“That sounds very nice,” Mom says.
I know her well enough to understand she’s making an effort for my sake and maybe Dee’s, but she’s still heartbroken about me leaving.