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He watched me walk back to him with it with his eyebrows raised.
“How many more letters do you have like that?” he asked as he watched me walk back toward him.
“Not opened?” I asked. “Just this one. But I have the rest of the letters that you wrote me still in a locker at home. Do you want to read them?”
He nodded. “I do.”
I handed him over the letter, and he studied it for a long time before ripping it open.
He turned it to the side so that I could read it as well.
Frankie,
If you’re following directions—something that you rarely ever do, so kudos to you if you actually managed to not read this, crazy girl—you’re reading this after you’ve graduated and you’re officially a doctor. Congrats, baby. I knew you could do it.
Anyway, I’m writing this letter on the off chance that something happens to me. Mostly because I know you so well.
You and me? We were meant to be. From the moment that I met you, I knew that you were my one.
The thing that I had with Katy? I had no idea how special love could be until you came into my life.
“Who is Katy?” Luca asked.
I grinned at the sound of annoyance in his voice.
“Katy was your high school sweetheart. You and she broke up a very long time ago—when you decided to be a SEAL,” I admitted.
His frown was ferocious.
“What?” I asked.
“I feel like I betrayed you by thinking I loved someone else,” he admitted. “I hope that you don’t think I feel anything for her at all.”
Oh, shit.
I was almost scared to tell him the next bit of news.
“Well,” I hesitated.
“Well what?” he pushed.
“Well…” I licked my dry lips and leaned into him. “You remember Logan?”
He double blinked.
“Logan…” he hesitated. “The Logan that I sometimes work with?”
I nodded.
“Yes,” he agreed. “I remember him.”
“Well,” I said. “Logan is kind of sort of married to Katy. Your ex.”
He looked at me wide-eyed.
“You’ve had to come into contact with someone that I’ve been with?” he gaped.
I patted him on his shoulder, loving that he was offended on my behalf, over something that he himself had done.
“Don’t worry.” I patted his chest. “You were never with her like that. And me and Katy are okay.” I paused thoughtfully. “She was really considerate and supportive when you went missing. I wouldn’t say that we were best friends by any means, but she went out of her way to always check on me. She was very sad that you were no longer here.”
He grunted something unintelligible.
Then went back to reading the letter aloud.
When Brandon died, I had this weird sort of urgency to take care of a few things. Every other thing I went into detail about in the other letter. This one is solely for the purpose of telling you one other thing.
I want you to have my baby.
Even if I happen to be gone.
I know you. I know that, even if I tell you to move on, that you won’t. And you’re young.
Which is why I’ve had some of my, errrm, stuff, frozen at a sperm bank in Longview. I wrote everything that I needed to in this letter at the bottom of the page. They have your name on file. You alone are able to access it.
If you ever get to a point, and I’m gone, that you want a child, I’m hoping that you’ll allow my name to live on.
A sob caught in my throat as Luca continued to read.
I love you, Francesca.
Luca’s deep voice finally went silent.
I didn’t know what to say.
I knew what I was feeling, though.
Completely and one hundred percent overwhelmed.
And thankful.
Because having Luca’s baby wasn’t lost to me after all.
I’d told myself that it didn’t matter over the time that I’d known I wouldn’t ever have that option for me—and having it confirmed after learning that Luca had sustained considerable damage that had altered his ability to have children.
But it had meant something to me.
And the thought of never seeing a blue-eyed baby with my hair color and Luca’s eyes? That had broken my heart.
But to know that I now had that option?
That was so huge.
“We can have kids.”
Luca’s words made my heart soar.
“You’re such a smart cookie,” I teased, delicately tickling his side.
Luca grinned and jerked his body away.
He pulled me in tight, though.
And his hug said everything that his mouth didn’t.
He was very happy about the latest development.
Very, very happy.
Dinner did eventually get cooked.
But only after we celebrated.
Twice.Chapter 18I’m sorry. Did I offend you with my common sense?
-Luca’s secret thoughts
Luca
My morning run was filled with what-ifs.
What if I hadn’t enlisted in the Navy?
What if I’d decided to go with a different branch?
What if I’d never been held prisoner?
What if we decided to have a baby and it never worked out?
What if I married her?
