A tear tracks down her pale cheek. I don’t want her to cry. It kills me when she cries.
With a shake of my head, I tangle my fingers with hers and draw her closer.
“I’m sorry for leaving. For the way I acted. And I’m sorry—” A small sob escapes her. “I’m sorry we lost our baby.”
“Don’t.” I close my eyes, pain clawing at me. “That wasn’t your fault.”
“It felt like it.” She’s crying in earnest now, wiping her face with trembling hands. “We wanted it so much, so bad…and I felt like I failed. Like I took it away from you.”
“Baby, stop—”
“That’s why I left. Because I was afraid. I was afraid it would happen again. I was afraid you’d end up hating me for it—”
I can’t hear anymore. It’s breaking my damn heart. I rip off the stool and crush her in my arms. If I don’t, I’ll lose my mind. She drops her head to my chest, weeping.
I kiss the crown of her dark head, stroking a hand down her silky hair. “Sugar, that was never your fault. Nothin’ that happened was your fault.”
The knowledge that she’s blamed herself like this for so long tears me up inside. Because Bellamy’s more than brave. And she’s been carrying so much shame and guilt over a terrible thing that was never her fault. But I know now, and I won’t let her suffer alone anymore.
“Shh, sugar. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry, Bell.”
Clutching at the front of my tear-soaked flannel, she looks up. “And I did the worst thing. I let it break us. I forgot you were hurting too. I just felt so…empty, and I didn’t want to put that on you. Even though I never stopped thinking of you. Even though I knew right away that I shouldn’t have left. I fucked up. I fucked it all up.”
Hand moving to her face, I run my thumb over her cheek to sweep away her tears. “It didn’t break us. You didn’t fuck up. We’re standing here, ain’t we?” I swallow past the lump lodged in my throat. “We got that second chance,” I say, adrenaline pumping through me, hope and terror right along with it, “if you want it.”
She gasps out a sob. “I want it. I want you, Hank.” Tears stream down her face as she falls into me. “I’m still in love with you.”
I lose it then. Every atom in my body comes alive.
“Fuck, baby,” I rasp, crushing her in my arms. “I’ve been lost, Bellamy. Without you.”
Three long years of dark turn to light the second my lips find hers. She kisses me back, frantic, furious, her hands in my hair. Salty tears stream down her pretty face. She groans, and I echo the sound as we lose ourselves in the kiss.
Love of my life. My bluebell. My girl. No more years between us, no more missing her.
Zelda, hating to be left out, barrels into us, nearly taking us down. She scampers around us, pawing at our legs and whimpering.
I blow out a shaky breath, stuck halfway between disbelief and awe. I’ve spent so long craving this moment, hoping for it.
“Zelda,” I laugh, peering down at my impatient dog. “I’ll share her, just not right this minute.”
With a smile and an exhale, Bellamy laughs. “I think she’s happy.”
“I’m pretty damn happy myself.” I band my arms low around her hips and pull her close. “This life is too damn short to live it without you, sugar.”
Eyes glittering with tears, she nods. “I’m a lucky girl, cowboy.”
“I’m the fucking lucky one.” I shake my head, lost in the moment, lost in us, me and her.
She leans into me, her lips ghosting over mine. “So what do we do now?”
Hands shaking, I cup her face, stare into her eyes. Getting to love this woman twice in my life is a goddamn miracle. But fuck, I’ll take it.
I kiss her again, pull back, heart hammering. “Marry me all over again?”
Her eyes fill as she nods frantically.
I wipe at the stray tear that slides down her cheek. “That a yes, Bluebell?”
