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His deep voice fell on my ears. “I love you.” His lips moved to my forehead, and he placed a kiss there, his breathing slow and even, peaceful and quiet.
I felt the same peace descend on my body, the fatigue from the battle that was officially over. “I love you too.”
He pulled away slightly so he could look into my face, his hand sliding to my cheek so his thumb could brush the outline of my lips. His brown eyes were steady as he looked at me, like all he wanted to do was stare since the opportunity had been taken away for so long.
“Derek?” Lizzie’s voice came from the hallway.
Derek slowly dropped his hand and looked past my shoulder.
“Yes!” Lizzie ran to Derek like a ram charging an opponent and landed against his side.
He flinched at the collision as his eyes warmed. His arm moved around her shoulders, and he smiled down at her. “Hey, Liz.”
She squeezed him tightly before she let go. “I’m happy you’re back.”
“I am too.”
She looked at me, saw the irritated look on my face, and grinned. “Sorry…carry on.” She returned down the hallway, giggling to herself, and then shut her bedroom door.
Derek watched her go, that slight grin still on his face, the happiness in his eyes. He eventually turned back to me. “It’s late, so I should let you guys get some sleep…” He clearly didn’t want to leave, but he knew he shouldn’t overstay his welcome when I wanted to take my time with this.
As much as I missed him, I didn’t want to jump into bed because it didn’t feel right. It was just too soon. Our physical relationship was based on our emotional one, and without that, it wouldn’t be what it used to be. I wanted to make love to this man, not have sex just to have sex. “Yeah.”
He crossed the open doorway then turned back around. “Goodnight, baby.”
“Goodnight.”
He smiled slightly before he walked down the hallway.
Instead of shutting the door and going to bed, I poked my head out and watched him walk away like I used to, watched his strong body carry him down the hallway. But this time, his movements were a little different. He stopped at the top of the stairs, did something on his phone, and then held it to his ear as he took the stairs. “Dad…I got her back.”
25
Derek
I slept like a fucking rock.
I didn’t lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling. I didn’t sit at the table and drink scotch until I could pass out. Weightless, I went to bed, fell asleep, and stayed asleep. Once the stress was gone, my entire body relaxed.
Life was good again.
I was disappointed that my proposal had been met with a rejection, but that sinking feeling was quickly replaced by what she said next. As long as I had her in any capacity, I was happy. If she wanted to marry me tomorrow, great. If she wanted to marry me in ten years, great. I didn’t care.
I’d never been so excited to go to work.
I missed our old car rides, but maybe that would happen again in the future.
I didn’t see her throughout the morning. She fulfilled her other responsibilities elsewhere, mainly working with the interns now. I personally didn’t take on an intern because I had too much shit to do.
But at lunchtime, she would drop off food, and I was excited for that.
Excited to see my baby…and watch her see me.
The door opened, and she walked inside, wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse along with heels. It was almost summertime, so it was getting warm. It was my favorite time of the year because my family took trips to the cabin to enjoy the weather.
She carried the tray to the table at the front. It was sandwiches, chips, and assorted fruit. She laid out everything with her chin down, her long hair falling over one shoulder, her beautiful face a million times more intense because she looked…relaxed.
I bet she’d slept like a rock too.
When she finished setting up, she lifted her chin and looked at me.
Then she smiled.
She smiled at me…and I smiled back.
I unlocked the door then let myself into the hangar. It’d been abandoned for the last few months. The entire project had been put on an indefinite hold because I’d ended the program and told everyone to move on to something else.
It looked exactly the same.
Papers were everywhere, the boosters were set up for the next prototype that never happened, different pieces of the ship were in development at different stations. I walked through and scanned everything I came across, trying to put it all together in my head.
I came across one of my old schematics that contained all the final details. I looked it over then walked over to the debris that had been recovered from the Atlantic Ocean. It showed burn marks where the booster had failed, and the escape pod was still attached to the ship like it was bound with cement.
