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“Oh, God, please don’t cry. Damnit, I knew I was going to fuck this up.” He gently grasped her face in both of his hands and swiped at her tears with his thumbs.
“Not…not too late,” she finally whispered through her tears. “I still love you. I never stopped. I don’t think I ever could.”
Noah’s eyes went wide as saucers. It would’ve been almost comical if the wonder on his face hadn’t been so damn beautiful. “Wait. You still…love me? After everything?”
She pressed onto tiptoes and threaded her arms around his neck. “Noah, I will always love you.”
“Aw, Jesus,” he said, his arms banding around her tight and his forehead pressing against hers.
“I love you,” she said as warm joy rushed over her and through her until she was nearly bursting with it.
“Oh, thank God,” he said. And then he kissed her. Softly at first. Tentatively. Just a feather-light press of skin on skin. “Is this okay? Can I—”
“Yes. More than okay,” she whispered, trembling in joy and need and more than a little disbelief.
He kissed her harder then, deeper, like he couldn’t get enough of her. Kristina was absolutely okay with that, because he would never have to.
Long minutes passed, and then Noah broke the kiss. “I never expected…” He shook his head. “You love me.” He said it with such aching wonder in his voice.
“Yes. No matter if you’re wearing one of these masks or some other, my heart will always and only ever know yours. That’s the way it’s always been, and it’s the only way I ever want it to be. I love you, Noah.”
“I love you, too, baby,” he whispered. “And I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.” Those now bright dark eyes blazed with desire and devotion and love.
And, God, it was such a different look on him. This…utter lightness, this newfound happiness. He wasn’t the old Noah, he was totally new. Scars and all, she loved him even more for all he’d gone through to come back to himself, back to her. “Good,” she managed, her throat so tight with emotion.
“Damnit, I can’t believe I’m getting to say all this. I never even dared to hope. But I love you and you own me, Kristina. You own every part of me. Everything I am or will be. Everything is yours.”
She stroked her hand against his hair, her heart so full she was sure her chest couldn’t contain it. “Then that’s all I’ll ever need. Because you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. And I will fight this fight with you. Always.”
“Always,” he said, nodding. “And I’ll never lie to you again, Kris. I promise you here and now. I’m going to have bad days. And I’m going to make mistakes. And I’m sure I’ll still fuck things up from time to time.” They both grinned, so caught up in this moment, this joy, each other. “But I’m in this with you. And I want you in this with me.”
“I am. But I need you to know. I don’t want perfect, Noah. I just want my best friend. I just want you. The rest we’ll make up as we go.”
“Better fucking believe it,” Noah said, a smile so pure on his face that it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. Kristina laughed, so filled with awe about the way this evening had gone. She’d dreaded coming to Josh’s wedding, dreaded seeing Noah.
Now, here she was with him, finding more than she ever thought possible, finding everything. And willing to fight through anything to make sure they never lost it again.
Epilogue
The row of picnic tables was piled high with burgers and dogs, beer and soda, chips and salads. It was his parents’ annual Labor Day party, and Noah was right in the middle of it.
Better yet, he had his girl at his side and his new friends from WFC and his art class all around him—Mo, Mack, Jarvis, Riddick, and about a half dozen others from the club.
Well, they didn’t feel new anymore, not when they’d collectively been responsible for saving Noah’s life. With some people, it was like that. You might not have known them long, but their impact was immediate, fundamental, and lasting.
Sitting on his good side, Kristina leaned in with a smile. “How you doing?”
He nuzzled her cheek, finding the solace in her company that he always did. Always had, even before he realized everything she meant to him. “Never better. At least, not in a long damn time.”
“Yeah?” she whispered, heat slipping into her eyes. “Well maybe I could make you feel just a little better?”
“Mmm, tell me more,” he said with a chuckle. For a moment, he got lost in their sweet words and stolen touches until the madness around them all but faded away.
Something hit him in the head. “What the hell?” Noah said, startling as a hot dog bun rolled into his lap. The whole table erupted into laughter.
Mo sat there grinning like an idiot. “You weren’t hearing me, son. Had to get your attention somehow.”
Laughing, Noah gestured to his left side. “Deaf over here, remember?”
