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“I wasn’t scheduled with patients that morning, so after I left my parents, I went to your parents.”
Her head jerked around to him. “You went to my parents?” she gasped. “Why?”
How could he not have?
“I needed to talk to them.”
“About?”
“You. Me. Them. Our baby. Our marriage. Your depression. Everything.”
“And?”
“And I’m sorry I never took the time to know your parents when we were married. They are good people.”
Emily visually searched him over, possibly looking for battle wounds. There weren’t any. At first he’d thought perhaps there would be, but Emily’s parents had sat on their sofa, sour expressions in place, and listened to what he’d had to say.
When he’d left, Emily’s father had shaken his hand, and her mother had reluctantly given him a hug. He could only hope this conversation went as well as that one.
“I can’t believe you went to my parents’ house.” She didn’t say because he’d never been there before. She didn’t have to. He’d been too busy to go with her to her parents’ during their marriage. He’d barely juggled visiting his own, he’d justified to himself at the time.
“Why did you go there, Lucas?”
“Because there’s no way for the air to be cleared between you and me without clearing the air with them.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Why does any of this matter now?”
“It matters a great deal.”
She stared at him with confusion and devastation burning in her green eyes. “I don’t understand.”
No, he supposed she didn’t. Neither had her parents. Not until he’d told them how he’d never gotten over Emily, had never stopped caring for her, that he hadn’t understood her depression, that he hoped to win her heart back, and wanted their blessing, that this time around he hoped to do things right. He’d told them he realized he didn’t deserve forgiveness or second chances, but he prayed they’d give them anyway, that he prayed Emily would see beyond the past and see the man he was now, the man who had learned so many life lessons. He was sure there were many more he’d learn over the years, but he wanted Emily by his side as he faced each of those challenges.
He’d told her parents all that and more. Had told his parents that. Now he’d tell the only woman who’d ever stolen his heart.
“I love you, Emily.”
* * *
Emily’s ears roared and her throat thickened to where breathi
ng felt impossible. “What did you say?”
“I love you. I always have. I always will.”
Tears prickled her eyes. Why was he telling her this now? Why had he gone to her parents? Why was her heart swelling to where she thought it might burst free from her rib cage?
“I love you, too, Lucas.” She always had, always would. Once she’d told him the truth, her anger at him had eased, had given way to so much more, to the truth. She loved Lucas.
She’d just never expected him to feel the same.
He moved next to her, tossed her pillow to the side and took her hand into his.
She trembled. Her hands. Her body. Her very being.
“I want to be a part of your life, Emily. I knew it after I took the job at Children’s and saw you again. I just didn’t understand the reasons why it was so important I be near you.”
Lucas wanted to be a part of her life. Wasn’t that what he’d been the past few weeks?
