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23
MEGAN
“You guys have already surprised me enough. Between the graduation thing and the presents, it’s too much,” I say to Cooper. He’s holding a bandana in his hands, trying to get me to go somewhere with him. His suspicious behavior is making me nervous. Not to mention he’s never tried to surprise me, ever.
“Come on, Meg. Humor me, please.” He looks so earnest, I can’t say no to his cute little face.
“Fine!” I groan. “But you’re not putting that on me until we get to your truck.”
“You’re so smart.” He grins, then opens the front door for me. I follow him out to the driveway and hope I’m not making a mistake.
Over the past couple of weeks, my body has continued to heal. I still get tired quickly if I push myself too far, but I’m able to do a lot more than I have in months. It’s been amazing to gain my strength back. I can’t wait to do all of the normal things I used to be able to do.
Cooper opens the passenger door to his truck, then instructs me to turn around once I’m sitting on the seat. He slips the white bandana over my eyes, tying it at the back of my head.
Everything is dark now, and I have no idea what’s happening. All I can do is listen to Cooper as he moves about. The click of the radio, the tap of a hand to the beat of The White Stripes, everything feels heightened without one of my senses.
We drive around Sonoma for what feels like an hour but is probably only about ten minutes. I’m excited to see what the surprise is.
When we finally stop, I lift my hand to take off the blindfold.
“Ah, not so fast. You have to keep it on for a few more minutes,” Cooper says. I groan in defeat, dropping my hand back to my lap. My door opens, then a hand grabs my arm, helping me out of the truck. I’m glad I’m wearing pants right now, or I would have flashed Cooper without even knowing it.
“Okay, a few more steps, then you can take off the blindfold,” Cooper says as he guides me across what I’m pretty sure is grass.
The fabric slides across my face and off of my head. As I open my eyes, I have to blink several times to adjust to the bright sunshine. Orienting myself, I realize I’m standing in my favorite spot. Todd’s set up another beautiful picnic in our field, reminiscent of the very first.
He’s standing in the middle of the pallet, hands in his pockets, a look of apprehension on his face.
“He loves you, you know,” Cooper whispers in my ear. All I can do is nod my head. I hear his footsteps retreat and his truck turn on. I guess he’s giving us some time alone.
I can’t take my eyes off of Todd as he continues to stand there, allowing me to make the first move. I’m not sure if I want to run straight into his arms or punch him in the face. He deserves both of those things.
“Are you going to stand there the whole night?” he asks, his voice loud enough to carry across the twenty feet between us.
“I’m trying to decide if I want to hug you or punch you.”
“I’d prefer the hug, even though I deserve the punch.” His sheepish smile lights up his face, and I finally know he’s back to his normal self.
The pull between us is too strong to ignore, guiding me closer towards him. When I’m close, he takes his hands out of his pockets, clasping them behind his back.
He closes his eyes before saying, “I’m ready. Do I need to squat a bit so you can reach? Get maximum damage for your effort?”
I look at him with confusion, then suddenly, understanding dawns on me. He meant he’s ready for a punch to the face. A giggle slips through my lips before I can stop it. His eyes pop open at the sound, a smile curling at his lips.
Instead of punching him, I give him a hug. When his arms wrap around my shoulders, my heart becomes whole again.
“I’m not ready to forgive you yet, so you’re not off the hook. I just missed you,” I say into his chest.
“I think I’d take the punch over having to talk about my feelings.”
I pull back so he can see how serious I am. “I know, that’s why I didn’t punch you.”
“Diabolical.” He winks at me, then helps me sit down on the pallet of blankets and pillows.
“First, I need to know how you’re feeling,” he starts.
“Better. I still get tired really quickly, but my appetite is coming back. I’m also able to stay awake almost the whole day without needing a nap.”
His smile is gone in a flash. A deep sigh falls from his chest before he leans over to grab my hand.
“Meg, I am so sorry I left. You didn’t deserve for me to drop off the radar when you still needed me. I hate how I let my fears pull me away from you.”
All I can do is take in his words, knowing he is genuinely sorry. I give him a minute to see if there’s anything else he wants to say. When nothing else comes, I’m not surprised. I should’ve known he wouldn’t add anything.
“Thank you for saying you’re sorry, but I need to know… Why did you leave when I was finally getting better, even though you stayed through the worst of it?”
“Because I’m selfish. Those were some of the worst days of my life, having to watch the cancer turn you into half of the woman you are. I knew if it ever happened again, I wouldn’t survive it, so I believed it would be easier if I left to protect myself. Then I wouldn’t have to watch you suffer anymore.
“But then, Cooper made me realize I’d rather spend whatever time I have with you than spend the rest of my life alone.”
I knew I was right, and hearing him confirm it both hurts and mends the hurt. Knowing he recognizes the stupidity of his actions also helps soothe some of the ache. One thing sticks out, though. “What do you mean by spending it alone?”
“Meg,” he says, looking at me like I’m missing something obvious. “You have to know you’re it for me. You’re the girl I’ve wanted my whole life. To think someone else would be able to take your place is ridiculous. So, by not going back to you, I’d be setting myself up for a life of loneliness. It’s obviously ridiculous for me to stay away from you. I see that now—thanks to Cooper—but at the time, I figured it was the life ahead of me.” He shrugs as if there’s nothing more to say.
“Oh, Todd. You’re kind of an idiot.”
He chuckles, nodding his head. “Yes, I am. I don’t know why I thought staying away from the love of my life was the smart thing to do.”
“Me either. I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“Do you forgive me now?”
“Yeah, I forgave you when I saw you standing here looking adorably guilty.” I smile up at his incredulous expression.
“You mean I could’ve gotten away with the punch to the face and not have had to share my feelings?”
“Yep.” I laugh at him. Then I’m squealing as Todd lifts me off the blankets and sets me on his lap.
“If I didn’t love you so much, I’d be mad at you.” His eyes narrow while a suppressed grin pulls at the corner of his mouth.
“I love you, too,” I reply, leaning in to kiss him for the first time in months. His lips on mine stitch every piece of my once broken heart back together. I can’t get enough of how they feel against mine.
He quickly takes over the kiss, pulling a moan from me, which allows his tongue to steal into my mouth. God, it’s amazing to have this crazy man back in my arms. In my life.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he groans against my lips.
“I’ve missed you, too. One more thing before we get too carried away.” I hold his eyes so I know he’s focused. “If you leave me again, you won’t get away with nice words and an ‘I’m sorry’. I will junk punch you and make you grovel for the rest of your life. Mmkay?”
Todd throws his head back in a full belly laugh, which has me laughing just as hard.
“Got it. I promise to never leave you again. In fact, how about you marry me instead?”
I freeze where I am, sheer disbelief coursing through me. “You want me to marry you? But you know I can’t have…”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
A grin stretches across my face. I’m only able to nod before Todd starts kissing me again.
After my world was turned upside down, I wasn’t sure it would ever return to normal. For the first time since I got the news about the tumor, I know everything will be just fine.
“I love you forever,” I whisper against Todd’s mouth.
“Always.”
