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“No. You’re fine.” I assure him. “How are you feeling?”
Adjusting himself to sit up straighter, he sighs. “I don’t even remember much of what happened. The doctor briefed me while you were sleeping.”
Breaking eye contact with him, I nod while looking at the floor. Maybe he doesn’t remember proposing. “We were all really scared.” I admit.
“Understandable. I’m so sorry.” The sincerity in his voice is overwhelming. “I was shocked to see you here when I woke up.”
“Holden, you almost died.” I deadpan. “There wasn’t anything in the world that could keep me from being here.”
He hesitantly reaches forward and holds my hand in his. “Well, I appreciate it. Thank you.”
“Always.”
I smile sweetly at him before pulling my phone out of my purse. Holden’s was left at home in the chaos of getting him here, so I’m sure no one has let Josephine know he’s awake. She’s going to be so relieved. As I send her a text, Holden just watches me, caressing my hand with his thumb. Once I’m done, I put my phone on the bed next to him.
“I asked you to marry me.” He says suddenly, catching me off guard. Okay, so he does remember that.
I bite my lip as I look at him. “I didn’t know you were serious.”
“About spending the rest of my life with you? Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I just thought you were panicking and it was a last-ditch effort to keep me.”
He ponders it for a second before somewhat agreeing. “Well, I was panicking. You were walking away from me and I was losing you. That doesn’t mean I don’t want it, though.”
“You’d really marry me?” I ask in complete disbelief.
He smiles in a way that makes me swoon. “Kayleigh, I’d marry you a year ago.” My heart skips a beat at his
words and I find myself actually considering this. When I look down at the floor and bite my lip, he picks my head back up to face him. “So? You still haven’t give me an answer.”
“No.” I reply, but as soon as I notice the devastation on his face, I realize what I said. “No, wait, that’s not what I meant.”
He looks at me vulnerably. “You’re killing me here.”
“I’m not saying no, but I’m not saying yes either.” I explain. “I just don’t believe a drunken argument is the place for a proposal. I mean think about it, one day our kids are going to ask how you did it. Is that really the story you want to tell them?”
“You still see a future with me? With kids and everything?”
I chuckle softly. “Of course, I do, you doof.”
Relief washes over him and he grins so wide that his dimples show. “Okay, I can deal with that.”
A light blush covers my cheeks as we sit there staring at each other for a few minutes. It isn’t until Jo rushes into the room that we look away. She drops her things on the floor and lunges to hug him, sobbing as he rubs her back. When she finally pulls away, she smacks him directly in the chest.
“You stupid shithead! What the hell is wrong with you?” She chastises him. He rubs where she just hit and shields himself from more onslaught. “What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“I wasn’t. I wasn’t thinking at all. I’m sorry.”
I grab my phone and take a couple steps away from the bed. “I’ll give you two a minute to talk.” Just before I get to the door, Holden calls my name.
“Promise you’ll come back?”
It takes everything in me to ignore the butterflies. “I promise.”
Stepping out into the hallway, I send a quick text to Dawson to let him know everything is alright. Once that’s done, I dial the number for the one person who has always given the best advice.
“Hey babes.” Emily answers.
