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“You have nothing to feel guilty for, Elara. Kam died. You didn’t. You can’t liveyourlife carrying the weight ofhisdeath. There’s no doubt in my mind that Kamden loved you more than anything else. He worshipped you, Elara. The last thing he would want is for you to feel guilty for letting yourself be happy. I’m sure that’s true for Kane as well. He loved you both. And you know as well as I do that Kam always put the people he loved first.”
“I know,” I agree softly.
“Then focus on that. Let yourself live, honey. Let yourself love. Freely. Wholly. With everything that you have.”
“I’m working on it.” I sigh, knowing I’ve come a long way since three weeks ago when I told Kane I was falling in love with him. And while we haven’t talked about it again, we both know it’s there. He doesn’t have to say he loves me for me to know he does. I can feel it.
“So you’re coming home when?” Carol abruptly switches gears, something she does often, especially over the phone.
It’s a wonder we’ve been on the topic of Kane as long as we have. Carol has a way of bouncing from one subject to another and sometimes does it so frequently it takes me a minute to realize we’re talking about something different.
“It’s supposed to be two weeks from tomorrow.”
“Supposed to be? As in, if Kane gets extended you’re going to stay?”
“Depends on how long the extension is. Though I don’t expect that to happen. Kane says there’s not much left for him to do and he can’t see them keeping him around longer than they need to considering they’re paying an arm and a leg to have him here.”
“So two weeks then.”
“Two weeks,” I confirm.
“And how do you feel about that?”
“Good and bad,” I admit. “I’m ready to be home–to see you and dad–to reestablish some sense of normalcy in my life. But I hate the thought of leaving here. I’m afraid that once we leave the bubble we’ve been living in these past few weeks things will change.”
“That’s an understandable concern. Something you’ll just have to work through when the time comes. Real life has a way of making a muck of things. It’s up to you not to let it.”
“Sound advice from the woman who’s let life muck up every relationship she’s ever been in,” I point out, knowing she can hear the humor in my voice.
“Just thank god you are not like your Aunt.” She says it like she’s praising the heavens and I instantly envision her standing in her kitchen, free arm raised to the ceiling as she says it.
“I don’t know, I think being like you would be a pretty great thing.”
“You’re too sweet, but totally misguided.” She laughs.
At that very moment, Kane walks into the front door, his eyes finding mine in an instant. My heart flips in my chest at the sight of him. Dark suit, hair combed back, tie loose around his neck. Dear lord this man…
“El, you there?” I hear Carol’s voice in my ear and quickly snap out of my fog.
“Yeah, sorry. Kane just got home,” I say, looking at the clock to see he’s home earlier than I expected him to be.
“Oh well then I’m gonna let you go. I gotta get to the store this morning before it gets too late,” she says, reminding me of the time difference between us. It’s late afternoon here but still morning there.
“Okay, sounds good. We’ll talk soon,” I say, sitting up just in time to see Kane shrug out of his black suit jacket and drop it on the back of the chair before stalking toward me.
“Love you, El.”
“Love you too.” I barely get the last part out before Kane has my phone in his hand, pressing end before dropping it on the side table next to the couch.
“Hey now,” I object playfully, letting out a soft cry of surprise when he leans down, latches his hands behind my knees, and hoists me into his arms. I instantly wrap my arms and legs around him, pressing my forehead to his.
“Hey.” He smiles against my lips before laying a soft kiss to my mouth.
“Hey,” I practically whisper. “You’re home early.”
“Couldn’t get out of there fast enough.” He kisses me again. “All I could think about was coming home and taking my girl out on the town.” Another kiss, this one more than just a soft press of his lips to mine.
“I think I like the sound of that.” I smile against his mouth.
