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I clenched my hands in his shirt, my fingers grazing the hard muscles of his stomach when I asked, “And do you?” I asked, uncertainly easing into the topic we’d avoided yesterday. “Remembereverything?”
His eyes skated over my face again and again before he admitted, “No,” on a hushed breath. “I don’t know what all I’m missing, but it felt like everything slammed into me at once yesterday morning. And then later, I realized I didn’t remember certain things like your family or graduating. But this morning, I woke up to a memory I hadn’t realized I’d still been missing, and I’ve been getting little pieces back all morning.”
I pressed my fist against his stomach as excitement wound through my veins. “It’ll all come back,” I whispered encouragingly, my smile matching the one slowly creeping across his face. “What’d you wake up to?”
“You,” he said as that smile shifted. Turned soft and made my heart do the craziest things. “The first time we went to the beach and spent hours talking and getting to know each other like we had any reason to be out there when you were still taken. Pretending we weren’t already falling in love with each other.”
“I love that beach,” I said as those memories danced through my mind. Our story that was complicated and painful and so beautiful.
“Thatspot,” he corrected gently. “I remember kissing you there. I remember not being able to let you go. I remember getting so lost in each other that we forgot the entire world because nothing mattered more in that moment than us.”
A storm of wings took flight in my stomach as he quickly took me through our life, all while his fingers continued making feather-soft designs along my skin.
“I remember asking you to marry metherebecause that’s where I fell in love with you.” Tenderly curling his hand around my neck, he tilted my head back so he could search my eyes before both of his hands dropped to mine. “I remember all those things, but I fell in love with you againright here.”
My chest shook with the impact of my next breath when he pressed a small, hard object against my left palm.
“I already asked you because there was no waiting at that moment, and that’s how it’s always been with us—getting caught up in a moment and acting then. But I want to give this back to you,” he said as he twisted my hand so my palm was facing up, my engagement ring cradled inside.
And the sight of it there rocked me. Overwhelming me with the significance of it.
This wasn’t just a promise—we’d already made that long before. This was a mountain filled with heartbreak and uncertainties that had been placed in front of us.
And we’d overcome it.
“Every version of me has fallen in love with you,” he said as he gently picked up the ring and grabbed my hand in his. “Every version of me will love you until time ends. Marry me, Scarlet.”
A breath that was equal parts joy and emotion tumbled past my lips as I nodded. “I will marry every version of you,” I said unwaveringly and tipped my head up to press my mouth to his when he slid the ring onto my finger, where it belonged.
Where it would stay.
In every version of our lives.
My stare drifted around my parents’ living room, taking in all the holiday decorations and love flowing through the room. The piles of opened presents stacked by everyone because my parents didn’t know how to do anythingsmall.
Then again, nearly all the presents were forgotten once Konrad proposed to Bree.
Nearlybecause Brandon and Harper’s son, Liam, was squealing at pitches only dogs should be able to hear from his new sit-and-play, having the time of his life. All while my family and friends doted on him between conversations of their own about McGowan’s, Brandon and Harper’s news that they were expecting again, and, of course, Bree wanting to get marriedyesterday.
But I just watched. Taking it all in. Afraid to miss a thing.
Because as absurd as it was, I still had moments where this overwhelming sensation would grip my chest, warning me that my entire life could disappear if I so much as closed my eyes. And with how perfect life was, I’d been having those moments more and more often—this morning included.
Then again, I still had moments where it would hit me—a flash of something that never happened. Stronger than a dream. Weaker than a memory.
And it always took a second too long to remember that was never my life. A second too long to realize that rush of anger with Erin or sliver of jealousy with Brandon were completely unwarranted.
But they all knew. They understood.
Of everyone, Scarlet understood because she’d been there through it all. She knew exactly how my mind had twisted things around, and she knew she’d been at the center of every altered memory.
For our family and friends,“the other Chase”was now something of a joke whenever anyone noticed me with an expression that wasn’t what they consideredme.
But for the most part, our lives had finally gone back to normal.
Surfing in the morning. Gym and breakfast with the guys after. Scarlet in the garage with her training sessions. Me in the shop, doing what I loved. And Chinese food whenever I irritated my girl, which was often enough.
“You’re quiet,” Scarlet said from where she sat between my legs, voice low to keep from drifting and filled with understanding when she asked, “Are you trapped between lives?”
