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“And what about our story?” I ask him. “Is that one worthy of your fine tastes?”
Eddie grins, leaning over to kiss me. His body is battered, and he tastes of blood and sweat, but he’s sweet enough on my tongue to make me almost moan.
“The best book I’ve ever read,” he says roughly, putting an arm around me. He glances down at me, very serious. “Kat. I know it’s soon and that most people would tell me to wait but I don’t want to. I know this is right. I almost lost you. I almost lost the chance to start a life with you. And I want that chance. I know we are meant to be together. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me? ”
“There isn’t a being on this planet that could ever possess me to say no,” I tell him.
“So that’s a hard yes then?” Eddie asks, smiling a little as if he’s unsure of my answer.
I nod, and my heart swells with my love for him.
It strikes me as odd that I haven’t actually told him how I feel about him yet. This man has my heart in his hands, and he doesn’t even know it the way I do.
“Eddie,” I tell him, bringing him in for a kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you,” Eddie breathes, and I brush my fingers through the steel in his hair. “Now, don’t we have some pumpkins to carve with an excited little boy?”
* * *
The next few weeks seem to pass by in a blur of smiles and the sort of easy happiness that I’ve never been able to experience before in my life. As I stand at the window of what is now mine, Eddie’s, and Stevie’s apartment, I can’t help but feel as if I’ve fallen into a dream.
I want to stay here forever if that’s what this is. I don’t think so, though. Sweet dreams don’t have stinky, kidnapper frat boys.
“Well,” Eddie’s familiar voice says in my ear. “Do you think he liked the party?”
“I think he really loved it,” I tell him honestly, softly smiling as he kisses my neck with a soft, open mouth. “I also think that if you keep doing that sort of thing, I won’t be able to leave this room to say goodbye to everyone in a few minutes.”
“Mrs. Maxine asked if she could have Stevie over for the night,” he replies, sucking on my earlobe gently with his teeth. “She said she misses him, but she loves her new apartment. It’s so much easier for her to get around the city here.”
“You were sweet to let her have one of the empty ones for free,” I answer, my heart swelling with love for this sweet, giving man who loves me so much. “I think she’s so much safer in this part of town anyway. Closer to Stevie too.”
Eddie nods, and then he shrugs. “Well, selling the club gave us more than enough money that the rent doesn’t really even matter, and Mrs. Maxine already does so much for us anyway. I figured that it was the least that I could do.”
“Do you miss the club?” I wonder, turning in his arms. “Chrissy is going to school to be a dental assistant, and she’s living with Myers. Isn’t that great?”
“It’s amazing,” Eddie agrees with me. “No, I don’t miss it. We have more than enough to keep us happy. The club was dangerous, and all I want is you, Kat.”
“I was thinking,” I tell him, drawing it out. “I was thinking maybe I want to go to school. Like, maybe I want to take classes or something. What do you think?”
Eddie grins at me, spinning me around. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, baby.”
“Yeah, and maybe then we can start looking for a house somewhere up north in the suburbs?” I ask him, looking up with the big round eyes he’s a sucker for.
“Well, were you thinking?” Eddie asks, unable to pretend he’s not grinning like mad. “You’ve obviously thought a lot about this. I think it’s a great idea, but what about Stevie?”
“I’d like for Stevie to stay with me, at least some of the time,” a new voice calls from the hallway where the door is open. I spin around, surprised to see her.
“Mom,” I breathe, stepping around Eddie to catch sight of her in her wheelchair. “They let you out of the nursing home? How..how are you here right now?”
My pale-haired mother looks frail, but her eyes are as sharp as ever, and she looks so much better than she did a few months ago. I knew she was getting better, but I didn’t know how much.
She looks like a brand new woman.
“Sweetheart,” she says as I walk slowly toward her. “I’ve been able to leave for a few weeks now, but no one could get in touch with you. It’s okay, though.
I fall to my knees by my mother’s side. “Oh, Mom, I’m so sorry. It’s been so hard….”
“I know, my love,” she says, reaching down to run her fingers through my hair in what had been a long-lost soothing touch that I never thought I would feel again. “I’m so sorry you grew up so fast.”
