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“It’s not your home.” An injured tone is laced through his words, his concern for me, his love, causing my heart to constrict.
I don’t know that he’s looking for reassurance. He knows how much I love him, but I reach for his hand anyway, and hold it to my heart. “It’s a house. Nothing more.”
Sitting up, he squeezes my knee and gives me the smile I’ve come to rely on. “You are the most courageous woman I know. Look how you’ve navigated this transition in life.” His eyes dart past me to the house and then to me again. “This part will be easy.”
“I appreciate the faith in me, but I’m not sure how brave I’m feeling right now.”
“Take the time you need to recover and find your memories. I’ll miss you so much, but I’m only a phone call away.”
“I—”
Brady clears his throat.
Loch shakes his head with a wry grin on his face. “Brady and I will both be here to pick you up the moment you need us.”
“Thanks,” I tell Brady. Knowing I have them in my corner, that I can leave any time I want, makes this so much easier. Staring into the eyes of the person I trust most in the world, I slide across the seat and into his arms. “Thank you.” I close my eyes to kiss him like it might be the last time. It won’t be, but everything feels dramatic in the shadow of the unknown. “Thank you will never be enough, but it’s all I have.”
He caresses my face like I’m the most precious jewel in the world. “You are enough.” With the immensity of our emotions starting to weigh us down, he slips out of my hold and gets out of the Escalade.
I get it. We were unexpected and not what he had in his plans. And I know the time has come to walk away. For now. But I’ll be complete when I return to him with no loose ends left to tie up so we can start our life with no lingering unanswered questions.
Taking my suitcase from the back, he closes the trunk and then comes to my door and opens it. Ready or not, it’s time for the dreaded goodbye. I’ll do as he said and be brave. It’s all I have to carry me through the next few days. “Bye, Brady.”
“Take care of yourself, Tuesday, and if you need anything—”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m a survivor.”
Giving me a nod of approval, he adds, “That you are.”
With one deep breath, I turn and land on my feet in the driveway that’s been cleared of snow. I look up at the house again. It feels even bigger from this angle, and although it’s beautiful, it’s also intimidating.
Who lives here with me?
Who’s clearing the snow?
Do I walk in or knock on the door?
My head spins, so I focus on what I know and what’s right in front of me—Loch. My love.
He’s set my case on the top step but stands before me now, his eyes seeming to struggle to lock on mine. Such new territory for the both of us—hopelessly falling in love so fast and then forced to part because of my memory loss makes me feel bad. I’d apologize again, but I know he’ll never accept it when he doesn’t feel it’s owed.
I embrace him again, loving him through a tight hold. He leans down to rest his forehead on mine. I say, “I love you.”
“I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
“That’s not true. I’ve felt your love since the moment I saw you.”
He kisses my head and my lips. “I never saw you coming, and then you flipped my world upside down.” My eyes water again as he kisses the corner of my mouth. “Upside down and right side up. I need you to know that I’m letting you go but only for a few days,” he says with a wry grin and a little wink, “hoping when you return to me, you won’t long for the unknown anymore. You’ll be whole again. So this isn’t the end, Tuesday. It’s only our beginning.”
Tears roll down my cheeks until he catches them with the pads of his thumbs, leaving only the pink I know has streaked my cheeks. “I’ll only be gone a few days.” Forcing myself to leave the safety of his arms, I walk backward, and add, “I love you, Loch.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I love you, too.”
I turn and jog up the steps before I can back down from this challenge. I can still feel his presence tethering me to him. I look back, my breath stolen like the first time I saw him at the hospital. His hair darker in contrast to the falling snow, the embers in his eyes always burning inside when he looks at me, and his frame—broad shoulders and that sexy athletic build. Gah! I’ll never get enough of him.
