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“I would have come earlier for you. Believe me that I wouldn’t have taken so long if it hadn’t been out of my hands.”
“What do you mean?” I whisper, almost afraid to know.
“I made it home alright.” A dry smile pulls at his lips. “But within a day I was in an accident that might not have been much of anaccident.”
“Nikki.” I turn to him, my eyes widening with worry.
“I was in a coma until a couple of months ago,” he admits.
“What? Are you okay now? My God, Nikki…”
My heart is hammering in my chest at the thought of him in the hospital, fighting between life and death. Even before, when I’d never thought I would see him again, at least I was fine thinking he was happily living his life somewhere in the world.
But to hear that it hadn’t been the case? That he…
“There was something wrong with my head, but I’m fine now.” He keeps one hand on the wheel, grabbing my hand with the other. “I’m not entirely sure what happened while I was in the coma, but you were there, with me.”
“I was?” I blink.
He nods wistfully.
“I don’t remember everything, but I know you were with me everyday. We were by a waterfall, and I would lay my head on your lap, while you’d tell me stories.”
“That’s… I don’t know what to say, Nikki. I’m flattered,” I murmur, a blush staining my cheeks. “I didn’t realize you thought about me that way back then.”
“You’ve been everything to me from the first moment I met you in those goddamn tunnels, Luce. I survivedonlybecause you were with me, and later, because I knew I needed to keep my promise to you.”
I stare at him, mouth agape.
“I thought about you, too,” I confess shyly. “Every day, I would wonder what you were doing. If you were happy. If you… were with someone,” I whisper as I avert my gaze.
How many times had I hurt myself over the thought of him with someone else? With a girlfriend, or maybe a wife. I’d never regretted helping him escape and leaving me behind. But just imagining him with another woman had chipped at my heart time and time again.
“There’s only ever been you, Luce,” he states emphatically.
His eyes hold mine for a moment before he returns his attention to the road. But it’s enough to convey everything with that one glance.
He loves me.
Hereallyloves me.
I’m still in a state of disbelief over the events of the last few hours, but this piece of information is not only the most precious one, but the most unexpected, too.
“I’ll come with you, Nikki. After everything is done. After Noelle is back with her family, too. I’ll come with you,” I tell him.
“You’ll never want for anything in this life. That I can promise you, Luce.” He smiles as he brings my hand to his lips for a kiss. “I’ll cherish you always.”
“I know you will.” I return his smile.
This might be too sudden, and while my mind is still struggling to come to terms with this, my heart knows this is right—he is right for me. He’s been right for me from the very beginning.
It takes us a couple more minutes to get to the village, and I show Nikki where to stop. We both get out of the car and head towards the house on the right.
“Let me do the talking,” I warn just before I knock.
An elderly woman answers the door, her eyes narrowed at me.
“You’re here for the baby,” she says.
