Page 127 of Something Forever

My heart thumps in my chest, the sound of it echoing in my ears. Is this it? It all ends here, in a half-empty office?

“I won’t stay long,” I force out. “I don’t want to… yeah, take away from your big day or anything. I just wanted to say congratulations, so…”

I reach for the door handle, but the sound of Whitney’s voice stops me as she moves around the desk, meeting me near the door.

“Wait,” she says, urgency in her voice. “I thought… do you have something for me? Another letter, maybe?”

There’s a little humor in her tone, and I can’t help the fall of my shoulders. She’s laughing at me. I thought my words would show her how much she means to me and everything that I’ve been struggling with, but she thinks I’m a joke. I can handle her anger, I can even handle her hating me, but I don’t know if I can handle her laughing at me.

“Don’t,” I manage on a whisper, my voice shaking. “I know I fucked up, but please don’t be unkind.”

I reach for the handle again, but she stops me, laying her hand over mine. My whole body stiffens at the contact, the warmth of her hand on mine causing my legs to lock up, keeping me in place.

“What? Wait, no, what’s wrong?” she asks.

I whirl on her, anger rising in my chest. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Those letters were…” I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ward off the flurry of emotions whirling through me, pushing the anger down. “Forget it.”

Before I can move past her, she reaches for my arms, holding me in place.

“Stop, stop. This is coming out wrong somehow,” she says, her voice pleading. “I loved the letters. They were perfect.”

I force my eyes open, turning to meet her gaze. Her brown eyes are staring up at me with a familiar warmth, an adoration in her expression that I swore I would never see again. The sight of it is like a lightning bolt to the chest, a surge of hope spreading through me.

“You liked them?” I whisper.

She nods, her eyes shining. “I love them, Liam.”

I shake my head, not understanding. “But I thought…”

“I love you.”

My whole body freezes. I blink down at her, sure I must have heard her wrong. Sure that I must be dreaming, that I must have fallen into a fantasy of mine, because there’s no way I’m hearing those words from her lips after all this time. She must read something in my expression, because she lifts my hand and presses her lips to the center of my palm, leaving a soft kiss there.

“I love you,” she repeats.

“Whitney,” I exhale, my voice shaking. I stumble closer to her, leaning my forehead against hers in disbelief. “Please… I can’t. If you aren’t ready, if you can’t forgive me?—”

She shakes her head, reaching her palm up to caress the side of my face, her fingers resting along my jawline. I lean into her touch unconsciously, my eyes fluttering.

“I already forgave you,” she whispers.

Moisture gathers on my lashes, and I blink furiously, studying her expression. “How?” I ask.

She smiles brightly, pressing closer to me. “Because I love you.”

My eyes flicker back and forth between hers, searching. Unable to wait another moment, I lower my head and press my lips against hers, kissing her with fervor. She meets my lips with a wild abandon, gasping into my mouth, both of us clutching each other wildly. It’s a kiss that feels like the first day of spring, like a sip of ice cold water in an endless desert, like everything I’ve ever needed.

It feels like home.

I pull back from her, staring at her beautiful face in disbelief. I can’t help the laugh that bursts forth, a gleeful feeling spreading through me. “You love me?” I whisper.

“Always.”

A tear escapes, strolling down my face. I go to wipe at it, trying to hide the overwhelming emotion coming over me, but she stops me, pressing her lips softly against the wet trail.

“I missed you so much,” I confess against her neck, tugging her as close to me as I can. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

She shakes her head, pulling back to meet my gaze again. “No more apologies. No more tears.”

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