Page 145 of Free to Fall

“Then, let me ask you part two.”

“God, Liam, there’s a part two?” Laura doesn’t bother disguising the fingers that dash beneath her eyes.

“Bailey would like her ‘guardian’”—I don’t dare use the word Bailey used when she begged me to text Laura and ask this question—“to speak to her class about her career as a doctor. She wants that more than anything in the world. According to her, it’s important enough for her to erase wanting to run into DJ Kensington.”

At that request, Laura’s expression goes completely blank before a smile brightens her face—a smile I haven’t seen since we imploded. “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”

My heart is thundering inside my chest at the sight. I want to burst out with, I’m sorry. I love you. Forgive me. The words I want to shout are stuck in my throat, not that they’d be welcome. Instead, I tell her what I can about the event at school—which isn’t much at all. “For this, I’ll let Bailey call you. Right now, she’s grounded, so don’t be alarmed if she doesn’t text you for a few days.”

Laura’s eyes sparkle up at me. I want my life to end with that vision, drowning in Laura Lockwood’s sparkling gaze. If there really was an Amaryllis, she’ll let me. “One assumes you didn’t take it calmly.”

“One assumes correctly.”

Her fingers trail down and squeeze my hand with the compassion I know she’s filled with. “It could have been a serious thing if the school didn’t know to call you, if I wasn’t someone you trusted.”

I shudder at the implications. “I know. And having to explain all of that to her? That’s why she’s not out here right now.”

Laura cocks her head in the direction of Bailey’s room. “It must kill her to know I’m here.”

“I told her we were going to talk, but if you wanted, you could stop in before you left.” My voice comes out as sternly as I’d spoken to Bailey.

Laura’s fingers tighten briefly around my hand. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for what my not sharing did to both of you.”

Slowly, I drag my arm back until I’ve laced our fingers together again. I don’t want to lose this connection between us—the first she’s given me since I threw her out of our lives—to be lost. Holding her gaze, I give her the truth, trying to regain some semblance of the trust I lost when I shot our beginning to pieces. “None of this was your fault. I’m sorry for what I did to us. I never meant to hurt you, Laura.”

Laura’s eyes flare, her only indication she’s absorbing what I’m saying. I realize my actions that night destroyed a connection to this woman I don’t just need, I crave. She stares into my eyes before giving a tiny nod. “Do you know? I think I can finally believe that.”

She pushes to her feet and I join her. “Thank you for all of this—for being there for Bailey now ... and maybe if ...”

She looks down at our joined fingers and applies pressure.

A miracle.

I can’t let it go without taking a chance. “I’m sorry, Laura.”

“I need to know for what, Liam. I will not accept a wholesale apology.”

I begin with the heart of wrongs I hurled at her. “I know you would never have placed Bailey in any deliberate danger.”

“No, I never would have. I had no idea the Tiberi family was seeking retribution, nor that my father was actively involved in investigating that.”

“I’m sorry for accusing you of hiding that from me.”

Her eyes glitter in acceptance. “You should be angry—just not with me.”

I groan, “I know. Between your uncle and me, we’ve shared that with your father. I need to ask; is it too late for us?” Please don’t say no. Please, please.

“Words can’t be taken away, Liam. I’m always going to remember what you said that night—a night I needed the man I was falling in love with to be there for me too.”

My heart withers hearing her use the past tense. “What would it take for you to give me a second chance, Laura?”

Her hands, inked with the delicate amaryllis flowers, lift and fall. “I don’t know. What I know is I love Bailey. I am grateful you ... trust me with her so I can still be a part of her life. What I know is I can’t completely walk away from you.”

“Would you if you could?”

Instead of answering me, she dodges the question. “I ... I need to see Bailey before I head back to the house. I have an early shift.”

My heart aches for the agony I’ve inflicted on us both. Still, I’ll take her response any day of the week.

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