Page 136 of A Moment In Time

“It’s not the mayor thing.”

“What then?”

“I’m feeling slightly terrified.”

“About what?”

“You’re going to think it’s dumb.”

“Gage. If it’s a concern to you. Then it’s not dumb.”

He sighed. “I’m terrified of losing you.”

Sydney put her arms around him. “Honey. You’re not going to lose me. I’m the one who has been in love with you for three years, remember? Do you really think I’m going to walk away now that you finally feel the same way?”

“But what if…?”

“Not going to happen.” She brushed some hair off his forehead. “Where’s this coming from?”

“I’ve been slightly distracted by the whole mayor thing. But now that I’ve accepted my political fate, I realized how happy I’ve been with you. How happy you make me. How comfortable I am with you.”

“Those are all good things. And I feel the same.”

“I can’t picture my life without you now.”

She smiled. “Me either. Without you, that is.”

He touched her face. “Doesn’t that terrify you?”

“No.” She cocked her head. “Okay. Maybe a little. But that’s part of the deal. You have two choices in life. You love someone and are terrified and exhilarated at the same time. Or you go through life alone.”

“So, Pax and Elaina. Remy and Bryn. Clem and Booker. Are you saying they’re all terrified?”

“Yes. Your parents. Your grandparents. My parents. But you can’t dwell on the possibility of losing them some day. If you did, you’d never want to get up in the morning.”

“Wait. I wasn’t even thinking about that. Oh, God. My grandparents have been married for sixty years. Someday… shit.”

Sydney hugged him again. “Gage. It’s okay.”

“Is it, though?”

“Yes. Because as hard as that day will be. I guarantee you both of them would say they wouldn’t give up those sixty years.”

Gage blew out a breath. “Love is crazy, man.”

She smiled. “Yes, it is.” She put a hand on his cheek. “Will you come back to bed now?”

He nodded, then laid down beside her. “While we’re being all deep and stuff, there’s something else I should tell you.”

“Okay.”

“I hope this doesn’t change how you feel about me.”

“What is it, Gage?”

“I’m not sure how I feel about kids. Having them, that is. Would that be a deal breaker for you if I didn’t want to have kids with you?”

Sydney was quiet for a moment. “No. I always thought I’d have kids someday. But being with you is more important than that.”

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