Page 90 of Revived

“That he’s always there?”

“Yeah. Or in his words, that he’s watching over me from the other side of the stars.”

Luke freezes, his eyes widening bigger than I’ve ever seen them, and then he swallows hard. I’m not sure how to take his reaction, my stomach churning as I contemplate if I just said something terribly wrong and everything we just discussed was all for nothing.

“Are you okay? Are you gonna throw up or something?” I ask as I scramble to sit up, but Luke just puts his hand out to stop me.

“Your grandpa used to say that to you?”

“What?” My eyes bounce back and forth between his as my heart gallops.

“That…” He clears his throat and then speaks with more confidence. “That he would watch over you from the other side of the stars?”

“Uh, yes. Why? Is that okay? Did I say something wrong?” I’m clutching the blanket to my chest as I wait on pins and needles for him to speak.

But he just smiles, and then shakes his head with his eyes sealed shut before he whispers, “Nicely played, Hannah.”

“Uh, Luke. I’m Rachel, remember?”

His eyes pop open and then he pulls me to him, kissing me with such force that I struggle to breathe. But I relent to his kiss, letting him process whatever the hell is going through his mind at this moment.

Finally, when we part, he smiles with tears in his eyes. “God, I love you. I can’t believe I ever doubted what we have. They sent you to me, Rachel. I whole-heartedly believe that now…”

“Okay?” I whisper, anxious to understand his reaction.

He sighs and then lays down next to me so we’re facing each other, his hand cupping the side of my face. “I think it’s time I tell you a story…”

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