Page 166 of Miami Ice

I nod. “I planned to have a special Christmas Eve celebration for just you and me, with presents and everything, and then I was going to tell you I love you. Because it was just bursting within me, and I had to let you know.”

Beckham grins at me.

“What?” I ask.

“I had planned to tell you on Christmas morning. Because you told me that was your favorite part of Christmas. Cinnamon rolls and coffee and presents. I thought it would be the perfect time to tell you I loved you for the first time. But it looks like I would have been saying it to you on Christmas Eve instead, after you told me you loved me.”

“You keep giving me more reasons to love you,” I say, my voice thick. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

“I think I could say the same,” Beckham says, his own voice rough. “I love you so much, Georgie. I’ve never told another woman I loved her. You’re the first. And you’ll be the last. Because I see this as forever with you.”

“You are the only man I’ve ever loved,” I say through my tears. “I see the same future for us. I love you so much, Beckham. More than I can even say.”

“I love you, too.” He gets up from his chair, leans over the bed, and gives me the gentlest kiss I’ve ever received.

Just then the curtain is pulled back, and Ella appears. “Am I interrupting?” she asks, stopping at the threshold.

“No,” I say, smiling at her. “Beckham is about to go get something to eat.”

He scowls at me, and because it hurts to laugh, I bite down on my lip.

“I am not,” he says, sounding irritated. “I’m not leaving your side.”

“Oh yes, youare,” Ella insists. “I need twin time with Georgie. And I brought you a shirt to change into. So you can change your shirt, get something to eat, and let us talk for a bit.”

I can tell Beckham doesn’t like this idea at all but is not about to oppose me and Ella about staying when we’ve both asked him to leave.

Ella extends her hand, holding a T-shirt from Beckham’s closet. He takes it and thanks her. Then he moves back to my bedside, leans down, and brushes a kiss on my forehead. “Fine. Love you.”

“I love you, too,” I say.

Beckham leaves the room, and Ella moves around to take the seat he vacated. “How are you feeling?” she asks, concern flickering in her eyes.

“I feel like I’ve been run over,” I admit. “I know I have a rough road back to recovery, but I’ll be okay. And I know you and Beckham will take care of me.”

She reaches for my hand and holds it. “We will.” Then her face grows very serious. “Georgie, when I saw the house … when I saw all the glass and the garland torn down and the blood …” Then she shivers, and I feel it run through our hands. “It could have been so much worse.”

“I know,” I whisper.

“I’m so grateful everything is going to be okay. Because if you had been seriously hurt or worse … I can’t think about it. I can’t.”

Tears slip from her eyes, and from mine, too.

“We don’t have to think about it,” I reassure her with a wobbly voice. “I’m okay.”

“I’m so grateful. I have never prayed so hard in my life as when Beckham told me what happened.”

“I’m so lucky. On so many levels,” I say. “But I’m especially so lucky to have been born a twin. I love you so much, Ella.”

“I love you, too,” she says. She reaches over and grabs a tissue out of the box, then passes the box to me. We both dab at our tears and then I clear my throat.

“How were Winston and Minnie?” I ask.

“They were stressed. Winston especially. He knew something was wrong. I tried to reassure him the best I could. I have a feeling Becks is going to stay in your room with you tonight, so do you want me to go back and get him and take him home? He can stay with me so he’s not alone.”

I nod. “I think that would be best for him.”

“I also cleaned up the blood and the glass,” Ella says softly. “Not just so the pets wouldn’t get into it, but I didn’t want you and Becks to see that when you go home.”

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