Page 70 of Wildest Dreams

“Hey Wildflower,” he looks over his shoulder and smiles at his fiancée.

“Hey,” she smiles, pushing onto her toes and placing a kiss on his lips.

I push away, eyes red and watery.

Aspen's eyes meet mine, and she throws herself at me, holding me close to her.

“It'll be okay,” she whispers and my heart sinks.

“How are you doing?” I find myself asking, Harlow was her best friend, her sister from another mister. “And Austin?”

“Austin is...” she pauses, her eyes glassing.

My heart.

Her lips part but then they close again, her bottom lip trembles.

“I am so sorry,” I whisper and now it's my turn to comfort her.

We hold onto each other, when we hear a croak of a voice.

We all turn to face Tripp as his eyes flutter open. He blinks a few times, eyes moving slowly between us all.

“Tripp,” I whisper, heart stuttering in my chest and he gives me a small smile, lips pulling at the corners.

“Hey Dixie,” and my feet are moving towards him.

“I'll go get the doc,” Riggs says quietly, leading Aspen from the room.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I'm mindful to be gentle and not to cause him any discomfort.

Reaching forward, I brush his hair from his face as my eyes settle on his.

“I dreamt of you,” he rasps.

“Did you?” I choke on a sob, tears threatening to fall.

He nods, closing his own eyes as he swallows.

“It was the afternoon we went down to the creek... you in that pretty cream sundress,” he smirks a boyish grin and my heart jack hammers in my chest. “The way the water glistened over our bodies,” he continues, and my breath catches in the back of my throat.

“Always dream of that moment, the best of the best,” he sighs, moving slightly and he winces, head thrown back into his pillow as he grits his teeth.

I stand up, slightly panicked.

“Was it me? Did I hurt you?”

“No, baby, no,” his glistening brown eyes seek mine out.

Baby.

I go to sit back down but Riggs walks through the door with the doctor.

“Tripp,” he smiles over at him, and I take that as my cue to step away.

Moving for the door, Tripp calls out, “Dixie?”

“I'm just going to the restroom,” I give a small smile and he meets me with his own before I walk out the door and leave the man that I once loved; but the truth was, I have never fallen out of love with him.

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