Page 480 of The Christmas Wife

"Your room." She looks up at me with her big blue eyes. "I want you to take me to your bedroom."

I swallow. "Are you sure?"

She nods.

"I don’t want you to feel beholden to me for anything. I know I rushed to the hospital, and I know I was worried about you, but I don’t want this to make you feel compelled to want to be with me."

"And what if I do want it?" Her gaze intensifies. "What if I told you I've missed you and couldn’t wait to be with you. And when I was run into and fell to the ground, all I could see was your face in front of my eyes. And I realized that if I can’t be with you, my life will be incomplete."

"Then I have to say, He’s listened to my prayers." I start toward my room.

"You’ve been praying?"

"Not daily, and nowhere near as much as I did in my past life as a priest. But I admit, I’ve been beseeching Him to give me a second chance with you." I glance down at her. "You have to know nothing is worth seeing you hurt. I’d rather you be safe and unharmed than have you here with me, having almost been run down."

"It was just a nudge, honestly." She rubs her cheek against my chest. "And the guy who was on the bike was really sorry. I was sure he was going to burst into tears when he helped me up on the sidewalk. And I told him I was okay, but he insisted on calling the ambulance. And then Dr. Kincaid happened to be at the hospital as they brought me in?—"

"I’m glad he was, and that he called me."

"I’m glad he did, too. The only person I wanted to see then was you."

I place her on my bed gently, then sit down next to her. "How are you feeling? Do you want something to eat? Maybe some herbal tea?"

A buzzing sound fills the air. I pick up her bag and bring it over to her. She pulls out her phone and answers it. "Hi, Summer. No, I’m okay."

I can hear the woman’s voice rise in pitch on the other side.

"No, I’m good, really. I’m here with Eddie."

The voice on the other side says something, and my wife blushes. "I’m sure, I don’t want you to come and get me. Honestly, I’m good. Yeah, I’m spending the night here." She nods. "Thanks, I’ll keep you updated." She switches off the phone and slides it into her bag. I place it on the nightstand.

She leans back against her pillows and yawns again. "I’m so tired."

"The shock must be wearing off." I pull the sheets up to her chin. "You should rest."

"That was Summer. She asked me if I was moving back with you."

My heart somersaults in my ribcage. Sweat pools under my arms. I’ll never take what we have for granted. Never take the fact that she’s my wife and in my bed as afait accompli. Never stop myself from telling her how much I love her, every day, for the rest of my life. And if You’re really up there and watchingover me, then please, let her say yes, please. I swallow, and when I don’t say anything, she lowers her chin to her chest.

"Don’t you want to know what my reply was?"

78

A week later

Mira

"What made you decide you wanted to be with him?" Summer peers through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows at the snowflakes that float down to the ground. It’s been snowing since the morning, enough to cover the trees with white and disrupt the trains in the city. Enough for the weather people to predict that this will be the heaviest snowfall in the last fifty years, or something like that. Truth is, I’m happy to snuggle up on the couch in the living room and watch the snow from here. I’m happy for my husband to wait hand and foot on me. He insists on carrying me everywhere in the house, and on bathing me and feeding me. He’s given the housekeeper—who I finally managed to meet and say 'hi' to—the week off so he can tend to me alone.

He also hasn't gone to work; hasn't even checked his phone. So much so, Nathan finally calledmeand asked to speak to him. He must have invited himself over because, a few hours ago, he arrived at our doorstep. Summer was right behind him. I convinced Edward I’d be fine with her for company for a few hours. He told Summer to keep an eye on me and retreated to his study with Nathan to catch up on his office related matters, but only after I insisted he leave us.

She turns to me. "He does seem cray-cray about you."

"He is." I nod.

"And you’re sure you want to do this?" She waves in the direction of the doorway he disappeared through.

I nod again.

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