Page 129 of From You to Me

It took me a second to gather myself. “What?” I mumbled as the softness of his hoodies slid over my bare skin.

He quickly donned a low drawstring pants, lacing my fingers as he sauntered us out of the room.

“Jay, what’s wrong? Was it what I said? Are you kicking me out?”

He twisted his head, rolling his eyes. “I’m not kicking you out in the dead of the night wearing just my hoodie.”

Lines creased their way up my forehead. “Then where are we going?”

“God, patience has never been your virtue, has it?” he remarked as he dragged me to the end of the hallway.

We came to a standstill outside the room that was always locked.

Curiosity got hold of me as I watched him magically produce a key from his hands and unlock the room.

A warm golden light replaced the darkness as we entered the room.

My eyes widened as I took in the sight in front of me.

Pink. There was so much pink.

The walls were in shades of pink, swirling together to create the perfect pink ombre. A light pink couch sat by the corner, the walls littered with frames and frames of pictures.

Pictures of us.

All that I had taken, all that he asked me to send to him.

“Jay,” I whispered, shocked as I went deeper into the room.

A tiny table sat by the lounge chair. On top was a pink notebook, a pink pen, and a pink dinosaur. My shaky hands grabbed them, feeling the softness of the plush toy slithering over my fingers.

My mind flashed right back to the silly joke I made all those years ago.

“Jay.” My eyes darted to him. “What is this room?”

“It’s a room I built for her, the girl I fell in love with all those years ago.”

Confused, I shook my head. “I don’t understand.” I waved my hand around. “You built this for me?”

“No.” His eyes gleamed under the lights. “No, it’s for the Evy I used to love, before LA. I’ve always carried some version of this room in every home I’ve been in the past six years.”

My heart thundered, the confusion never leaving my eyes. I still didn’t understand. “Why are you showing me this?”

He shrugged. “I thought I could separate it. The girl I loved with all that I was and the girl who broke my heart in LA. I used to come to this room, sit here, and remember her, and slowly it got better when I realized my heart was with her, the girl I loved. And I was okay with it.”

“Jay, I still don’t understand,” I croaked out, my mouth suddenly dry.

He strode toward me in two quick steps. “Don’t you understand?” He cupped my cheeks. “I thought I gave my heart away. That I was incapable of loving ever again. But the thing is I have never stopped. All this time, I thought I didn’t have a heart, but having you back in my life surged it alive. It made me realize that I never stopped loving you. I thought I did, but even after all this time, I still love you, sweetheart.”

My vision turned glassy as salty streams trickled out of them. “You love me?”

He pressed his forehead against mine. “Of course I do. I love you more than anything.”

A laugh blubbered out of my lips. “I love you too,” I whispered as we met in a kiss.

Long and soft.

With all our love pouring out of it.

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