Page 121 of Forgotten Pieces

Three weeks and I can still feel the curves of her body on my hands.

Three weeks and I can still taste her on my lips.

I know I broke her heart. And I meant it when I told her I would take it all back if I could. Our story isn’t easy, our story is full of hardships and hard decisions. But every single one of those always leads back to her.

My last deployment in the middle east was rough. I wasn’t sure if I would survive. Too many memories from my previous deployment waking me in my sleep. But then I would think about her. The way she felt wrapped in my arms. The way she kept all the ghosts away when we were together. And even with us half a world apart, thoughts of her kept them at bay.

I never thought I would want a woman as badly as I want her. My childhood made me think I was better off alone despite the need I had deep down to have a family, to give my kids a life unlike the one I had. Even when I was with Shelley, I wasn’t sure I wanted a family.

But with Tacoma everything felt right. Everything felt like fate. She was the one I was supposed to be with. Start a family with. Put down roots with.

She was the one that changed my life even when I didn’t know it, nine years ago. I thank God every day I agreed to go to that damn bonfire. And I am glad I didn’t let our age keep us apart. Because to this day she is still the best thing that has ever happened to me.

So now I sit here and wait. Wait for her to wake up and realize we belong together.

I know she knows it.

But I am afraid I might have caused irreversible damage to her heart.

The only reason she won’t come back, I put her through the wringer one too many times.

Now I sit here and hope love is enough.

I hear my doorbell ring and contemplate answering it. Mac has been here one too many times trying to tell me it will all work out. Raelynn stops by too, telling me how stubborn her sister is and it takes her a long time to realize she’s an idiot.

But despite my mind telling me to leave whoever it is at the door, my body wins, grabs my cane, and walks itself to the door.

I see Rae’s truck through the window and sigh as I open the door. “I told you I don’t need compa—” My words freeze when I see the woman on my doorstep.

“Seven for a secret?” she asks, cheeks flushed, eyes desperate.

I don’t have words. I just stare.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” She pauses and takes a step closer to me. “I’m still in love with you, Ryder. And I’m an idiot for making you wait this long. I kept telling myself for weeks this wouldn’t last. Somehow we would just end up apart again. But I don’t care how many times we are ripped from each other no matter how much it hurts. Because the time I have with you outweighs all the heartache. I need you in my life, Ryder. I don’t want to spend another day where I wake up without you in it. I love you. Dammit, I’ve loved you for nine years and I won’t deny myself that love any longer.”

My chest aches as I listen to her speak. This woman is everything I ever wanted and she is finally offering her entire self to me.

I take a step toward her, our bodies nearly flush against each other. I look down into her vibrant eyes, tears cresting her lash line. I can feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. I see the slight shake in her hands, her fear I will tell her no.

But I could never deny this woman. I could never tell her no. She is my happily ever after and I won’t deny either of us.

I wrap an arm around her, my palm pressing into her back to close the gap between us. I use my other hand to brush her hair away from her face. I kiss her forehead lightly and feel her sharp intake of breath. Her arms are rigid at her side and I know she thinks I am still going to say no.

I bring my hand down her face, caress her cheek, before lifting her chin so she can look me in the eye. “Seven for a secret?” I ask.

Her lip trembles as tears fall down her cheeks. “Yes.”

I smile at her and that one look makes her tears stop. “I’m still in love with you too, birdie.”

Her smile takes up her whole face, the most gorgeous smile I have ever seen. I slowly bring my lips to hers and kiss her with reverence. I give her every part of me in that kiss, just as I feel her give me every part of her.

When I pull away, the tears are back in her eyes. “What’s wrong, birdie?”

She sniffles as her arms pull me even tighter into her body. “I never thought we would get this. I never thought we would find a way to make us work. But after all we have been through, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because I have no doubt that our love can survive anything.”

Her words hit me hard, bringing me a sense of calm I haven’t felt my entire life. She is right. We’ve been to hell and back yet somehow we are here in this moment together, ready to live the lives we were meant to. The words on the tip of my tongue are out before my mind can catch up with me. “Marry me.”

She blinks at me, shocked. And I think she might deny me this one thing I want more than all else, to call her my wife.

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