Page 213 of Finding Hope

So I watch his lips instead; so fucking sexy and tasty, and then his popped dimple.

Why is he smiling?

Doesn’t his heart hurt, too?

“Found you, Bambie,”

I swallow around the dread that sits lodged in my throat. “Jack.”

I love you!

“You’re not dating Luc.”

My confused eyes snap to his without my permission.

Big mistake.

His are so pretty. Such a beautiful deep blue that I justknowour children would get if only we didn’t mess this up.

For me to birth tiny blue-eyed babies with that single sneaky dimple… perfection.

“Bambie?”

“Huh?”

“I thought you were dating Luc.”

“When?”

“For the last month.”

“Oh… well…” I clear my throat and turn back to the beautiful sunset. “I’m not.”

“Laine told me you were. She was mad I hurt you, so she hurt me back.”

“…Okay.”

“I thought you were happy with him, so I didn’t call you. I didn’t want to hurt you anymore. I’ve just lived through the longest, most painful month of my life, because I didn’t call you. I was done hurting you. But you’re not dating him.”

“No.” My heart pounds so hard, I swear he can actually see it. “I’m not.”

“You look beautiful.” I look up in shock. “You look like club Bambie,”he clarifies. “Your cute little nose ring and your sex hair.” He reaches through the window and plays with my loose hair. His eyes dart around my face, drop to the cast on my arm, then back to my face. “You look so beautiful. You look likeyouagain; not the red-dress-Bambie, and not the hospital-Bambie. You have no clue how it does my heart good to see you this way.”

It doesmyheart damage to see him.

He looks amazing. So close, but so far away.

“Evie wants you to come over to skate soon. She misses you.”

I miss her, too. I miss her so much.

Taking my chin when I hiccup on my breath, he drags my gaze back to his. “No. Don’t cry, Bambie.” He thumbs the single traitorous tear from beneath my eye. “Please don’t cry ever again. You deserve to be happy.”

“I’ve missed you, Jack.”

His thumb freezes. His entire body freezes. “You have?”

I can’t tell him how much. I can’t admit my vulnerability. It’ll hurt so much more when he rejects me. So I simply nod. “I’ve missed you so much.”

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