Page 34 of HoHoHo for You

Thank you for being willing to love me even when it isn’t easy. Thank you for putting up with my crazy, and still finding me hot. Thank you for hunting me when I need it, and holding me when I don’t. Thank you for not letting me push you away.

It’s been almost a year, and I understand it now. You sacrificed yourself for me. I didn't deserve it, and you did it anyway. You also helped me face my father. Now that he’s gone I can see how important that was for me to do. I’m still working on that forgiveness thing, but I wouldn’t even be halfway here without you. Hell, I wouldn’t be hereat allwithout you.

I know you say that was God, but I don’t see that. I seeyou.Thank you for loving me the way you do. I don’t know how to love like you do. But I’m going to try.

And also, you are hot as fuck.

Damn, I’m the luckiest woman alive.

I love you,

Bridget

~

My breath rushed out of me. I closed the journal and lay it gently on the table, staring in stunned silence. Then I dropped my face into my hands and gave myself a minute, just one, to weep for her.

It was so much. She carriedso much.How the hell was I going to get it right? How was it possible I could see ahead for her and make sure she stayed safe?

Help me God. I can’t get this wrong!

But as soon as those thoughts were purged, I knew there was only one way forward: Together. I had to see her.

She’d gone down to the waterfall earlier. I didn’t know if she was swimming or just sitting in the cooler air near the water, but I stripped off my shorts and ran down the ramp to find her.

I reached the bank of the swimming hole as she popped up out of the water with a splash.

I watched her emerge, her head back and hands up to push the water back from her hair—then she caught sight of me at the edge of the pool and she stilled, her eyes going round with fear.

For a split second I saw every version of her—the child convinced she didn’t matter, the adolescent certain no one cared, the young woman who felt used and threatened, and the adult woman I met who had decided she was worthless and life had no point…

“You’re worth so much,” I rasped. “You have no idea, Bridget.”

Her eyes widened further and she pressed her hands to her belly. “What are you—is it too much? I don’t mind if you—”

With a desperate growl, I plowed into the water, splashing,runningto her until it became too deep, then I forced my way through it, stroking with my arms until I reached her and could take her face in my hands and pull her into a deep, desperate kiss.

Bridget sucked in when our lips met and her hands went to my wrists. She gripped me tightly, but didn’t pull my hands away.

I looked down on her and whispered, “I love you. I willalwayslove you. I’m not going anywhere.” Then I kissed her again as she sobbed into my mouth and clung to me. And it was such a relief.Sucha relief that she didn’t push me away, I almost did a little sobbing myself.

12. Light My Heart

SOUNDTRACK:Soul on Fireby Benj Heard

~ BRIDGET ~

Water dripped off Sam's face and shoulders, from little tines of his hair that stuck in different directions because he’d been running his hands through it. But his eyes… his eyes were wide and earnest anddetermined.

He stared down at me, the moonlight shining on his wet skin and shadowing his muscles as he held my face and searched my eyes, whispering the words I’d always needed, but never felt safe enough to ask for until he started giving them without being asked.

It wasn’t until now that I could let myself hope that he wasn’t going to give up after this.

“I love you,” he said hoarsely. “I willalwayslove you. I’m not going anywhere.”

Then he kissed me like I was water in the desert.

The relief that broke in my chest was so consuming, I sobbed. I couldn’t help it. As desperate as I was to kiss him, my kiss was salty with tears and my breath rushed out of me in hitching, sobs.

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