Page 79 of When Hearts Remember

“See?” Alexis looks at me expectantly. “Doesn’t it look like the earrings you gave me?”

“Wow. Yeah. It does.” I marvel at the bird—the delicate strokes for the feathers, the brilliant ruby chest, reminding me of the stained glass window in Ravenswood, the way the wings appear mid-flight and full of life, just like the woman who gave this to me.

Warmth rushes through me, chasing the earlier unease away.

It’s perfect.

“I saw this at a vintage store. Not a brand name or anything fancy, but this is so special, don’t you think? Simple and elegant on the outside, hiding a beautiful heart inside. Just like you.”

I graze the wings on the hummingbird one last time before sliding the medallion face back into place and carefully put it back into the box.

Glancing up atmybeautiful hummingbird, I murmur, “It’s absolutely perfect.”

Because my heart only pounds for her.

She beams, grabs my hand, and rushes through the lobby—past a bewildered doorman—into the sea of white.

The frigid air burns my lungs as snow batters my face. Holy shit, it’s cold.

But my Nova isn’t fazed. She spins around in circles, her arms outstretched.

Then she grins.

“You’re my north star, Ethan.”

Without a warning, she flies into my arms and anoomphtumbles out of my chest when I catch her. She presses the sweetest kiss on my lips and for a moment, I forget about the brisk air, the fact we’re wearing two flimsy layers of clothing in the middle of a snowstorm, or how I can barely feel my fingers.

The fire burning inside me keeps me warm.

“And you’re ridiculous. Who on earth voluntarily goes outside in the middle of a blizzard?” I smile at her impish face. There’s no way anyone can stay mad at this woman, even if she’s bound to catch herself a cold if no one takes care of her.

I slowly tug her loosened robe tighter around her body. “Someone needs to take care of you.”

She beams. “That’s why I have you.”

Letting out a joyful shriek, she pulls away and sticks her tongue out to catch the snow. “It’s the first snow of the new year! The sign of new beginnings and fresh starts. Don’t be such a grump, you old man! And need I remind you if I didn’t go out in a snowstorm, we wouldn’t have met?”

I think back to how she barreled into me in front of Ravenswood, and how it seems like a lifetime ago. I remember I couldn’t look away. My breath caught in my lungs when I glimpsed her sweet smile and fiery locks. Deep down, I knew my life would change from that moment on.

Now, I don’t remember life before Alexis Vaughn. It’s like a faded black-and-white photo painstakingly restored, then enhanced in technicolor, the before and after effects mesmerizing.

A snowball fight and a snow angel later, hail hurls from the skies. As I hover over her prone body lying on top of the blanket of white—because someone has to protect and take care of my Nova—I marvel at how much my life has changed since her.

“I don’t know how you do it. You inspire me to beso much more. I…I—”

I want to write poems about this moment as we lay suspended in the middle of the busiest city in the country. If I were to create a snow globe to represent our relationship, this would be the scene I’d capture.

The magic. The thrill. The perfect snapshot.

Alexis kisses my fingers and murmurs, “Be here and be bold. Don’t wait to live because…”

“The clock keeps ticking,” I rasp.

Her whimsical mottos. The way she lives, like the grains of sand in her hourglass are running out. The desperation I felt in my apartment moments ago comes rushing back. It’s unsettling; the feeling I always get when the winds are calm and an eerie silence settles before a violent storm wreaks havoc and devastation.

Swallowing the lump suddenly forming in my throat, I clutch her hands in mine. “Are you going to give me the answer?”

Her gaze roves over my face before a devious smile graces her lips. “Do you have a ring on you?”

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