Page 115 of Forever and Ever

I look up at him and his eyes are burrowing into me like he’s trying to plant the answer he wants in my brain.

“To your house in Denver?”

Noah nods. “I know we’re on tour most of the time anyway, but I told you I’m in this. You’re the person I want to come home to—to make a home with. Whatever that looks like. And who knows where things are going to go from here with your demo, or my next album. But wherever it takes us, I want to be in this together.”

There’s a wrinkle between his eyebrows and he’s rambling, which is adorable. He looks genuinely scared of me running in this moment, not that I could with all the IVs in me. But also, I don’t want to. Not anymore.

“Okay,” I smile, and his face relaxes. “Let’s do this.”

“Yeah?”

I nod. “I’m in.”

Noah leans down and kisses me so hard it takes my breath away. Pausing only to say, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I mumble as he parts my mouth with his tongue.

And I’m finally ready to accept all that comes with it.

35

Merry

Six Weeks Later

Ihaven’tcalledaplace home since I was a kid living with my parents. After that, I moved to the dorms at college, and from there, I was either on tour buses, in hotel rooms, or crashing on couches.

It isn’t until I use the key Noah made me to his house in Denver that I feel like I belong somewhere again.

The house is quiet when I walk inside. Noah mentioned that he would still be at Adrian’s finishing up a song when I arrived, but I’m still bummed because I miss him.

The band stayed in Seattle as long as possible after my surgery, but they had a few things that were easier to record in Denver, so Noah reluctantly returned two weeks before I was able to.

Technically, I could have, but I decided to wait out the full six weeks at my sisters so I wouldn’t have to go back and forth for post-op appointments.

Even though it was tough being apart, it was nice to have that alone time with my sister again. Growing up, there were too many years between us. But in these past six weeks it feels like Monica and I had a chance to connect in ways we couldn’t at younger ages.

Carson might have had to act as mediator a few times, but for the most part, it was surprisingly nice lazing around the house while Monica worked on her books. We binged Hallmark movies, ate take-out, and laughed. It was freeing.

I bring my suitcase into the bedroom and see Noah left a present for me on the bed.

Of course, he did.

The man is so ridiculously thoughtful. Between the flowers he had delivered every few days he was gone, and the daily phone calls, it’s safe to say I’m finally starting to adjust to receiving this level of affection.

After rolling my suitcase into the closet, I sit down on the bed and place the small black box in my lap. It weighs nothing and I can’t imagine what he could have hidden in here, but when I open the lid, I see a simple piece of paper with a drawing on it.

Lifting it up, I see he’s drawn a winding brick road with twisted trees and vines on either side. At the end of the path, is the silhouette of a girl holding a heart in the palms of her hands. It’s dark, beautiful, and strangely familiar.

“You got my gift.” I jump at Noah’s voice and look up to see him standing in the doorway.

I hold up the piece of paper. “You drew this?”

He nods.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Recognize it?” he asks.

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