Page 33 of Banking on Love

“You did?” I replied as we continued hugging.

“Of course, Dear. You didn’t think I actually needed to come to the bank that often did you?” she giggled and let go of me. “I do own a smartphone, ya know?”

“You’ve been playing Cupid this whole time?” I gasped.

“I’ll never tell,” she winked, making all of us laugh.

“Now, she…” Nick said, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me swiftly. “She has been banking on love.”

“Our very own Cupid,” I smiled up at him.

“Mmhmm. I’d say we are quite lucky to have people who love us.”

“We are very lucky indeed.”

“Speaking of which.”

“Yes?”

“I love you, Kensi Wallace.”

My heart skipped several beats and it felt like a cage of butterflies was released in the pit of my stomach. How could such few words move mountains inside me?... I knew the answer. It was because they came from the man who put all the broken pieces together and had my heart.

“I love you, Nick Campton. And, always will.”

Epilogue

NICK

TWO YEARS LATER…

I nervously paced in front of the door. My nerves had gotten the best of me and prevented me from going inside the room. It was a shit move, but I was terrified beyond belief.

“Nicholas Harold Campton! What on Earth are you doing out here in the hallway,” my grandmother scolded, stopping me in my tracks. I looked down the hallway to find her walking towards me. Kimberly and Kallia were on both sides of her carrying flowers and balloons. They wore looks of disapproval.

My eyes lowered to the ground in shame. I had been busted. The nurse had tried to get me in the room but I couldn’t work up the guts to go inside. I had arrived at the hospital ten minutes ago and hadn’t seen Kensi yet. However, that was completely my fault.

“Nicholas,” my grandmother said, placing her arm on my shoulder. “You can’t stand out here forever. Kensi needs you.”

“I know,” I whispered.

“If you get in there too late, she’ll hate you forever,” Kimberly stated flatly.

“I know,” I nodded.

It was the truth. If I missed this moment, after we had waited ten months, Kensi would not only hate me, she would probably murder me. She was in there being a warrior while I was out in the hallway hiding.

“Then why are you out here? Get your butt in there!” Kallia stomped her foot.

“I don’t want to see her in pain,” I admitted, lifting my gaze from the floor.

“Aww!” Kimberly and Kallia gushed.

“That is the sweetest thing ever,” Kallia smiled.

“Totally,” Kimberly agreed.

Their reactions caught me off guard. I expected them to make fun of me for being overly sensitive. Hell, I would have had it coming. My wife was in the hospital about to give birth to our little girl and I was out in the hallway hiding.

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