Page 352 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol 4
I sat down next to him on the sleeping bag and let my head drop onto his shoulder. His arms gave me comfort. I didn’t care if our relationship was a secret. I didn’t care about any of it. All I knew was that I didn’t feel so broken in his arms. They were strong enough to hold me together. And I needed that. I needed him.
But I eventually had to say something. We’d fought right before I found out about my uncle. I’d been so mad at him. But now it all seemed…so insignificant. “I don’t want you to ruin your friendship with James,” I said.
“I don’t care about any of that. I just want you to stop crying.”
I wiped away the tears on my cheeks. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. “Then tell me something happy.” I looked up at him.
“This is my favorite part of the day,” he said.
“Mine too.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
I rested my head back on his shoulder. “No.” My voice sounded so soft that for a second I thought he hadn’t heard me.
“But the funeral’s tomorrow. Do you know what you’re going to say?”
“That I thought I lost the most important person in my life three months ago. That I never thought anyone could come close. But that losing my uncle hurt just as much as losing my mom. That he gave up living the last months of his life to take care of me. He was selfless and kind and funny and smart. And he loved me more than I deserved. Because I pestered him a lot. Mostly about my birth father. And after my uncle died, I knew I’d lost the hope of ever uncovering my birth father’s identity. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Because I just lost the only father figure I ever wanted. And I wished he’d let me in sooner. Because he was worth fighting for.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “Those were his last words to me. That he understood why mom was able to hold on for so long. Because I was worth fighting for.”
“I wish I’d gotten to know him better,” Matt said. He kissed the side of my forehead. “It sounds like he was an amazing man.”
“He was.” The past tense made my eyes grow watery again. “You know one of the main reasons I pestered him about my dad so much?” I looked up at Matt. The bruise on his eye was mostly faded now. His chocolaty brown eyes stared back at me with so much warmth. “I was worried that we might be related.”
Matt smiled. “You could have just asked. My parents have been happily married for over twenty years. They even make out in public. It’s weird.”
I laughed. I was pretty sure it was the first time I’d laughed in days.
Matt’s smile grew. “You know.” He lifted up my hand. “Maybe one day you’ll be a Caldwell.” His index finger and thumb ran down my ring finger. “When I make you my wife.”
I laughed again.
“What, you don’t believe me? All your firsts are mine, remember?” His lips lightly brushed against mine.
“You want to be my first husband? Hmm…”
“Youronlyhusband,” he said.
“You’re ridiculous.”
But he wasn’t looking at me like he was kidding. “I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere, Brooklyn. You’ll never lose me.”
My eyes started tearing up again.
“No, don’t cry again,” he said with a laugh and pulled me into his arms.
But for the first time this week I wasn’t crying because I was sad. I was crying because I was happy. I hadn’t really lost everything. I still had Kennedy and Mrs. Alcaraz. And I had Matt. I knew I had him. He wouldn’t lie about this. Not now. I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat. I willed it to keep beating for me. I willed his heart to be as strong as his arms.You’ll never lose me either.
***
My hands gripped the podium so tightly my knuckles were turning white. I sniffed, trying to force my last lines out. I looked out at the pews that were filled with people from our school. Felix. Cupcake. I recognized so many faces. And they all came out because they loved and respected my uncle too.
Even Mr. Hill, who apparently was friends with my uncle. He had given a nice speech before mine. The first thing I’d thought when he got up to the podium was that I was surprised he wasn’t making me read his eulogy for him. I was pretty sure I even smiled.
And then there were the Untouchables in the back row. All four of them lined up in their crisp black suits. Their parents all in attendance beside them. I stared at Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Hunter for just a moment. Their sons were the spitting images of them.And none of them looked like me. Not that it mattered. None of it mattered.
I locked eyes with Matt. It also didn’t matter that Matt wasn’t sitting in the front row with me. It didn’t matter that his friends didn’t know I was his. Because I knew it. And I knew he’d come tonight and help me through this. And he’d keep coming until I was whole again.
Matt gave me a nod, encouraging me.
